Category: BbOrgs

Hello, Web Managers, 

Web-downloadable documents currently stored in Blackboard Organization spaces will be migrated to WebDocs, the new web document management solution for George Mason websites. 

WebDocs, a joint project of the ITS WAS and OUB Web Teams, will store and manage web- downloadable documents that meet both WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards and content purpose criteria. 

WebDocs features include: 

• Continued Editing Access – Content editors will be able to update migrated files in the future, and new versions will retain the same URL. 
• Adding New Files – Editors can upload new documents to WebDocs. 
• Automatic URL Redirection – Existing Blackboard document links on SiteMasonry CMS pages will automatically resolve to the new WebDocs location—no manual updates required. 

Webpages Versus Downloadable Documents 

In most cases, content should be published as a webpage rather than contained in a PDF, Word document, or PowerPoint file. 

There are a few situations when a downloadable web document is appropriate: 

• Forms that require print-only submissions: Documents that must be printed, signed, or submitted in hard copy. 
• Reports or policy documents: Official publications that need to retain formatting for compliance, archival, or print distribution.
   

Industry best practices discourage the use of downloadable documents whenever possible. 

Content locked within a document is harder to access, navigate, and find compared to webpage content, creating several challenges: 

Difficult to access: PDFs and other formats often lack proper tagging, making them inaccessible to screen readers and assistive technologies. 

• Disruptive to read: Downloadable files interrupt browsing flow, requiring extra steps to open and navigate. 
• Not mobile-friendly: PDFs and other documents do not resize well, forcing users to zoom and scroll. 
• Obscured from analytics: Analytics are less available for documents than web pages. For example, when a web user finds a PDF using Google search, that web user’s click to the PDF isn’t recorded in George Mason’s analytics. 
• Lower search visibility: Search engines prioritize webpage content over document content, making PDFs harder to find. 

Prepare to Move to WebDocs 

For each document in your Blackboard Org space, take one of the following actions based on its content and purpose: 

• Delete: Remove outdated, redundant, or irrelevant documents.
• Relocate: Use the Solutions Matrix for Bb Orgs Transition to determine where a document should be moved, based on its purpose and content.
• Convert to Web Content: If the information is evergreen or frequently referenced, incorporate the content into webpage instead of keeping it in a downloadable file. 
• Confirm Accessibility Compliance: The Assistive Technology Initiative office can confirm that documents for public download meet WCAG 2.1 digital accessibility criteria. Documents left in Blackboard Org spaces for migration must meet digital accessibility standards.   

Transition Timeline 

• Now–April 2025: Review files stored in BB Org spaces. 
  • Delete outdated or unused documents. 
  • Move documents that are not printable forms, policies, or reports. 
  • Confirm the web downloadable documents (printable forms, policies, or reports) meet WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards. 
• May–June 2025: Migration process begins. If you have finished your cleanup early, let us know! 
• July 2025: Blackboard file storage is decommissioned. 

Have Questions? 

Have questions about the move to WebDocs? Finished your cleanup early? Let us know! 

Dear Colleague,

You are receiving this message because you are enrolled as a leader in a Blackboard Organization (Bb Org) accessed within the last 24 months. As you are aware, Bb Orgs will be retired on July 15, 2025, as part of the Canvas implementation. Below are reminders, updates, and new information on the transition.

Transitioning to the Canvas Community Site 
Not all Bb Orgs can transition to Canvas based on the Canvas Use Guidelines.We encourage those whose will not transition to Canvas to review the other options available to move your content to another collaboration or file storage solution. If your Bb Org does meet the guidelines, you can request a Canvas community course site. Each request will be reviewed to ensure it meets the guidelines.  

Automated Content Migration 
For use cases that can transition to Canvas, we are pleased to share that the next deadline to request a content migration from Blackboard to Canvas is Monday, December 2. After migration, the content will be accessible only to the individual who submitted the form. Additionally, it cannot be made publicly available, as it is simply a container for the migrated content. The content must be copied into a new Canvas site. To submit your request, please complete the December 2024 Content Migration Request Form by Monday, December 2. You will receive an email when the content has been migrated.

We recommend you request a community course site prior to requesting the content migration. Failure to do so could result in content that cannot be migrated to an active course site. 

