Empowering Personalized Learning with Canvas
What is personalized learning? Personalized instruction is first factoring in students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness before asking students to complete assignments (Resilient Educator). Another term for this is differentiated instruction. This article focuses on specific examples of how instructors can use the Canvas course management system to personalize their students’ learning.
This article is based on a Graduate School of Education workshop, Empowering Personalized Learning with Canvas:
Why use personalized learning?
Students come into the classroom with a range of experiences. For example, some students may have never used ChatGPT while others use it daily. This can create a digital divide. And beyond specific tools like ChatGPT, there are less obvious differences in the range of experiences students might have, such as international students struggling to find alignment with their background knowledge, or even students that take to the content quicker and outpace their cohort.
By tailoring instruction to meet individual students, you can create a more inclusive environment and increase engagement. However, this instructional approach can come with a high cost of labor and time. Canvas can help automate these strategies allowing you to focus on the classroom. There are three Canvas functions – student groups, assignment groupings, and rubrics – that you can use to address these learning differences.
Intentional student groups
Watch the recording at 5:33–13:00
Even if they all meet the course prerequisites students can have differing skill sets. Intentionally grouping these different students together can help them learn from each other.
“Let’s say that one student has a lot of experience with coding and another doesn’t. Maybe you can match them together so that the master student can help the other student.” (6:09)
You can assign roles to students within each group to help them recognize their skills. They can contribute to the project in different ways. For example, one student has art-making skills and provides visual design input while another student may have scheduling skills and provides time management to the group.
Use the student groups feature in Canvas to have dedicated group materials. For example, if you have groups studying different case studies, you can deliver these to each group individually through the group homepage (2:13-2:30 of the linked video). If you assign quarter-long groups, the homepage can serve as a repository of materials and conversations for different groups.
Using controlled randomness to create groups can help you evenly distribute students across groups by knowledge, ability, and interests. For example, you might sort students into columns by skill level, background, or interest, then select a random person from each column to form the groups (Cohen & Lotan, p. 23). This way you can assign groups with students of all levels or skill sets mixed together so they can learn from one another.
Example: Students have various experience levels with ChatGPT
Students will likely use generative AI like ChatGPT, but not every student in your class will be equally familiar with these tools. Perhaps you would like students to collectively develop creative ways of using tools like ChatGPT for your coursework.
Before you begin instruction, construct a syllabus statement about the use of AI in your course, such as which scenarios are permissible for use (e.g., brainstorming or outlining) and what is not permissible (e.g., writing or editing).
Once the course has started, gather information about your students' skills and knowledge levels. There are a variety of methods, such as a survey with Canvas, Qualtrics, or Poll Everywhere, or you can require students to come to office hours so you can get to know them on a one-to-one basis.
Create intentional groups once you have a better understanding of how experienced your students are with the class content. For example, assign experts with novices so that students can learn from each other about how to effectively use ChatGPT.
To save time, Canvas has a function to import groups from a comma-separated-values (.csv) file. This way you can build groups in a spreadsheet, based on meeting notes or survey results, and then you can use this file to create groups in Canvas. Watch the video at [8:58-11:43] to see a demonstration of this.
Choice-based assignments
Watch the recording at 13:10–14:42
Giving students choices fosters a sense of autonomy and engagement in the class. You can use the assignment groups feature in Canvas to create options for each assignment, such as different submission types (e.g., essay or video), or challenge levels where students choose one out of three assignment options. Students choose just one assignment in the group, and Canvas can track and calculate students’ grades and progress in the course automatically.
“You can do these choice-based assignments without having to manually excuse students from one of the assignments or having to follow up.” (14:16)
Canvas can also calculate weighted grades. For example, you can create an assignment group with a weighted grade of 50%. That assignment group will be worth half of the course grade in the gradebook. Watch the video at [13:49-14:10] for further explanations.
By creating an assignment group with differing levels of difficulty or submission types, you give students a choice. Check out this helpful Canvas article about how to create choice-based assignment groups, where you can create a “Choose 1 of 3” scenario for your students. Be sure to add the assignments to a module so students can see their choices.
Example: Finding knowledge parity with international students
Students will have prior knowledge of a subject based on their differing backgrounds and past experiences. It can be tricky for students to apply that knowledge in a new context or course.
For an introductory assignment in your course, you could create three assignment options that allow students to select between A) recording a short explanatory video, B) creating a thought map, or C) developing a slide deck with main points and diagrams. A student can select the assignment type they are most comfortable with and which aligns most closely with how they can express their thoughts most effectively. This can support students entering your course with different educational experiences or language backgrounds.
Rubrics
Watch the recording at 14:45–17:14
Rubrics are a great way to provide transparent, personalized feedback in your course. Students will be able to better gauge the level of their work and you will have an easier time grading.
“The key is to set clear expectations. What does full completion look like, and what does partial completion look like?” (15:12)
Sample portion of a grading rubric
| Criteria | Ratings: Exemplary | Ratings: Developing | Ratings: Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract |
3 pts Clearly states problem and question to be resolved; clearly summarizes method, results, and conclusions | 2 pts Summarizes problem, method, results, and conclusions but lacks some details | 1 pts Is vague about the problem; does not provide a summary of the whole project |
| Introduction | 3 pts Provides background research into the topic and summarizes important findings from the review of the literature; describes problem to be solved; justifies the study; explains the significance of the problem to an audience of non-specialists | 2 pts Provides background research into the topic and describes the problem to be solved | 1 pts Provides background research into the topic but does not describe the problem to be solved; fails to explain details to non-specialists |
Attach a rubric to an assignment using SpeedGrader within Canvas. When grading, click on each cell of the rubric and Canvas will automatically calculate the grade. Use the comment boxes to add specific comments. You can deliver individualized feedback promptly with this method.
Once the rubric is attached to an assignment, you can copy the assignment and rubric from course to course. Rubrics not attached to assignments cannot be copied into other courses at this time.
Example: Guiding soft leadership skills
Rubrics can be very helpful when applying abstract or soft skill concepts. And since each student is different, you need more nuanced feedback. By articulating evaluation criteria in the grade book you and the students can find common ground in vocabulary and understanding of the content.
If this is something you want students to be more in control of, you can co-create the rubric to come up with criteria and examples together. This way they are more engaged and invested in their learning journey.
References
- Designing Groupwork: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom (Cohen & Lotan)
- What Is Differentiated Instruction and Why Differentiate?
- What Is Differentiated Instruction? (Tomlinson)
- How to create student groups
- How to access the student group homepage
- Teacher Tested Strategies for Differentiated Instruction (Edutopia)
- What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom (resilient educator)
- Teaching a Class With Big Ability Differences (Edutopia)
- How to address a wide range of skills and abilities in your classroom (USC)
- Design Principles in Canvas
- How to Organize Learner-Centered Course Material
- What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom (Resilient Educator)