Boise State University and Canvas

Boise State University chose Canvas by Instructure because it works for educators, not against them. Watch their story to see how an intuitive platform and a smooth implementation let faculty get back to what they love most: teaching.

Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING] MAN 1: Boise State is a mid-sized University in the middle of pretty much downtown Boise. MAN 2: We're an institution of about 26,000 students. A lot more residential students. A very vibrant campus atmosphere. LEIF NELSON: We did a survey of our faculty in 2019, and one of the questions we asked was would you support us exploring alternative learning management systems. And the overwhelming majority said, yes.

And in the comment section, a significant number of people said, please look at Canvas. So our faculty were asking us to look at Canvas. We had to respond to those survey results. And we got support from our leadership to do a pilot the following year. Our pilot was treated just like a migration.

And so despite the fact that we weren't at that point, a full on customer of Canvas, we had the full migration services that we went through. The whole project checklist with a CSM and a project manager. We are able to do all those things to ensure that we were successful before we even transitioned. And so when it actually came time to transition to Canvas, we'd done a lot of the legwork. When we flipped the switch for fall of 2021, I think the implementation was as smooth as we have ever experienced.

And in fact, by the end of the semester, the feedback that we got from students and faculty was overwhelmingly positive and affirming of the switch. NICK WEBSTER: Canvas, it is a simpler platform. It's easier for faculty to use. It's also easier from the admin side for us to run it. On our previous LMS, we were worried about bugs.

We're not so much worried about bugs anymore. We're worried about just people knowing how to do the things they need to do. And so as far as the platform, and as far as an approach to educational technology, Canvas is very simple. One of the goals that we had in using Canvas, arguing that it's a simpler system and more user friendly, is that faculty will get the navigating the tool or finding the homework assignment out of the way, and be able to spend more time giving feedback to students. So removing the technological learning curve barriers arguably enables things like student instructor interaction and student centered teaching approaches.

I hear from students and faculty both, that the overwhelming difference between Canvas and the system we used to have is that Canvas is so much simpler, intuitive, and just the ease of use. And I think that's really why the switch over went so extremely well. I think people were braced to have to learn a whole new system and all the bumps that would be associated with that. But in reality, the ease of use of the product, the intuitive nature of it made the switch over really quite painless. JULIANA RENNO BOUNDS: When I started working with Canvas, it was very intuitive.

I just had to follow the prompts and do what I needed to do. But as a teacher, a lot of my students would ask me, well, how do I submit this? And then if I had a question, and I couldn't call the Canvas help desk, I would just Google it, and then somebody in the world had already asked that question. So that's the cool part about it. I think people have taken into Canvas pretty well. And beyond any metrics that we can look at in our ticketing system.

It's the little anecdotal comments that I get from faculty when I run into them. Or from students saying, wow, thank you. Canvas is so much better. I really appreciate being able to use this. And it's the thank you's that I get that are like a testimony that it was a good decision.

Why Boise State chose Canvas LMS

  • Intuitive design: The ease-of-use made an immediate difference for both faculty and students.
  • Smooth implementation: The university moved through the transition successfully, with technology serving as an enabler rather than a hurdle.
  • Focus on teaching: By reducing technical friction, Canvas lets faculty spend their time where it matters.
  • Student success: The transition supports broader institutional goals across student engagement, online and hybrid learning, and equity and accessibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Boise State University handle its LMS migration? Boise State prioritized a smooth implementation process built around the ease of use and intuitive nature of Canvas for its campus community.

Why do faculty prefer Canvas over other LMS platforms? According to the Boise State story, faculty prefer Canvas because its intuitive design lets them focus on teaching rather than managing technology.

What topics does the Boise State Canvas story cover? The journey covers several educational priorities, including equity and accessibility, online and hybrid learning, and student engagement.

Does Canvas support hybrid learning for large universities? Yes. Boise State's story highlights how Canvas is helping them successfully navigate online and hybrid learning environments.

Discover More Topics:

Equity & Accessibility Online & Hybrid Learning Student Engagement