Talonnet or Canvas? Now that is the question.
Starting spring of 2017, Cerritos College will get rid of TalonNet and will begin to use Canvas.
The new program will have a lot of similarities to TalonNet such as course names and assignments that will be given to the students for each class.
Both systems have things to offer, with TalonNet students have access to:
- Dropbox
- Announcements
- Assignments
- Calendar
- Gradebook
- Online quizzes
With Canvas students have access to:
- Download an application version of Canvas for their phone
- Notifications can be received
- Record of their attendance posted
- Calendar
- Get their class grade updated daily in a grade book
- Online quizzes
Most students have already been able to use it this semester because professors had the choice to either opt out or take a shot at it.
Math major Jessica Phillips said, “Unfortunately it is my last semester here but I checked it out a little and I think it looks neater and I feel like it won’t go down like TalonNet does.”
Students and professors have had issues with TalonNet going down and if the work that is being done at the moment is not saved, they lose it all.
Music major Angela Lopez said,”I don’t mind the whole switch but I’m just concerned as to if the same problems will occur because TalonNet failed on me many times and I don’t see the use in being worried that Canvas will do the same.”
Although some professors have not begun to use the new program, they seem to have the same concern that Canvas will have the same flaws as TalonNet, having to interrupt grading time or placing assignments because of maintenance being done on the website.
Fine Arts Professor Bonnie Barrett has switched from TalonNet to Canvas, she believes Canvas has a “much better design system, it’s better visually.”
Barrett said,”I believe it helps students success when they can track their progress and it also shows the impact when you miss a class, your score goes down and I think that kind of wakes people up.”
She continued, “Many students realize that poor attendance will impact their success but there’s a few that still need some reinforcement.”
Students who have had the opportunity to use Canvas in Professor Barrett’s class said they prefer Canvas over TalonNet.
“I like the fact that you can see your assignments, the calendar section is really good, and pretty much how everything is integrated with the app,” said Lawrence Apeldoorn, Graphic Design Major.
Canvas allows students to download an application to keep them updated with assignments, calendar or any other activity that has to do with the course they are taking.
English major Lucero Herrera said, “In one of my English classes, I began to use [Canvas] and I honestly prefer it because it has not given me any problems, so I don’t mind the fact that we will only be using that next semester.”
Other professors choose to go with their own way in regards to allowing students to have access to grades, assignments, syllabi and other course materials.
Kirk Miller, Art & Design Professor, said, “[Cerritos] is providing classes and tutorials for us to learn [Canvas] and it’s our choice.”
“I don’t like anything about TalonNet but I have my own website and so I use that for my classes and I think it’s satisfactory,” continued Miller.
Many students are looking forward to having Canvas be brought up to all course because of TalonNet’s passed mistakes.
Nayelly Jimenez, Animal Science major, said, “I don’t like TalonNet because it has logged me off several times so having a switch to Canvas is good although I have yet to use [it].”
Students and faculty will be able to take a course in regard to how to make the switch from TalonNet to Canvas.
Though they may have similarities to one another, the students and faculty now have the opportunity to login into Canvas without having any of their courses in the system, in order to take a look at how this new program will be working.
