UTF Proposal 2015
Enabling Online eLearning Tools for
Students on Campus
Requestor: Tom Braziunas, Ph. D., e-Learning Associate Dean
Department: North's e-Learning Support Center (NeLSC)
Student Need:
Student feedback from representatives of SAC to the Educational Technologies Advisory Committee
(ETAC) have reported that having one primary online portal to classroom information would be
preferred. This statement of need has also been echoed at the IT Advisory Committee and at other
forums across campus over the past year. Students who come to North’s e-Learning Support Center
(NeLSC) frequently express dismay that their classes (whether online, hybrid or campus) do not all use
the same online learning management system. To address this need, e-Learning is proposing to pursue
the ability to activate Canvas for every class session on campus as well as to support its adoption for use
by departments, student service units and organizations across the campus as applicable.
Overview:
Canvas is a web based learning management system that connects classroom content to students,
instructor tools, and learning communities. The Canvas system was selected as the preferred learning
management system for all of the Washington State Community and Technical Colleges and is in use at
North Seattle College through the e-Learning program.
North’s e-Learning Support Center (NeLSC) serves nearly all students on campus by licensing
technologies that are employed as much in campus classes as in online classes and by preparing and
standing by students as they utilize those technologies in their classes. A critical mission of NeLSC is to
train faculty to appropriately and effectively operate technologies such that students have positive
learning experiences and are successful at achieving their educational goals.
Use of the online learning management system Canvas is nearly universal across campus with faculty
employing it for communication, grading and content in their online, hybrid and campus classes. The elearning support center staff has reached out to departments and organizations (for example, student
government and the ESL faculty) to expedite use of Canvas to support collaboration, communication and
work goals.
The lecture-recording system Panopto has also become a great benefit to many students since it allows
students who missed class due to illness or another issue to listen to a class session later and since it
also provides an option for faculty to record specific crucial lessons that can be played and replayed by
students at their convenience and need. It is important that we caption the recordings so that the
information is accessible to all our students of all abilities.
The uses of Canvas and Panopto and other technologies (such as Collaborate for live webcasts)
have rapidly expanded across campus. And, therefore, licensing and support staffing in NeLSC have
subsequently increased in order to adequately support all the “e-learning” needs of faculty, students
and the college community in general. We now have costs that far exceed the revenue received from
the student fees that are charged on online courses ($7/credit) and hybrid courses ($5.25/course). The
college does not charge for use of any of these technologies in on-campus classes (although a fee could
be applied).
Canvas Usage:
NeLSC has expanded service of Canvas to support classes on campus. The Fall Quarter 2014 enrollment
(“FINAL Day 15”) report is a snapshot of how our use of Canvas is distributed:



Online course users = 2215 (32%)
Hybrid course users = 1948 (28%)
Campus course users = 2726 (40%)
Request:
We are requesting that a portion of the UTF fund be used to help cover the annual costs of licensing and
captioning during the upcoming year so we can maintain our current level of technology support for
campus students and online learners, including support for broader adoption of Canvas for curriculum
and by campus departments, service units, clubs and student support operations across the
campus. We are also asking if the UTF fund can cover the one-time expense of replacing the four
outdated and failing computers in the e-learning support center that are being used by our staff to
orient new students to the technology aspects of their classes and to work with students on
troubleshooting issues.
Preferred Request, Option 1:
Annual Canvas licensing: $40,500
Captioning services: $18,000
Replacement of 4 student computers and monitors: $4500
Total: $63,000
Alternative Request, Option 2:
Annual Canvas licensing: UTF fee cover 40% of annual Canvas licensing per the use distribution above,
that amount would be $16,198
Replacement of 4 student computers and monitors: $4500
Total: $20,698
Approval:
The e-Learning Support Operation reports directly to the Vice President of Instruction.
VPI Bill McMeekin has approved this request.