Running head: CANVAS PROPOSAL 1

Canvas Proposal

Mary Forgione

Loyola University Maryland

CANVAS PROPOSAL 2

Introduction

In Howard County, Canvas is used as an online technology that allows parents/ guardians,

students, and teachers access to instructional tools and student data. Canvas was introduced to

the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) in 2015. Prior to its implementation, email was

the only online option for communication between school and home. Resources and curriculum

were only accessible to teachers through a document repository. Not only does Canvas provide

parents and students with hand-picked curriculum resources and tools, but it bridges vital

communication gaps. In planning to ensure that Canvas is optimized as a primary communication

tool for educators, there are specific steps that must be taken.

Rationale

It is important that teachers receive training and comfortability with Canvas. Canvas

encompasses each teacher’s value and belief in extending and supporting learning at home.

Effective school-to-home and home-to-school communication is vital in the learning process.

Parents desire the instructional tools and resources that support their child’s learning at home,

and teachers desire instant and personalized communication with parents. Students want access

to familiar games and activities to continuing building their new knowledge. Canvas makes all

these desires a possibility. Currently, teachers receive one professional development session

regarding Canvas in the beginning weeks of each new school-year. In this session, teachers learn

basic navigation of Canvas and learn how to create a homepage. In regards to other specific

functions of Canvas, Howard County offers some opportunities for professional development,

however they are not on-site. This proposal is focused around educating teachers on how to use

important features and functions of Canvas so that they become more comfortable using Canvas.
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Timeline

The proposed timeline for the teacher professional development sessions will be from

Tuesday, March 5th through Tuesday May 14th. Each session will be 1.5 hours long (3:30-5:00pm).

Specific and Measurable Learning Objectives

Date/ Time Learning Objective(s)

Tuesday, March 5th -General information meeting
3:30-5:00pm -Basic navigation of Canvas (Dashboard, Sandbox, Commons)
Wednesday, March 13th -Accessing homepage templates
3:30-5:00pm -Creating and editing a homepage
Tuesday, March 19th –Accessing and creating Announcements
3:30-5:00pm -Creating and assigning Assignments
Tuesday, March 26th -Creating individualized Canvas Quizzes
3:30-5:00pm
Tuesday, April 2nd -Adding individualized multimedia to Pages
3:30-5:00pm
Tuesday, April 9th -Adding individualized multimedia to Pages
3:30-5:00pm
Tuesday, April 23rd -Accessing and understanding Speedgrader
3:30-5:00pm -Creating and using Speedgrader rubrics
Tuesday, April 30th -Classroom Integration of Canvas (Basic)
3:30-5:00pm - Classroom Integration of Canvas (Advanced)
Tuesday, May 7th -Creating an individualized classroom resource page
3:30-5:00pm -Customizing an individualized classroom resource page
Tuesday, May 14th -Accessing and using Conversations
3:30-5:00pm -Accessing and using Discussions

Applicable Learning Models of Change

In order to effectively facilitate the implementation of Canvas professional development

sessions, it is important to analyze which of Ely’s Conditions of Change are applicable. Teachers

need to realize that the communication problems and academic gaps that they currently see at

our school can be improved. Since dissatisfaction with the status quo is evident at my school,

leading these individuals to Canvas will allow them to realize how vital this technology innovation
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is in dissolving these problems. The more teachers utilize Canvas to communicate with their

parents and support their student’s learning, the more parents will be inclined to use Canvas as

well. Ely’s condition that “Knowledge and Skills Exist” is a weakness at Talbott Springs Elementary

School. Many staff members under-utilize the technologies and resources available to them. Our

teachers need more individualized Canvas support in order to fix this. I plan to do just that.

Rewards and incentives play a large role in our motivation and participation as a staff. We

are an extremely active staff. To meet the needs of the teachers that prove to be more

extrinsically motivated, food and drinks at trainings will be a great incentive. I will offer “brain-

friendly” foods and drinks at each session. Our main reward and incentive in implementing

Canvas is watching our students use technology to bridge academic gaps. As part of the trainings,

participants will create an individualized classroom resource page as a way to begin eliminating

this gap. In regards to Ely’s “Leadership” quality, the technology leaders in our school are

plentiful. Several staff members at our school have a Masters in Educational Technology including

Elizabeth Stover and Ruth Walker. While Mrs. Thompson, our principal, supports student, parent,

and teacher use of Canvas, our school’s technology leaders will solely focus on supporting the

teachers that need the most encouragement and training. With these readily available human

supports, questions and support can be provided on a daily basis. I plan to make myself readily

available for anyone in need of support using Canvas throughout the schoolyear.

The Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) Model explains the five phases of

implementing technology in the classroom and/or an educational setting. Of the five phases, the

adoption phase seems to be where the majority of our teachers are currently. This means that

while our teachers have gained some perspective into how technology transforms student
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learning, they are struggling to effectively accommodate those relevant technologies. Knowing

that our teachers are mostly in the adoption phase of the ACOT Model allows us to understand

that teachers are struggling to use technology to enhanced learning. This is a great place for our

teachers to be when it comes to implementing individualized Canvas professional development.

Teachers are showing motivation to attempt to use technology in different ways, and I am readily

able to provide them with the necessary information that they need. Staff members show that

they are willing to give new innovations a try. Showing teachers how easy, useful, and helpful

Canvas can be will alleviate skepticism about using it in the future.

Overview of Learners

Participants Canvas Comfortability Level

Mary Forgione, Elizabeth Stover, Ruth Walker Technology Leaders
Dennis McDonald, Lisa Lassiter 10
Christina Mizia 9
Kristin Murray, Laurie Ressler, Brian McMahon, Lee Welsh, 8
Maureen Hylton, Kelly Mountain, Pam Lennon
Haroldine Simpkins, Len Langrick, Stephanie Kapadia, 7
Mari Fregoso, Sofia Lamartin
Amy Lauer, Marilyn LePore, Cyndi Freeman, 6
Alexis Dwyer, April Sharp
Marta Montanez, Casey Otten, 5
Thea Turnage, Khalilah Braxton, Abby Futter
Penny Freer, Joan Cross 4
Audrey Simmons, Alena Molina, 2
Lauren Sansone, Doni Ernst

Instructional Plan of Action

1) Send out Google Form to acquire Canvas needs and comfortability levels

2) Conduct a “Scavenger Hunt” with participants of basic features of Canvas

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3) Implement Read, Reflect, Display, Do (R2D2) learning model on-site sessions to meet each

learning objective (Participants will have the remainder of the week to complete the “Do” portion

to show independent knowledge of the weekly learning objective.)

4) Participants will create and share their Canvas classroom resource page as well as their

students’ and parents’ feedback regarding the resource page. They will also provide feedback on

the helpfulness of these provided trainings.

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment and evaluation of our plan of action will drive the proposed explorations and

trainings. After each session, participants will be asked to provide concrete evidence of their

learning. Each learner will create an online portfolio that provides an artifact for each sessions

learning objective. A Google Slides template will be provided for participants to use. I will have

concrete artifacts to assess for each participant. Staff members will be provided feedback from

the facilitators and other participants on their learning artifacts. In regards to the classroom

resource page, participants be encouraged to seek feedback from both their students and

parents. After all of the sessions have been conducted, a feedback form will be sent out to

participants in order for the technology leaders to reflect on the presentation of the provided

Canvas information.