Canvas LMS Transition

February Canvas Implementation Update: Blackboard Retirement Planning Resources

Upcoming Instructor Events

Dear Colleague,

As we enter the final phase of the transition from Blackboard to Canvas, we want to remind you that spring 2025 is the last semester in which courses can be taught in Blackboard. Starting summer 2025, courses that use the LMS must use Canvas (all sessions). Access to save any content from Blackboard will end on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. To prepare for this transition, please review the new Blackboard Retirement Resources site, which provides details on the following:

  • Manage Blackboard Content: Save any Blackboard materials you need before July 15. Many Blackboard courses have already been migrated to Canvas, and all spring 2025 courses will be migrated to Canvas in May, with one final upcoming chance to request content from past courses. Other migration options are on the course migration site. All semester courses currently in Blackboard, including all student data, will be available by request after July 15.
  • Anticipate Incomplete Grades & Manage Grade Appeals: While spring 2025 courses will be migrated to Canvas at the end of the semester, they will not include student work, and students will not have access to Blackboard after July 15. If you assign an incomplete grade at the end of the semester, download all necessary course materials and relevant activities to facilitate grading once the student completes the requirements. If a student files a grade challenge after the Blackboard sunset date, you may need to submit a request to retrieve student records from the Blackboard archive.

Those who have not yet participated in or reviewed a previous recording, the next virtual Canvas Boot Camp will be February 18 – 20, 2025. Click here to register today.

For additional information about any details above, please visit the Blackboard Retirement Resources site. If you have any questions about the transition, please visit the project website or contact the project team at [email protected].

Thank you for your cooperation as we complete this transition to Canvas.

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services  

January Canvas Implementation Update: Semester Start Up Remind

Upcoming Instructor Events

Dear Colleagues,

The start of the spring semester is right around the corner!

Blackboard will be the default LMS for the spring; however, instructors are encouraged to use Canvas and must opt in by completing this form. So far, more than 3,500 courses plan to use Canvas this semester. The spring 2025 semester will be the final term courses can be taught using Blackboard.

Remember that students and faculty will be engaging in both Blackboard and Canvas, so it will be important to communicate what system you will be using and share student resources. Be sure to email and/or post an announcement to reinforce training and support options and include the Recommended Course Statement in your materials and early communications.

Course Migrations
All summer and fall 2024 Blackboard courses were copied to Canvas. These course names start with Bb Migrated and can be used as a source to copy into your semester courses. Read more about course migrations.

Upcoming Trainings
Learn more about Canvas and integrated tools like Honorlock (test integrity), Turnitin (plagiarism detection), Poll Everywhere (polling), Kaltura (video), and more by attending an upcoming training. Those not yet in Canvas should consider attending an upcoming Canvas Boot Camp: Info and Registration.

Canvas Support
Remember, 24/7 phone and chat support is available within Canvas by clicking “Help” in the left-hand menu.

Best wishes for a successful semester!

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services 

Bb Organization Update & Web Links Information

Upcoming Instructor Events

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.

November Canvas Implementation Project Update: Preparing for Spring 2025

Upcoming Instructor Events

Dear Colleagues,

As the fall semester comes to a close, we’re providing essential updates on the Canvas implementation to help you prepare for spring and the full transition to Canvas. With end-of-semester activities increasing, this will be our last update until January, so please review this message thoroughly.

Spring 2025 Courses
As a reminder, Blackboard will be the default LMS for the spring; however, instructors are encouraged to use Canvas and must opt in by completing this formIf you used Canvas this fall, you must opt into Canvas again for the spring; it will not be done automatically.

Next Course Migration
All course sections that used Blackboard in summer and fall 2024 will be migrated automatically at the end of the semester. If there are additional courses you would like migrated—such as those updated since the last migration or not previously migrated—please submit them using the December 2024 Content Migration Form by Monday, December 2. You will need the Blackboard course ID for each section you wish to migrate. An email will be sent once the migrated courses are available in Canvas (expected in early January).

Preparing for Summer Canvas Cutover
We want to remind all faculty who have not yet transitioned to Canvas to begin developing a plan for their courses. The spring 2025 semester will be the final term courses can be taught using Blackboard.

