Meet the Creator
My name is Kenneth Larsen. In June of 2013 I was hired as a student employee by the Center for Innovative Design and Instruction (CIDI) at Utah State University (USU).
It didn't take me long to realize that creating online courses involves a lot of repetitive tasks and some technical knowledge that most instructors do not have. Using CSS, JavaScript (jQuery), and the Canvas API, I am trying to change that.
Among some of the interesting projects I have worked on at USU is this series of tools that facilitate rapid online course development. Many of the styles and elements I have built into the tools come from the Canvas style guide and are available to anyone who takes the time to learn the code. Other elements have been added and customized according to existing or perceived needs.
I have been blessed to work as part of a great team at CIDI who have helped me bounce around ideas and explore new possibilities. There are not enough hours in the day to create all of the fun things we have discussed, but I think that these tools are a good start.
I recently completed a Master's Degree in Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences at USU. I am currently a full-time programmer at CIDI and look forward to improving these tools as well as creating many more.