Author: jbalducc

Message sent to faculty:

Dear Colleagues:

We are pleased to provide you with this month’s update on the progress of the Canvas implementation.

Canvas Access and Sandbox Courses

The project team anticipates sandbox spaces will be available by late April. These environments allow instructors to experiment with Canvas functionalities, refine their skills, and create engaging materials for future classes. They are separate from course shells that will be created for live courses. Self-paced training opportunities will be available when the sandbox courses are generated. Synchronous training opportunities and support from Canvas Mentor Faculty will be available through the summer and fall.

Course Migrations

In mid-April, faculty will receive an email with a list of pre-selected Blackboard courses that will be migrated to Canvas with the option to choose additional Blackboard courses. These migrated courses will be available in Canvas in early June.

Fall 2024 Courses in Canvas

Faculty may opt-in to Canvas for one or more fall 2024 course(s) later this semester; however, migrated course content will not be available until June. Once available, migrated courses can be copied into your live fall courses.

We encourage the following groups to consider using Canvas this fall:

1. Faculty who are new to Mason
2. Faculty with previous experience teaching in Canvas
3. Faculty developing new courses for fall 2024 and beyond

Blackboard Organizations Retirement

Canvas does not have an equivalent tool to Blackboard Organizations (Bb Orgs). As part of the Canvas implementation, content from Bb Orgs must transition to new locations. The use cases for Bb Orgs are being documented and aligned with other supported technologies; in some cases, Canvas could be the most appropriate solution. The project team will work closely with organization leaders to determine the best tool(s) to transition their activities over the next 12 months.

We encourage you to visit the project website, https://lms.gmu.edu, for project updates, the progress of third-party integrations, timelines, FAQs, and other relevant information. As always, we value your feedback as we refine our Canvas implementation plan. If you have thoughts, please share them at lms@gmu.edu or through your school/college’s Advisory Committee representative (https://lms.gmu.edu/committees/).

Thank you for your continued cooperation and engagement throughout this process.

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services 
Information Technology Services  

Email sent to Mason faculty

Dear Colleagues,

As was announced before Winter Break, George Mason University is moving its Learning Management System (LMS) from Blackboard Learn to Canvas by Fall 2025. We know many of you would like to get started as soon as possible and work is underway to set up Canvas and ensure you can get started on the right foot. 

Because the transition represents a major change for faculty and students, the campus is taking a phased approach to the rollout to ensure a smooth transition for everyone. 

What will the phases look like? 

• Spring 2024 (Foundations): A cross-functional team is working in earnest to learn, deploy, and configure the new system (which includes over 70 different integrations with tools like Kaltura, Zoom, Poll Everywhere, etc.) and to assemble resources for faculty and students. 
• Summer 2024 (Pilot): Through a call for participation sent at the end of last semester, 126 faculty indicated their interest in the pilot. The list of participants selected has been finalized. This group will pilot course(s) in Canvas, providing feedback on the new system, the course migration process, and our support resources.  
• Summer 2024 (Preparations and Course Migrations): Faculty and students will be invited to access live and asynchronous resources and trainings to familiarize themselves with the opportunities that Canvas provides; faculty may choose to have recent or selected courses from their collection migrated from Blackboard into Canvas where they can make final adjustments. Additional information about the course migration strategy will be shared in the coming weeks. 
• Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 (Initial Implementations): Faculty will be encouraged to complete the switch from Blackboard to Canvas for their courses. Support resources will continue to be available for faculty and students. 

What can faculty do to prepare? 

• February 2024: Identify your unit’s Advisory Committee member; they will be soliciting feedback from their colleagues and communicating essential information. 
• March-April 2024: Watch for Mason migration resources 

• Stearns Center Course Preparation Guide 
• Course Migration Option Descriptions and Instructions 
• Blackboard-to-Canvas Feature Comparison Guide 
• May-August 2024: Begin accessing resources 

• Request course migration support or new Canvas site(s) 
• Attend synchronous workshops 
• Consult with Mason Canvas mentors 
• Explore recommended videos and guides from Canvas Commons
• September 2024-December 2025: Full support and migrations continue 

As we develop resources to assist faculty and students with the transition, you can find updated information and resources, including a migration timeline, frequently asked questions, and ongoing project status at http://lms.gmu.edu. 

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Online Operations
Office of the Provost
  
Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services

Dear Patriots:

The current learning management system (LMS), Blackboard (Bb), has served George Mason University for more than a decade. Since Mason adopted Bb, new LMS solutions have entered the market and the university has grown, making this a great time to take stock of our faculty and students’ current and future needs in this space. 

While the current version of Bb is fully supported, Bb has no plans for innovation in this version. In addition, the pandemic provided valuable insight and best practices in face-to-face, online, and hybrid course delivery, and our next LMS must reflect what we have learned about the unique learning needs present at Mason. As the landscape of higher education evolves, we invite the university community to be involved in the conversation to take inventory of current practices, explore future opportunities, and document our LMS needs for today and beyond.

This fall, the community will have many opportunities to share feedback that will be used for a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) to determine Mason’s next LMS solution. The project is a joint effort between Information Technology Services (ITS) and the Office of the Provost, as well as other stakeholder groups. A Steering Committee has been formed to lead this effort that will be co-chaired by Charles Kreitzer, Office of the Provost, Online Operations and Joy Taylor, ITS, Learning Support Services. 

Faculty and student participation are key to this effort’s success. Visit the project website at lms.gmu.edu to learn how to get involved, stay current on the project’s progress, and provide feedback.

Mark Ginsberg                                                                                 
Provost and Executive Vice President      

Kevin Borek
Vice President and Chief Information Officer