Topic: Bang Your Head on Your Desk - the thread of teaching despair!

[Parasaurolophus]

I meant to say this back in September, but... I'm teaching a single course as a sessional at the branch campus of the R1 down the road (for the money/as a favour). Our LMS is Moodle, theirs is Canvas.

Holy shit, but is Canvas ever a POS LMS. WTF? I can't believe how limited its functionality is, to say nothing of the crap interface (Moodle's is crap too, but so much better). I really can't even begin to wrap my mind around it. Ugh.

[waterboy]

Canvas is...an acquired taste.

[Parasaurolophus]

Canvas is...an acquired taste.

I could swear it was better when I was using it as a postdoc seven years ago. =/

[the_geneticist]

Canvas is...an acquired taste.

"Oh, but it's so intuitive to use!" - our IT folks

No, it is not.  I was fluent in Blackboard, which has amazing customization features.

My pet peeves about Canvas:
1. You can't have folders! I do not want to upload pictures/sequence data/etc onto a "page". I want to put files in a folder.  My workaround is posting links to Google Drive (students have free access)
2. You have to upload pictures as a file *before* trying to include them in a page/post/quiz.  Otherwise they show as a box with red X in some browsers or on cellphones.
3. I cannot limit what my TAs can access or change in a meaningful way.  I do not want them to see my exam questions in advance.  I do not want them to be able to change assignment settings.  I do not want them to *unpublish* the modules/assignments/etc.  I do not want them to be able to remove students (why?!?) from accessing the class.  They need to be able to post announcements & enter grades.
4. I cannot give colleagues access to a course after the term has ended. Makes it harder to share teaching materials with other instructors. But I can clone it into a "sandbox" - just inconvenient

What I like about Canvas:
It links directly to GradeScope. 
You can cross-list sections together.  All my intro labs share one Canvas page rather than 20+ individual pages
The University spent enough $$ on the switch that they won't switch again for a while

[Parasaurolophus]

Also: I really loathe the "what is the format of the exam" question. I'm sure it's a completely idiosyncratic pet peeve, but it drives me nuts.

[Hegemony]

My pet peeves about Canvas:
1. You can't have folders! I do not want to upload pictures/sequence data/etc onto a "page". I want to put files in a folder. 

You can certainly do the equivalent of putting files in a folder. What do you want to do by putting files in a folder? Just put them in groups? I just set up a page and link them all from the page. For instance:

Read the following texts:
1. "Why I love Canvas" [the title linked to the file]
2. "Canvas is nice if you know how to work it" [the title linked to the file]

To link to the file, highlight the title, go up and click the little icon of a chain, and it will ask you whether the file is already on Canvas, or whether you want to upload it from your computer. Easy-peasy.

[apl68]

The whole thing makes me glad I washed out of grad school and was forced to find a different career.  A blessing in disguise.

[the_geneticist]

My pet peeves about Canvas:
1. You can't have folders! I do not want to upload pictures/sequence data/etc onto a "page". I want to put files in a folder. 

You can certainly do the equivalent of putting files in a folder. What do you want to do by putting files in a folder? Just put them in groups? I just set up a page and link them all from the page. For instance:

Read the following texts:
1. "Why I love Canvas" [the title linked to the file]
2. "Canvas is nice if you know how to work it" [the title linked to the file]

To link to the file, highlight the title, go up and click the little icon of a chain, and it will ask you whether the file is already on Canvas, or whether you want to upload it from your computer. Easy-peasy.

I'll have to try it!  Is there a size/number limit?  I'm talking 200+ .ab1 files

[Hegemony]

I'll have to try it!  Is there a size/number limit?  I'm talking 200+ .ab1 files

I don't know what an .ab1 file is, and I don't know if there's a limit, but I imagine you could put up any reasonable amount of files.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Yesterday, a student came up to me in lab and mentioned that he would turn in his lab late. I said, sure, that's fine, but there are late points. Ok. No problem. He then said that he would email it to me. Uh, no. I do not accept any work through email (all labs are e-labs), but if you let me know, then I'll extend the time on Blackboard. It's also in the syllabus that I don't accept any work through email, but you know how many students read that (and they don't listen when I mention it multiple times in lab). Ok. Fine. Of course, stu missed the window to turn in late work and guess what he did?

He fricking EMAILED it to me!

*hair pulling and gnashing of teeth*

[Langue_doc]

He fricking EMAILED it to me!

I wouldn't gnash my teeth; I respond to Stu's email referring them to the syllabus and the conversation about submitting this particular assignment. Stu is the only person who can upload assignments on BB or Canvas; faculty are unable to do so.

My pet peeves about Canvas

I learned to use Canvas--after flunking the online quiz on how to use it--by setting up appointments with tech support. I was familiar with BB, so knew exactly what I wanted out of Canvas, which was to have students upload their assignments, for me to review/grade said assignments, which were drafts and final versions of essays and research papers, and also how to use the discussion board. The first semester--this was probably in 2017 for an onsite classroom I had at the most three hour-long appointments. The next couple of semesters it took me just one appointment for residual questions/issues. I didn't have to deal with physical essays and other assignments after that or with students claiming that they had submitted their assignments which I had lost.

If you have a list of questions/problems, your tech support would be the best resource for helping you with them.

[the_geneticist]

My campus decided to change to Canvas *during lockdown*

I got the most help from YouTube videos, searching the web for "how do I do [thing] in Canvas", and chatting with a friend at another campus.

Our tech folks were pretty overwhelmed trying to figure out getting everyone Zoom accounts.  And they had no clue that we needed really basic information like "how do you add a column in grades?" .  In Blackboard you can just add one.  In Canvas, you have to create & publish as assignment, even for things like attendance.

I've learned that if I uploaded all the .ab1 files, I will exceed the storage limit.  We have to use 3rd parties like Google or Yuja so the files are stored elsewhere & post links.

[bio-nonymous]

We switched from Blackboard to Canvas after my first year here. "They" said, "Canvas is great and has better functionality" in a big voice! (In the smaller voice) "AND it is so much cheaper..."

"They" constantly do that--claim "THEY ARE HELPING US!!!!" by switching to a cheaper less functional model after everyone gets used to the previous switch for a couple of years.

[the_geneticist]

The "it's so much cheaper" was the actual reason here too!
This is the third LMS in the last 10 years for this campus.

[Puget]

On the syllabus, on the course page, and in person in class I warn students not to book winter break travel until after the final exam schedule is released by the registrar's office. I tell them that it is against university policy to give a final exam other than in its scheduled block, and I can't and won't make exceptions. They also get emails about this from the registrar's office.

The final exam schedule is now out, and I got the first, but I'm sure not the last, student with a sad story that their family booked their tickets already and they want to take it early. BANG, BANG, BANG.

I told her she could talk to her academic services advisor but they would almost certainly say no too.