Will we be running both Blackboard and Canvas at the same time?

Yes, Blackboard Learn and Canvas will be functional during the LMS migration project.  A small pilot group of courses ran in Canvas during the Fall 2024 semester. An expanded pilot group of courses are running in Canvas during the Spring 2025 semester. This means students may have courses in both systems during the 2024-2025 academic year.

What is the timeline for moving to Canvas?

We will be moving to Canvas over the 2024-2025 academic year. About 60 courses were offered in a Canvas pilot in Fall 2024. About 200 were offered in Canvas in Spring 2025. Beginning the Maymester/Summer semester, all courses will be delivered using Canvas. Please see the project timeline for more information.

What’s different about Canvas?

The Canvas LMS platform includes intuitive features focused on an improved student experience. Some features that make Canvas stand out from its competitors are:

• Greatly improved student experience with features students have asked for, such as an improved calendar and to-do lists, common course structure, and an excellent mobile app
• Widely used among higher education research institutions
• Intuitive user interface with less start-up time for new instructors and students

What tools will be available in Canvas? Will integrated tools in Blackboard be in Canvas?

Canvas has tools similar to Blackboard and other learning management systems, like quizzes, announcements, discussions, and other built-in tools. Nearly all existing third-party tools integrated into Blackboard, such as Echo 360, Zoom, VoiceThread, Qwickly Attendance, Kaltura, and publisher tools, will be available in Canvas.  Third-party tools unique to Blackboard have been replaced with tools in Canvas that offer the same or improved functionality.

What support will you provide instructors for the transition to Canvas?

Major LMS platforms like Blackboard and Canvas allow courses to be exported and imported into another system. In addition, there are many training opportunities for faculty to learn how to use Canvas, including the self-paced training course “Growing with Canvas. For more information regarding course migrations, please view the Content Migration Processes website.

How can I be part of the pilot?

The Provost Office released a call for faculty volunteers for the Fall 2024 Canvas pilot. The Provost Office worked with CITS Instructional Development to identify 20 faculty and 53 courses to run in Canvas for the fall 2024 pilot. An open call went out to faculty in October for the expanded Canvas Pilot in Spring 2025. All faculty members were accepted into the Spring pilot with an additional 60 faculty teaching in Canvas in the spring.

How will course migrations work?

UMass Dartmouth will use two processes to migrate course content from Blackboard to Canvas: a 3rd party company, K16 Solutions, to batch migrate courses and self-service course migration using an export/import process. There will be zero to minimal loss of content during the migration. Migrated courses will need to be reviewed by faculty to prepare them for students. Some work will include the reorganization of content as Canvas uses a module structure to organize content.

What will happen to my Blackboard courses?

Blackboard will be discontinued in Summer 2025. For courses that are not moved to Canvas or for accessing student content in courses (which will not be moved to Canvas), an archive of Blackboard courses will be maintained for data retention. Faculty will need to export and/or archive Blackboard courses as well to retain student grade records, to keep a backup copy, and for course migrations. Faculty will no longer have access to Blackboard after June 1, 2025. Please see the Provost Office 2.25.2025 Communication Migrating Content from Blackboard/Access to Canvas for more information.

When will I be able to get a Canvas account to start learning and testing?

As of 2/14/2025, the wider faculty community has access to Canvas. Faculty have access to training sites (Growing with Canvas, Passport to Canvas, Vendor-led Vault), course dev sites, and a sandbox course so that they can prepare their content ahead of the summer/fall when all classes are offered in Canvas.

I’m developing a new course. Which system should I use?

Blackboard is the only option for the 2024-2025 academic year. Only a small select group of faculty are utilizing Canvas as part of the fall 24 and spring 25 Canvas pilots. As of 2/14/2025, all faculty can utilize Canvas for course development. If you need a new development course site, please submit an IT case.

What will happen with Organizations and course sites not part of the official terms?

CITS Instructional Development will work with the leaders of Organization sites to migrate the content over to Canvas, or other platforms. Organizations will not be migrated until the Spring 2025 semester has ended. This is to ensure content in Blackboard is not being added to or edited during the migration. More information will be communicated as the project progresses.

How can I provide feedback or ask questions?

Please use the Canvas Feedback and Inquiries Form to ask questions, provide feedback, and report issues.