Education edu 535 week 6 assignment

1

Courtney Hopkins

Professor Nguyen

Strayer University

EDU 535 Organizational Training and Development

February 8, 2026

2

Step One: Comparison of Learning Management Systems

Features Contributing to Ease of Use

LMS #1: Canvas

Canvas has a familiar clean interface and low learning curve among instructors and

learners. The navigation of the course can be transformed by instructors to a great extent and

unused tools can be hidden, as well as layouts made simpler. Canvas is also powerful in terms of

mobile application functionality and allows learners to consume the content with ease in a cross-

device environment.

LMS #2: D2L Brightspace

Brightspace also prioritizes accessibility and consistency in its well-designed course and

its inbuilt accessibility checker. The platform consists of guided course set up tools and

automated work flows which decrease the amount of time spent by instructors. Its interface is a

little bit more complicated than the Canvas and is well organized.

LMS #3: Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn is more heavily administratively-enabled and has more extensive

system integration, but it has a higher learning curve. Navigation may be overloaded to new

users and configuration may need further training. Nevertheless, it offers wide customization to

the seasoned faculty.

Features that improve the engagement of learners.

LMS #1: Canvas

Canvas encourages interaction with the students by integrating multimedia, discussion

forums, and collaborative applications, and integrating third-party apps without disruptions.

Speed Grader offers feedback in a timely manner, whereas analytics assist instructors with

3

tracking the engagement and the progress. Such instruments encourage active learning and

student directed instruction.

LMS #2: D2L Brightspace

Brightspace has smart course directions, smart agents, and analytics that customize the

learning process. Badges and progress indicators are some of the gamification elements that

encourage self-regulated learning and motivate learners.

LMS #3: Blackboard Learn

Blackboard provides assessment devices, virtual classrooms and discussion forums which

facilitate communication. Although effective, these engagement features may demand additional

instructor configuration and technological expertise to use.

Step Two: Rational of LMS Selection.

Upon evaluating the three learning management systems, Canvas is the best LMS that

can be adopted for the department given that it meets the instructional objectives of access,

learner engagement, and instructional efficiency. Canvas facilitates a learner-centered boarding

as it offers a simplified interface that will not overwhelm their cognitive capacity and lets

students concentrate on course materials instead of navigating the platform. Its flexibility allows

a variety of instructional methods one of which is asynchronous conversations, multimedia

teaching and formative assessment, which are key to successful online and blended learning

environment.

Other instructional tools that make Canvas effective are those that aid prompt feedback,

collaboration and active interaction. The utilized features (Speed Grader, built-in rubrics and

analytics) enable instructors to efficiently evaluate student learning without compromising the

quality of instruction. The literature shows that the level of ease of use and instructor feedback

4

are very strong predictors of satisfaction and persistence of students in online studies (Yu, 2).

The experience of Canvas encourages a regular exchange between teachers and students, which

facilitates the increased degree of interaction and academic achievement.

Academic literature also contributes to the choice of Canvas as a powerful LMS in the

educational institution. It has been revealed that an intuitively designed LMS can have a positive

effect on the motivation of learners, their engagement, and their results (Phan, 1). The focus on

usability, compliance with accessibility considerations, and the integration with other external

learning tools resembles the best practices in instructional technology at Canvas. Implementing

Canvas will enable the department to meet the instructional objectives involving equity,

engagement, and effectiveness of learning and both instructors and learners in a scalable and

sustainable way.

