UW-Parkside

August 2018
Innovations in Learning
 
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What you need to know about the Canvas transition for Fall 2018
This fall, some students will be taking courses in both learning management systems while the UW System transitions from D2L to Canvas.

In the next few weeks, you will receive an email from the Registrar's Office notifying you if any of your courses will be hosted through Canvas. This email will include numerous resources on how to use Canvas, as well as a walk-through tutorial you can use to familiarize yourself with the platform before the Fall 2018 semester begins.

The UW System has Tier 1 Support to aid in the transition, meaning Canvas support technicians are available 24/7, 365 days a year to answer any questions you may have about the system.

Please check your email regularly for more communication regarding the Fall 2018 semester and Canvas.
Course Start Dates differ in D2L and Canvas
Depending on which learning management system your instructors are using, you may have access to your courses at varying times.

All face-to-face courses hosted through D2L will open on the first day of the semester, September 5th, unless otherwise specified by the instructor. Online courses hosted through D2L will open one week earlier on August 29th.

Instructors publish their own courses in Canvas so you may gain access to your courses earlier or later than the first day of class, depending on when the instructor has decided to make their course active.

If you have any questions about where one of your courses is being hosted, please fill out a D2L Support Form .
Will Tomorrow's College Students Not Know How to Use Physical Keyboards?
A recent article from Inside Higher Ed looked at the fact that some students in Japan have never used a physical keyboard in their lifetime, and in turn have never needed to use a physical computer, either. These students are not able to type on physical keyboards and are instead only used to the small, virtual keyboards on their handheld devices.

The rise of smart phones and tablets has made it so some students don't feel the need to use computers any longer to accomplish tasks. The author of the article notes how this can be detrimental to student success, especially online, where discussion boards and asynchronous communication are vital. Imagine typing a paper without a physical keyboard.

What do you think? Do you find yourself using a keyboard less and less, or do you still use one every day? Can you picture a college environment without keyboards in the future?

Technology Requirements for Online Courses
Are you planning on taking an online course this fall? If the answer is yes, consider visiting the Technology Requirements webpage to make sure your device meets the requirements for online learning.

It is always recommended to use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome when accessing the campus learning management system. You should try to avoid using Internet Explorer whenever possible.

Other software to consider are Acrobat Reader , Adobe Flash Player , and Microsoft Office 365 which is free with your student account.
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