SiteMasonry Sites – Transitioning Downloadable Documents from Blackboard Organization Spaces 
The Information Technology Services (ITS) and the Office of University Branding (OUB) web teams are developing a Web Document Repository to store publicly downloadable files compliant with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Revised 508 Standards for accessibility. Recent updates to the ADA reinforce the requirement for public entities, including George Mason University, to provide fully accessible digital experiences, including accessible documents.

The new Web Document Repository will be available to SiteMasonry web managers in late spring 2025. A member of the OUB web team will reach out to each SiteMasonry web manager currently using a Bb Org to assist with creating a transition plan to:

• Identify documents for deletion
• Move non-public documents to appropriate platforms (e.g., Canvas, Mason Online sites)
• Ensure publicly downloadable documents meet ICT Revised 508 Standards for digital accessibility
• Ready digitally accessible, publicly downloadable documents for a move to the new Web Document Repository

Major/Degree Community Courses 
Finally, we are pleased to share that a Canvas community site has been created for each major at the university. This allows units to use the site to communicate and share content with students. Membership in each group will be managed automatically through integration with Banner. Read more and request access.

The project team hopes you have a successful end to your semester and will enjoy the upcoming winter break. As always, if you have questions about this transition, contact [email protected] or visit the project website at http://lms.gmu.edu/orgs.

Email to leaders of Blackboard Organizations

Dear Blackboard Org Leader, 

Earlier this summer we provided information about the university’s Canvas Use Guidelines and shared that only Blackboard Organizations (Bb Orgs) and/or Bb courses not generated by Bannerthat meet the requirements are eligible to be moved to Canvas. As part of our transition from Blackboard to Canvas, in September, eligible Bb Org owners can have their content migrated to Canvas using the same course migration service used to migrate Bb courses. If you prefer to explore other content migration options, please visit the course migration website. Before submitting this request, please make note of the following: 

• Community Site Creation in Canvas: If your use case aligns with the intended use of Canvas, you can request a Canvas community course site. Each request will be reviewed to ensure it meets the guidelines.  

• Access to Migrated Content: After migration, the content will be accessible only to the individual who submitted the form. The course site containing the migrated content cannot be made publicly available, as it is simply a container for the migrated content. 

To streamline the process, we ask that you request a community course site prior to requesting the course migration process. Failure to do so could result in content that cannot be migrated to an active course site. 

For those with Bb Orgs that do not meet the Canvas Use Guidelines, we have identified several technology solutions for managing groups and sharing resources. This matrix is available on the Canvas project website at https://lms.gmu.edu/orgs/. Bb Orgs will be retired on July 15, 2025, after which time, no content will be accessible. You are encouraged to download any content you wish to access in the future, before that date. 

If you want to migrate your content, please gather the course ID number(s) and submit the Fall 2024 Content Migration Request Form by Thursday, September 26, 2024. The course ID can be found on the Organizations tab in Blackboard, above the Org/course title. 

We encourage all Bb Org owners to act promptly if you wish to have your content migrated. For questions or further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected].  

Join us for Canvas Day! Grab your device and join us for Canvas Day, Wednesday, October 16, 2024, from 12-4 p.m. in the HUB Ballroom or online. This event is designed to provide attendees with hands-on experience, best practices, and innovative ways to leverage Canvas for an enriched learning experience. Register Today! 

Thank you for your attention to this matter and your continued cooperation as we transition to Canvas. 

Updated/Additional Information:

The Blackboard to Canvas migration request link provided in yesterday’s update was incorrect. Submit your requests using the Fall 2024 Content Migration Request Form. The form must be submitted by September 26.

As a reminder, once available to you in Canvas, the migrated content is private and intended for you to see the site in Canvas and prepare updates using our cleanup guide. The course/organization will still be in Blackboard. Once you are ready to move your users to Canvas, copy the migrated site to your Canvas Community course.

If you wish to transition your Bb Organization to Canvas, (1) it must meet the Canvas Use Guidelines and (2) you must submit a request for a community site to be created. Please note that the migration of content from Blackboard does not imply you have been approved to use Canvas for this purpose. Without a Canvas Community course to copy this content to, it will remain in the migrated site and will not be available for publishing.

To learn more about the Bb Organizations retirement, please visit https://lms.gmu.edu/orgs.

