The implementation of the Course Unit Pedagogical Canvas Standards represents a substantial institutional change initiative. This evaluation seeks to understand how the pedagogical standards have been enacted in different contexts, how those standards are experienced by students and staff, what has supported successful implementation, what challenges remain, and how the standards and associated support can continue to evolve.
This evaluation is intended as a learning and enhancement exercise, as well as to collect evidence for institutional narrative creation such as for the next Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) submission.
The evaluation will explore the extent to which the Canvas standards may contribute to a chain of intended benefits:
Key evaluation areas:
| Implementation of the Canvas pedagogical standards |
This includes whether the required and desirable standards have been implemented, how consistently they have been implemented, and whether implementation varies across Schools, levels, course types. |
| The intended student-experience goals | Whether the standards have supported predictable navigation; clear academic expectations; clear assessment information; strong routes for questions and feedback. |
|
Equity of experience |
The evaluation will explore whether students from different groups that may experience additional barriers report different experiences of navigation, clarity, assessment information, and access to support. |
|
Staff experience |
Including clarity of the standards, workload, technical support, any unintended consequences. |
|
Recommendations for enhancement
|
This may include revisions to the standards, staff development, and technical support. |
Intended outputs:
- Institutional evaluation report including conclusions, limitations, and recommendations
- Tested and re-usable audit rubric and coding guidance; Student experience and usability pack including, listening room / focus group schedules, usability testing protocol
- Staff experience and implementation conditions summary, including barriers, support needs, unintended consequences, and effective-practice examples
- An action plan for standards revision, guidance, staff development, and future monitoring
Contact and Support
If you have any questions about this evaluation, please contact the Teaching Excellence team at teaching.learning@manchester.ac.uk
Further Information
For more information about Canvas, please visit the Canvas microsite.