Canvas is an intuitive system, designed with ease of use in mind. During the project pilot, students generally needed little help navigating the system and using its features. We found that the ability of students to participate successfully in a course primarily depended on design, organization, and communication choices made by the instructor.

Student questions tended to focus on the availability of courses materials and how to find them. That is, instructors who were clear about where to find information in their courses and how assignments were to be submitted seldom received questions about the system from students. Experiences reported by peer universities who are actively using Canvas support these findings.