If you opened up the backpack of a student in our middle school or high school today, you would still see many of the same things that have been carried around in school backpacks for years. There’s most likely some folders, a notebook or two, a few pencils and pens, some old wadded up paper and maybe a snack. What you won’t see as often is textbooks.

In their place, you’ll find the student’s computer. Our secondary students in Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD) all have a computer they use during the day and take home with them at night. This means their classrooms can be accessible to them at any time with their computer. What makes their classrooms accessible is the use of a Learning Management System (LMS). An LMS allows teachers and students to house and organize course materials, activities, and assignments all in one place. In Marshalltown, our secondary students use a LMS called Canvas. Canvas has been in place at Marshalltown High School for about five years now and Miller Middle School began using it this school year.

Using an LMS well provides many benefits for both our teachers and our students. Besides being able to find what they need while at home, the computer and LMS can support diverse needs of individual students. An LMS can help classrooms run more efficiently. Teachers can collaborate on courses instead of handling everything on their own. Student work can be easily distributed and returned with timely feedback. Canvas allows us to provide consistency between different classes. While the content from those classes is different, the way information is organized and presented can allow students to have a consistent learning experience between classrooms.

Creating these virtual classrooms in Canvas takes a lot of work. Creating a blended learning environment that connects the live classroom to a virtual space requires some additional considerations and skill. Our teachers have been receiving training and working together this school year on Canvas and course design so they are better equipped to use Canvas as a partner to their classroom and a vehicle for teaching and learning. Through this work, our students can have a consistent learning environment that provides them with many of the things they will need to be successful in class.

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David Stanfield is a Curriculum and Instructional Design Specialist for the Marshalltown Community School District. He can be reached at dstanfield@marshalltown.k12.ia.us. The district educates over 5,000 students to have the skills for a rapidly changing world. Learn more by visiting www.marshalltown.k12.ia.us.