Canvas: A Last Resort Lifeline for Desperate College Students During Finals

Canvas as a Last Resort for College Students

For many college students, the learning management system Canvas can feel like a last resort when it comes to succeeding in classes. With finals week approaching, students are turning to Canvas out of desperation to pass courses and salvage their GPAs.

The Stress of Finals Week

Finals week brings sleepless nights fueled by anxiety for students. After a semester of hard work, everything comes down to cumulative final exams, papers, and projects that determine that final letter grade. The stakes are incredibly high, and students feel desperate to do whatever it takes to pass classes and get those credits.

In those final panicked days, Canvas can start to look like a last chance lifeline rather than just another academic resource. Out of desperate options, students turn to every practice quiz, old recorded lecture, and extra credit opportunity posted on Canvas in hopes that those small points add up to a passing grade.

Using Canvas to Prepare for Finals

For responsible students, Canvas allows them to properly prepare for finals week by being organized and proactive. Lecture slides, notes, study guides, and readings are collected in Canvas modules all semester long so students can effectively review. Practice quizzes and old exams provide realistic preparation as well. Using Canvas all along as an academic resource reduces finals week stress.

However, many overwhelmed students have not kept up with Canvas throughout the semester. Cramming months worth of material the week before finals rarely goes well. Yet without any better options, despondent students resort to binging barely-remembered Canvas resources night after night trying to catch up.

Last Minute Attempts to Pass

In addition to utilizing Canvas to study, students get creative with other last ditch efforts to pass classes at the final hour. They desperately email professors requesting extra credit work. Some professors take pity and offer options like bonus quiz questions or short writing assignments.

Students also anxiously obsess over Canvas pages for grades posted. Even a point added here or there from a professor adjusting grades could make the difference between a letter grade. Refreshing the Canvas Grades page hundreds of times in hopes that the percentage creeps up becomes desperation defined.

The Costs of Canvas Dependency

While Canvas seems like a saving grace during finals week for struggling students, relying on Canvas as a last resort comes with consequences. Making Canvas the fallback desperation plan enables students not taking responsibility for learning all semester. The costs of cramming versus meaningful learning are steep.

Poorer Learning Outcomes

Trying to master an entire semester's worth of material in a panicked week or two before finals rarely leads to deep, meaningful learning. Students cram information temporarily into short-term memory just long enough to regurgitate answers on exams. Such surface-level learning is quickly forgotten after finals are over.

By contrast, students who space out studying Canvas materials and assignments gradually over the course of the semester benefit from improved comprehension and retention. The learning sticks longer when the brain has time to make connections and process more deeply. Relying on last resort Canvas cramming denies students those long-term learning gains.

Greater Stress and Anxiety

Procrastinating Canvas work then attempting to catch up with marathon late night study sessions only heightens stress and anxiety levels. College brings enough academic pressure without piling on self-imposed urgency approaching finals week. A looming sense of desperation does not facilitate effective studying either. Panic induces a fight-or-flight mentality rather than calm thinking needed for complex learning.

Prioritizing Canvas tasks consistently over the semester prevents that kind of last minute academic crisis moment. Making time to review lecture notes, finish assignments, and study for quizzes gradually allows learning with lower stress levels and a growth mindset.

Risk of Failing

Most importantly, relying on Canvas as a desperate 11th hour strategy risks failing grades and wasting tuition money. Cram studying right before finals rarely provides enough grounding in course concepts to perform well on cumulative exams. A semester's worth of material cannot reasonably be absorbed in a couple weeks no matter how much time is spent in the Canvas page.

Waiting until the bitter end to dig into Canvas discussions, readings, practice sets almost guarantees inadequate class performance. Using Canvas as intended by checking in daily or weekly and completing work consistently is the far better recipe for college success.

Avoiding Canvas Burnout

Canvas is an incredible learning and teaching tool when used effectively. But forced dependence on Canvas feeds student burnout. Avoid viewing Canvas as a last desperate option with better time management.

Set a Consistent Schedule

Carve out dedicated time slots for Canvas course work instead of putting it off. Set reminders to log in to actively participate a certain number of days per week. Checking items off steadily from a Canvas weekly to-do list prevents last minute overwhelm.

Communicate with the Professor

Ask professors explicitly what Canvas resources would be most valuable for exam preparation at various points in the semester. Professors want to guide students on what and how often to review in Canvas rather than have them desperately data dump before finals.

Use Additional Resources

Do not rely solely on Canvas as the one hub for each class with no supplemental learning. Consult textbooks, academic journals, or tutoring support to strengthen understanding instead of expecting Canvas modules alone to suffice come finals season.

Staying on top of Canvas work all term long paired with other robust study strategies reduces anxiety and facilitates genuine learning. Use Canvas as intended - an enriching educational tool, not exam week's last resort.

FAQs

Why do students leave Canvas work until the last minute?

Students often procrastinate on Canvas assignments because of poor time management skills. Heavy academic workloads and competing priorities also lead students to put off Canvas work. Some students mistakenly assume Canvas modules are less important than textbooks or lectures.

Is cramming Canvas materials an effective study method?

No, cramming several weeks or months worth of Canvas content right before finals rarely leads to meaningful, lasting learning. Trying to absorb so much material all at once overwhelms the brain. Spaced and consistent review of Canvas resources produces better learning outcomes.

Should I ask my professor for extra credit before finals week?

It depends. If you have maintained strong course performance all semester and want to slightly boost your grade, asking for a small extra credit assignment may be reasonable. However, expecting extra credit to fully make up for neglecting Canvas work and poor prior test grades demonstrates flawed thinking.

What are better strategies than using Canvas as a last resort?

Set a weekly schedule for engaging with Canvas content for each class rather than saving it all for finals week. Supplement Canvas with textbook readings and outside study resources. Attend professors' office hours to get guidance on utilizing Canvas effectively before the last desperate weeks of the semester.