Case Study: Michigan Technological University achieves higher faculty and student satisfaction and greater teaching efficiency with Canvas LMS

Canvas a clear winner in the polls, appeals to LMS power users and online-teaching newbies

Michigan Technological University had long relied on Blackboard but found Blackboard Learn 9.1 to be a step backward in usability, stability, and design. Faced with an unsupported legacy system, campus IT set up pilots of Blackboard 9.1, Moodle, Sakai, and Canvas so faculty and students could test alternatives before choosing a new LMS.

After pilots in 2011, 14 of 17 faculty preferred Canvas and more than 75% of students agreed or strongly agreed they preferred Canvas to their previous LMS, so Michigan Tech migrated courses to Canvas in early 2012. Both a longtime LMS power user and a novice instructor reported faster grading, simpler course setup, and better student engagement; administrators called the implementation smooth and said they wished they had switched sooner.

Michigan Technological University

Timothy Schulz

Dean of Engineering and Professor