Mobile learning: Canvas access insights and tips
12 November 2024Image credit: adapted from Viralyft on Unsplash
The rise of mobile access
A standout trend in how our students access Canvas is the significant rise in mobile access, with more students turning to their smartphones for course materials. That is according to the latest Canvas utilisation statistics, provided by the vendor. The use of mobile browsers (smartphone or tablet) has surged a dramatic 124% year-over-year, from 11,790 students in August 2023 to 26,419 in August 2024. Canvas Student App usage increased by 1.8%, but on an already substantial user base of over 26,000 students (growing from 26,380 to 26,862).
However, it’s not a complete revolution—desktop usage among students also saw a 2.4% increase for those logging in five or more times. 33,824 students had accessed Canvas via a desktop browser in August this year, compared to 33,029 in August 2023.
The substantial rise in mobile browser usage for Canvas indicates a broader shift towards mobile access, highlighting the critical need for mobile-friendly course design.
Faculty adoption of mobile tools
Educators are also embracing mobile options, albeit at a different pace:
- 38% year-over-year increase in mobile browser use (at August 2024)
- 10% increase in Canvas Teacher App usage
- Slight 1% decrease in desktop usage
This suggests a gradual shift in how faculty interact with Canvas, potentially opening new avenues for course management and student engagement.
Students accessing Canvas via mobile browser
- August ’23
- August ’24
Students using the Canvas App
- August ’23
- August ’24
Students accessing Canvas via desktop
- August ’23
- August ’24
Interface and navigation: App vs browser
Understanding how students interact with Canvas on mobile devices can inform course design.
Canvas Student App
- Offers a streamlined, touch-friendly interface
- Provides quick access to essential functions
- Allows offline access to certain content
Mobile browsers
- Provides access to all Canvas features
- May require more navigation on smaller screens
- Offers consistency with the desktop experience
So, what does this mean for course design?
- Adopt a mobile-first approach – and prioritise mobile-friendly content and layouts.
- Ensure multi-device compatibility – for seamless transitions between devices.
- Design for accessibility – by implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
- Consider flexible learning – embedding asynchronous activities and micro-learning content.
But what specifically?
Here are some brief, specific tips to make your teaching strategies and course design more mobile-friendly:
- Chunk content. Break course materials into smaller, digestible segments that are easy to read on mobile screens.
- Optimise media. Use compressed images and mobile-compatible video formats to ensure quick loading times on smartphones.
- Simplify navigation. Refer to Canvas Baseline Practices to create a clear, hierarchical structure for course content that’s easy to navigate on small screens.
- Provide mobile-friendly assessments. Where possible, design quizzes and assignments that can be easily completed on mobile devices, avoiding complex formatting or file uploads.
- Look for responsive design. Ensure that any custom content or embedded resource is responsive (adapts to different screen sizes). Try ‘Student view’ in Canvas to see the page from your students’ perspective, and check the content on your mobile devices and the Canvas App.
- Prioritise essential information. Place the most critical course information and deadlines prominently for easy access.
- Leverage app features. Encourage students to use Canvas Student App features like push notifications for important course updates.
- Test mobile accessibility. Regularly view your course content on various mobile devices to ensure compatibility and ease of use.
- Consider offline access. Provide downloadable resources for students to access course materials without an internet connection.
- Deploy mobile-friendly discussions. Structure online discussions to be easily readable and contribute-able via mobile devices.
Pitfalls to watch out for
- Overusing high-res images. Large image files can slow down page loading times on mobile networks. Optimise images for mobile viewing.
- Relying heavily on complex tables. Tables are often difficult to navigate on mobile devices. Don’t use tables for laying out content and, where practicable, consider alternative ways to present data.
- Embedding non-mobile-friendly content. Avoid using technologies that aren’t compatible with mobile devices.
- Ignoring touch-friendly design. Avoid placing clickable elements close together, making it difficult for users to tap accurately on small screens.
- Using file formats that require special software. Stick to common file formats that can be easily opened on mobile devices without requiring additional apps.
- Designing complex navigation structures. Avoid deep, multi-level navigation menus that can be frustrating to use on small screens.
- Neglecting to test on multiple devices. Don’t assume that content that looks good and works well on one type of device will translate well to others. If in doubt, test.
Moving forward
Creating flexible, accessible course content that works across all platforms can enhance the learning experience for all students, no matter how they access Canvas. Meeting our students where they are helps provide the best possible learning environment, the essence of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).