5

Sources

1.Phan, T. T. T., Vu, C. T., Doan, P. T. T., Luong, D. H., & Bui, T. P. (2022). Two decades of

studies on learning management system in higher education: A bibliometric analysis with

Scopus database 2000-2020. Journal of University Teaching and Learning

Practice, 19(3), 1-21.

https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.T2024121600014700422351838

2.Yu, Q. (2022). Factors influencing online learning satisfaction. Frontiers in psychology, 13,

852360. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.852360/full

1

Courtney Hopkins

Professor Nguyen

Strayer University

EDU 535 Organizational Training and Development

February 8, 2026

2

Step One: Comparison of Learning Management Systems

Features Contributing to Ease of Use

LMS #1: Canvas

Canvas has a familiar clean interface and low learning curve among instructors and

learners. The navigation of the course can be transformed by instructors to a great extent and

unused tools can be hidden, as well as layouts made simpler. Canvas is also powerful in terms of

mobile application functionality and allows learners to consume the content with ease in a cross-

device environment.

LMS #2: D2L Brightspace

Brightspace also prioritizes accessibility and consistency in its well-designed course and

its inbuilt accessibility checker. The platform consists of guided course set up tools and

automated work flows which decrease the amount of time spent by instructors. Its interface is a

little bit more complicated than the Canvas and is well organized.

LMS #3: Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn is more heavily administratively-enabled and has more extensive

system integration, but it has a higher learning curve. Navigation may be overloaded to new

users and configuration may need further training. Nevertheless, it offers wide customization to

the seasoned faculty.

Features that improve the engagement of learners.

LMS #1: Canvas

Canvas encourages interaction with the students by integrating multimedia, discussion

forums, and collaborative applications, and integrating third-party apps without disruptions.

Speed Grader offers feedback in a timely manner, whereas analytics assist instructors with

3

tracking the engagement and the progress. Such instruments encourage active learning and

student directed instruction.

LMS #2: D2L Brightspace

Brightspace has smart course directions, smart agents, and analytics that customize the

learning process. Badges and progress indicators are some of the gamification elements that

encourage self-regulated learning and motivate learners.

LMS #3: Blackboard Learn

Blackboard provides assessment devices, virtual classrooms and discussion forums which

facilitate communication. Although effective, these engagement features may demand additional

instructor configuration and technological expertise to use.

Step Two: Rational of LMS Selection.

Upon evaluating the three learning management systems, Canvas is the best LMS that

can be adopted for the department given that it meets the instructional objectives of access,

learner engagement, and instructional efficiency. Canvas facilitates a learner-centered boarding

as it offers a simplified interface that will not overwhelm their cognitive capacity and lets

students concentrate on course materials instead of navigating the platform. Its flexibility allows

a variety of instructional methods one of which is asynchronous conversations, multimedia

teaching and formative assessment, which are key to successful online and blended learning

environment.

Other instructional tools that make Canvas effective are those that aid prompt feedback,

collaboration and active interaction. The utilized features (Speed Grader, built-in rubrics and

analytics) enable instructors to efficiently evaluate student learning without compromising the

quality of instruction. The literature shows that the level of ease of use and instructor feedback

4

are very strong predictors of satisfaction and persistence of students in online studies (Yu, 2).

The experience of Canvas encourages a regular exchange between teachers and students, which

facilitates the increased degree of interaction and academic achievement.

Academic literature also contributes to the choice of Canvas as a powerful LMS in the

educational institution. It has been revealed that an intuitively designed LMS can have a positive

effect on the motivation of learners, their engagement, and their results (Phan, 1). The focus on

usability, compliance with accessibility considerations, and the integration with other external

learning tools resembles the best practices in instructional technology at Canvas. Implementing

Canvas will enable the department to meet the instructional objectives involving equity,

engagement, and effectiveness of learning and both instructors and learners in a scalable and

sustainable way.

5

Sources

1.Phan, T. T. T., Vu, C. T., Doan, P. T. T., Luong, D. H., & Bui, T. P. (2022). Two decades of

studies on learning management system in higher education: A bibliometric analysis with

Scopus database 2000-2020. Journal of University Teaching and Learning

Practice, 19(3), 1-21.

https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.T2024121600014700422351838

2.Yu, Q. (2022). Factors influencing online learning satisfaction. Frontiers in psychology, 13,

852360. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.852360/full