Joy E. Taylor 
Executive Director, Learning Support Services 
Information Technology Services 

Dear Blackboard Organization Owner:

Thank you for your patience as the project team worked to gather information and prepare for the transition of Blackboard Organizations (Bb Orgs) and non-academic course sites to Canvas. As a reminder, Blackboard will be available through July 15, 2025. We are pleased to provide details and resources to help you navigate this change.

Canvas Use Guidelines 

Since introducing Bb Orgs in 2009, Geroge Mason has invested in various technology solutions to support collaboration. Like other institutions transitioning to a new LMS (Learning Management System), the LMS Advisory and Executive Steering Committees have established guidelines for activities in the Canvas LMS. These activities are limited to specific academic and/or instructional purposes, including delivery of instruction, student training, and/or instructional technology training.

Web Links to Content in Bb Orgs 

The project team, which includes members of the Office of University Branding’s web team, has gathered requirements to document the needs of sites that have linked web content stored in the Bb Orgs environment. The team expects to identify and announce the transition plan for this use case during the fall semester.

Technology Matrix for Use Cases 

To help users determine the best technology to meet their needs, a matrix of common use cases and available solutions has been developed and can be found on the Canvas project website at: https://lms.gmu.edu/orgs/. You will find links to information about the service options and how to request or access them.

Requesting Canvas Course Sites Not Created Through Banner 

If your use case aligns with the intended use of Canvas, you can request a Canvas course site starting on Monday, July 15, 2024. Each request will be reviewed to ensure it meets the guidelines. If it is determined that your Blackboard content should move to Canvas, please review the course migration options. Bb Orgs and non-academic courses are eligible to use the automated migration option during a future wave of migrations.

Still to come: 

• A Canvas site will be created for each major/degree. Students with that major would be automatically enrolled and removed as they declare. This will replicate existing functionality in Blackboard and is a space for departments to communicate with their students, post files, hold online orientations, etc.
• Canvas Catalog is an outreach platform for non-degree instructional purposes. The registration system allows a mix of George Mason and non-George Mason users to register and access public outreach and professional development offerings. Note: this does not replace the systems in use by the Continuing and Professional Education office.

Action Items for Bb Orgs Owners 

As you prepare for this transition, we recommend you take the following actions, whether moving to Canvas or another technology solution.

Review and Manage Your Content: 

1. Start reviewing the content in your Bb Orgs
2. Determine which materials need to be moved and who should continue to have access

Securely Manage Your Data: 

1. Use this guide to learn how best to download content from your organization
2. Consider the classification of the data you are storing and ensure it is managed securely

Finally, we encourage you to visit the project website, which provides additional information, including FAQs, the technology matrix, and the project timeline. Soon, the project team will be announcing opportunities to ask questions about this effort through virtual office hours. In the meantime, you can continue to submit inquiries to [email protected].

Thank you for your continued cooperation during this transition.

Message sent to Blackboard Organization Leaders

Blackboard Organization Leaders, 

You are listed as a leader of one or more Blackboard Organizations (Bb Orgs) sites. As you are hopefully aware, Mason is changing its learning management system (LMS) from Blackboard to Canvas, and with that, the Bb Orgs service will be retiring in June 2025 as Canvas does not have a direct equivalent to organizations. 

Historically, Bb Orgs have been used at Mason for non-traditional course activities such as project collaboration, providing students with information, file storage, etc. You can see your organizations by logging into Blackboard and choosing organizations from the left menu. 

While we expect most Bb organizations will transition to Microsoft (MS) Teams or other options, we anticipate there may be some use cases that require an LMS environment and could move to Canvas. An important use case we know exists that we’re actively identifying solutions for is how Bb Orgs has been used across the university to store files linked from various university websites. We are working with the centralized CMS teams in the Office of University Branding and Information Technology Services to ensure the potential solutions will maintain the integrity of web content and links. Those impacted by this use case will receive additional information in the coming months. 

A matrix that documents common use cases and available solutions is under development. The project team will also provide guidance on how to download content from Blackboard and tips for moving to other options. Please familiarize yourself with your file storage location(s), user access, and file inventory in the Bb Orgs used by your site. 

To learn more and to help inform the transition planning, we invite you to join us on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. for an information session. Use this link to join the session. You will need to authenticate using your Net ID and Patriot Pass Password. The session will be recorded for anyone unable to attend. There will be additional opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback. 

In the meantime, please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns. 

Sincerely, 

Joy E. Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services