Design Matters Blog

Recent Posts

person monitoring their learning and selecting from options

Design Matters Digest: January 2026

Does your Canvas course design empower various ways to engage?
Welcome to the first of three special editions of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. Over the next three months, the Digest will focus on building universal design principles into Canvas course design. This month, we’re looking at the role design plays in motivating learner engagement and empowering various ways to engage.

Read More »
Hands touching interactive lights

Design Matters Digest: April 2025 Edition

How can interactive elements in my Canvas courses support learning?
Welcome to the 15th (and final…for now) edition of Design Matters Digest, where we have explored various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring ways interactive elements in your course designs can increase engagement and improve learning.

Read More »

Design Matters Digest: March 2025 Edition

How can design reduce learning obstacles in my Canvas courses?
Welcome to the 14th edition of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring the impact of using course design to remove common course obstacles.

Read More »
Cookie dough with star-shaped cookie cutter

Design Matters Digest: February 2025 Edition

How will consistent course design affect my learners?
Welcome to the 13th edition of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring the impact of consistent course design and sharing tips for leveraging consistency in and across courses.

Read More »
Illustration showing an instructor on a laptop screen, connecting virtually with 3 different students

Design Matters Digest: January 2025 Edition

Can thoughtful design support instructor presence in your Canvas courses?
Happy New Year! This marks the 12th edition of the Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. To start the year, we’re exploring the impact of instructor presence and how course design can facilitate student-instructor interaction.

Read More »
illustration of three people adding blocks of content to a webpage

Design Matters Digest: November Edition

How can templates help you build better Canvas courses?
Welcome to the 11th edition of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring template design and sharing research-backed tips for both building and implementing templates for a variety of users and use cases.

Read More »
person monitoring their learning and selecting from options

Design Matters Digest: January 2026

Does your Canvas course design empower various ways to engage?
Welcome to the first of three special editions of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. Over the next three months, the Digest will focus on building universal design principles into Canvas course design. This month, we’re looking at the role design plays in motivating learner engagement and empowering various ways to engage.

Read More »
Hands touching interactive lights

Design Matters Digest: April 2025 Edition

How can interactive elements in my Canvas courses support learning?
Welcome to the 15th (and final…for now) edition of Design Matters Digest, where we have explored various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring ways interactive elements in your course designs can increase engagement and improve learning.

Read More »

Design Matters Digest: March 2025 Edition

How can design reduce learning obstacles in my Canvas courses?
Welcome to the 14th edition of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring the impact of using course design to remove common course obstacles.

Read More »
Cookie dough with star-shaped cookie cutter

Design Matters Digest: February 2025 Edition

How will consistent course design affect my learners?
Welcome to the 13th edition of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring the impact of consistent course design and sharing tips for leveraging consistency in and across courses.

Read More »
Illustration showing an instructor on a laptop screen, connecting virtually with 3 different students

Design Matters Digest: January 2025 Edition

Can thoughtful design support instructor presence in your Canvas courses?
Happy New Year! This marks the 12th edition of the Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. To start the year, we’re exploring the impact of instructor presence and how course design can facilitate student-instructor interaction.

Read More »
illustration of three people adding blocks of content to a webpage

Design Matters Digest: November Edition

How can templates help you build better Canvas courses?
Welcome to the 11th edition of Design Matters Digest, a monthly newsletter that explores various elements of online course design and the research that can help you improve your Canvas courses. This month, we’re exploring template design and sharing research-backed tips for both building and implementing templates for a variety of users and use cases.

Read More »

Coming Events

February 10, 2026
  • Cidi Labs Customer Day

    Dates: February 10, 2026  10:00 am - 1:00 pm

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