Next school year, the 2024-25 school year, Omaha Public Schools will officially switch to Canvas from Microsoft Teams. In fact, all of Nebraska, both public and private schooling, is switching as per an agreement with Canvas’ parent company. 

Canvas is a learning and education system made by Instructure Inc. It is designed to make learning easier for students, as it is made for their use. 

Teams, in contrast, was made by Microsoft mostly for businesses and later adapted for school use. 

This year, 2023-24, OPS announced that it was switching to Canvas next year, but teachers were still free to use either Teams or Canvas until then. 

 Teachers are greatly affected by this change, as many have to learn an entirely new program, and several will have to alter their syllabi to match. 

According to Benjamin Boeckman, a social studies teacher  at Central, who uses Canvas, he uses it because of the differences between the two systems. Aside from the fact that the district was switching anyway, he said  he prefers Canvas’ information and organization, although he does prefer Team’s’ communication options. “For educational resources,” Boeckman said, “Canvas is superior.” 

On the other side, Diane Allen, an English teacher at Central, argues that there’s no need to switch. “Why fix what’s not broken?” Allen asked. However, Allen also stated that she will switch next year as the district does. “The district does whatever the district wants to do,” Allen said. “I just have to adapt.”  

Another social studies teacher, Jordan Boyer, agreed with Allen. “If they tell me I can keep Teams, then that is what I’m going to do because it is what I’m most comfortable with,” Boyer said. However, much like Allen, he also said, “If they tell me that I have to switch to Canvas, then I will begrudgingly conform and learn a new platform.”