1. PRESENTED BY Mushinzimana Xavier Mukamurigo Judith
CANVAS: USING AN OPEN SOURCE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING
PRESENTED BY
Mushinzimana Xavier
Mukamurigo Judith

2. Syllabus Objectives Outcomes Participants What is active learning?
Why should we use active learning?
Active learning techniques;
E-learning technologies
Accessing CANVAS.
Using CANVAS (Video)

3. 1. Objectives To encourage active learning;
To increase the use of active learning strategies and technologies in a student-centered learning process;
To encourage contact between students and teachers;
To develop reciprocity and cooperation among students;
To encourage prompt feedback;
To access and use the content of the courses using CANVAS.

4. 2. Outcomes of the tutorial
At the end of the tutorial, students should be able to
explain basic premises of active learning;
use CANVAS to learn actively;
3. Participants
This course is designed to be taught to first year students.

5. 4. What is Active learning?
There are two General Learning Techniques
Passive learning: listening; uni-directional transmission of information by a lecturer;
Active learning: doing; discovering, processing, and applying information.
Active learning is a process whereby learners are actively engaged in
the learning process, rather than "passively" absorbing lectures. Active learning involves reading, writing, discussion, and engagement in solving problems, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

6. 4. What is Active learning?
These activities may involve whole class, teams, small groups, trios, pairs, individuals.In this sense, active learning is a multi-directional learning experience in which learning occurs in teacher-to-student, student-to-teacher, and student-to-student directions.

7. 5. Why should we Use Active Learning ?
Involves students more actively with the course content
Helps them apply what they are learning and use higher order thinking skills;
Appeals to a wide variety of learning styles and intellectual strengths;
Active learning involves the whole student in the learning process: heart and hand and head;
Active learning makes students do;
Active learning can excite students about the subject matter, thus getting them more personally involved in their own learning process.
(Nancy Allen, Ph.D.College of Education Qatar University)

8. 6. Active learning techniques
Many techniques may be used to implement an active learning environment. These include Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs), lecture techniques, focus questions, one-minute paper, and so on. But the most effective active learning method is learning using new web-based technology i.e. the E-learning.
E-learning is the use of the Internet and related technologies for the development, distribution and enhancement of active learning resources .

9. 7. E-Learning Technologies
The e-learning is implemented through Learning Management Systems (LMS) which is a database which can be accessed by students, providing course outlines, explanations, pre-requisite information and courses.
One of the old technologies of LMS but still in use is the Moodle: Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment . It is a free software package for producing internet-based courses and web sites.
But the technology advances. A new technology with friendly used interface is being used worldwide. This is the CANVAS software, developed and distributed by Instructure company based in Sandy, Utah (USA).

10. 8. Accessing CANVAS
CANVAS is an open-source software, but to use it, you have to be logged in. This is done at this link where you create your CANVAS account.
When a teacher creates a course, he gets a URL that is used to access the course on CANVAS. He therefore invites the students who will participate in the course by entering the s the students used to create CANVAS accounts.
For this tutorial, the URL is
To access the course notes, communications and to interact with the teacher, copy the URL in your browser, log in and start learning.
GOOD LUCK!