Canvas and D2L Brightspace Tool Comparison
If you liked ________ in D2L Brightspace |
You’ll love ________ in Canvas |
Similarities/Differences |
Admin Tools |
Settings |
In Settings, you can easily update and view the different users and sections. You can also modify the navigation bar for your course here. |
Announcements |
Announcements |
You can display important information for your course. Canvas can post messages to the students, and you can choose if you’d like them to have the option to respond privately or publicly. You can choose to display them at the top of your course homepage. |
Assignments |
Assignments |
Assignments include other tools such as discussions, quizzes, surveys, etc. Various submission types are available in Canvas – No submission, Online (has multiple options), On Paper, and External Tool. Assignments can have Peer Review added to them |
Attendance |
Attendance |
Canvas has two views, List and Class (seating chart). When the instructor starts tracking attendance, Canvas will create a “Roll Call Attendance” item in the Assignments and Grades areas for instructors to utilize later. |
Calendar |
Calendar |
The Calendar in Canvas is like the one in D2L Brightspace but offers more options. It shows events, assignments with due dates, and to- do items, making it a useful resource for instructors and students. There is a “personal” calendar instructors and students can use for non-course-related events. Each course will be distinguished on the calendar by the color selected in the Dashboard area. |
Classlist |
People |
This tool is very similar to D2L Brightspace, with options such as viewing students’ progress. It is also where Groups are created, and students are enrolled. |
Content |
Modules |
Like D2L Brightspace, instructors design courses within the Modules area. Modules can include Content Pages, Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, External URLs, and External Tools. In addition, links to other tools, uploaded files, and images can easily be added to a Content Page. |
Course Home |
Home Page |
The Canvas Home Page is the first page students see for a course. Instructors can customize elements of their home page. |
Course Navigation Bar |
Course Navigation Menu |
The Course Navigation Menu is a series of links on the left side (vs. D2L Brightspace at the top) of your course that helps you and your students access different areas within your course. If desired, the instructor can customize this to add or hide items from students. The Course Navigation Menu is always visible. |
Course Overview |
Syllabus |
Canvas has a built-in Syllabus that makes it easy to inform students precisely about course requirements. Instructors can also set the syllabus as their course home page. |
Create a file/Content Manage Files |
Pages/Files |
In Canvas, course files can be found in two separate areas: Pages and Files. Pages contain all the web (HTML) pages created within the course. Files are for all of the uploaded documents or images within the course. Note: These areas will not be visible to your students. |
Discussions |
Discussions |
This tool allows instructors and students to contribute and discuss asynchronously. The discussions are displayed in “recent activity” order. |
Grades |
Gradebook/Speedgrader |
Gradebook helps instructors easily input and distribute grades. Like D2L Brightspace, instructors create grade items, edit them, and score them here. The system will automatically generate a Grade Item for all assignments (Discussions, Quizzes, Surveys, and Submissions) marked as graded. Canvas also has Speedgrader, which allows you to view, grade, and add comments to student assignment submissions in one place using a simple point scale or complex rubric. |
Groups |
Group Sets |
Both include a tool for instructors to make pre-set groups for assignments/projects. |
HTML Editor |
Rich Content Editor |
The Rich Content Editor in Canvas has similar basic formatting options like bold, text color, alignment, etc., as D2L Brightspace. It also has more advanced features built into it that can be found anywhere in Canvas where an instructor or student might want to enter text or other content. |
Message Alerts/ Subscription Alerts/ Update Alerts/Chat/ Instant Message |
Inbox |
The Inbox is a messaging tool for communicating with a course, a group, an individual student, or a group of students. You can use the Inbox to communicate with others in your course anytime. Note: The Canvas Inbox is not email. |
My Home |
Dashboard |
The Dashboard is the first thing you see when you log in. It displays courses and important notifications. Instructors and students can select the courses they want displayed on the Dashboard and assign them a unique color (this correlates with the calendar). |
Quizzes |
Quizzes |
Canvas has two quiz engines, classic and new. Both have a similar setup to D2L Brightspace and allow you to use various questions. In New Quizzes, instructors can print their quiz if necessary. |
Rubrics |
Rubrics |
In D2L Brightspace and Canvas, rubrics can be built and stored separately from the assignment/assessment. |
View as Student |
Student View |
Both allow instructors to switch back and forth to view their course from the student's view and test the functionality of links, videos, etc. |