THE Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), has launched a significant update to its mobile app, introducing offline access for students. This new feature enables seamless learning by allowing students to access pre-selected content on their devices, even without an internet connection. This was announced by Instructure, the company behind the popular learning app.
The offline access feature aims to address the issue of equitable access to education by ensuring that students with limited connectivity can still engage with course materials. By downloading content to their devices, students can review and study anytime and anywhere, regardless of their data plan or internet availability.
Shiren Vijiasingam, Chief Product Officer at Instructure, emphasized the importance of this feature, stating, “The LMS is the single most important tool a student uses outside the classroom to learn and engage with course content. Providing offline access to course content offers learners more flexibility in how and where they choose to learn, supporting Instructure’s mission to make education more accessible and equitable.”
The Canvas Student mobile app’s offline mode empowers students to manage their learning autonomously, selecting specific courses and materials for offline review. While real-time communication is not possible offline, the app’s automatic sync capabilities allow students to update their course content upon reconnecting to the internet.
In addition to content access, the update also enhances the in-app navigation experience, making it more interactive than simply displaying static HTML. This improvement, along with the ability for multiple users to download content on the same device, further promotes accessibility and collaboration among learners.
Educational institutions can customize the availability of the offline feature, tailoring the user experience to their specific needs. The latest versions of the Canvas Student mobile app for iOS and Android, incorporating the offline access and enhanced synchronization features, are now available for download.
