Advanced Blended Learning

At Elizabeth Forward, teachers are learners, too. That’s why administrators also use Canvas LMS as a professional development tool to provide individualized instruction that enables teachers to grow in their craft. Using Canvas LMS in this way also helps teachers understand the tool from a student perspective, allowing them to reflect on their own instruction even more.

“Investing time and resources in getting teachers trained really helped during the pandemic. When we began remote learning, we felt that our teachers were prepared and our students would still be able to learn. Canvas LMS was an integral piece of keeping the classroom routine going” – Steve Hartnett, former Director of Digital Teaching and Learning

Implementing technology at primary-grade levels can add an extra layer of difficulty, but teachers quickly discovered the many ways in which Canvas LMS can simplify learning for young students and strengthen their understanding of technology early in their education.

The use and purpose of Canvas LMS in grades K–5 is not to replace one-on-one instruction, but rather to capture evidence of learning and increase student engagement. Primary teachers can easily track student progress with project- and performance-based learning, and students can easily connect with all learning tools with just one click, thanks to the single sign-on (SSO) feature.

As digital learning evolves, Elizabeth Forward’s team continues to keep up. Their partnership with Instructure and Apple is vital as they innovate today and plan for the future.

“I appreciate the relationship that Apple and Canvas have. We did a session with both of them. Just the back and forth, the positives of both, and how the [iPads and Canvas] are working together is super helpful,” Lojek explained. “We're all on the same page.”

Konyk explained that to be considered for Apple Distinguished Schools, the Apple team came to tour schools in March 2022.

“At the end of that tour, we allowed all the folks to have personalized learning time. They could walk wherever they wanted in the building, go into any classroom in the building, and just test our theory that we scale this work effectively and that wherever they go, they'll see many of the same good things. That's something we're very proud of,” Konyk said. As a testament to their efforts, all 6 of their schools received the Apple Distinguished School title.

When asked about the impact of Canvas LMS and iPads together, Perry shared, “When our high school students switched to remote learning in February, there was no learning curve. Students could join their teachers and classmates on Zoom and begin their assignments in Canvas on the first day. Teachers can design their Canvas page to be visually appealing, and the iPads work seamlessly with this platform. Regardless of the class content, everything can be found in one spot, and it is easy to submit assignments. This experience has given our students an advantage because many colleges and universities use Canvas as their LMS.”