We strongly encourage you to take advantage of the resources available to become familiar with Canvas.   For those not as familiar with Canvas or need a refresh, the next synchronous Canvas Bootcamp will be hosted December 3 – 5. Register Today! Additional training on specific topics will also be held on Tuesday, December 10. Links and details for these sessions and a full list of the training resources can be found at https://lms.gmu.edu/training-events/.

Finally, if you have had content migrated to Canvas, please take time to review these materials, which you can find on your Canvas Courses page. The course title will begin with “Bb Migrated.” The Migrated Course Cleanup Guide offers tips and best practices as you review the migrated content.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and commitment to this important effort.

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services 
Information Technology Services 

Canvas Implementation Project Update: Preparing for Spring 2025

Upcoming Instructor Events

Email sent to faculty on October 10, 2024

Dear Patriots,

As we continue our transition to Canvas as the university’s new Learning Management System (LMS), we want to provide an important update regarding the timeline and expectations for the upcoming spring 2025 semester.

Spring 2025 Courses
For the spring semester, all courses will be created in Blackboard. Instructors are encouraged to use Canvas and should opt in by completing this form. If you taught using Canvas in the fall, you will need to opt into Canvas again for the spring.

During the first semester of Canvas availability, we saw impressive participation, exceeding our goal of 25% of courses, with over 900 unique instructors teaching 1,900+ sections to nearly 29K unique students. In anticipation of the full transition to Canvas at the end of the spring 2025 semester, we strongly encourage all faculty to begin shifting to Canvas. This will ensure you are fully prepared for the final cut-off and have time to explore the platform’s capabilities before Blackboard is fully phased out. All summer 2025 courses and beyond must use Canvas.

Training & Support
To help you with this process, a variety of development opportunities are available to guide you through Canvas setup, course migration, and feature utilization. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of these resources as soon as possible. Training sessions and self-paced workshops are available to meet your individual needs. A complete list of these resources can be found on the project website at http://lms.gmu.edu.

Canvas Day
We also invite you to join us at Canvas Day on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, which will be offered both in person and live-streamed. To register and view the program’s agenda visit http://lms.gmu.edu/canvas-day

Your proactive engagement in this transition is vital to ensuring a smooth experience for both you and your students as we move to Canvas after the spring 2025 semester.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to this important transition.

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services 

Blackboard Org Content Migration to Canvas

Upcoming Instructor Events

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 

September Update for Canvas Implementation

Upcoming Instructor Events

Email to current faculty

Dear Colleagues,

We hope you had a restful and safe summer, and your fall semester is off to a productive start. Below are a few important items we wanted to bring to your attention about the Canvas implementation. 

Project Updates

Fall 2024 is the first semester Canvas is fully available and more than 900 instructors are using Canvas with over 1,800 course sections. Spring 2025 is the last semester Blackboard will be available for use with courses and access ends in summer 2025. An archiving solution will store Blackboard courses if they are needed. View the timeline

Fall 2024 Course Migrations  

In June, nearly 15,000 Blackboard courses were migrated to Canvas, including the most recent version of each instructor’s course and additional chosen courses. Read more about the process

We are pleased to offer another opportunity for instructors to request additional migrated courses. These may be courses that have been updated since the first migration or that were not previously migrated. Content from Blackboard Organizations (Bb Orgs) and non-term courses can also be migrated. Additional information to Bb Org owners is being sent today.  

The deadline to request additional content migrations is Thursday, September 26, 2024. Requests must be submitted using the Fall 2024 Content Migration Request Form. To submit this request, you will need the course ID for each section. This information can be found in your Blackboard course list

Please note that these migrated courses will not be available in Canvas until mid-November. 

Getting Help with Canvas

  • 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!
  • Training: Many Canvas training options are available. View the self-paced and live sessions this semester. 
  • Support: 24/7 support is available within the Canvas platform by logging into  Canvas at Mason  and clicking “Help” on the bottom left. You can also review additional  training and support resources

As always, we appreciate your continued support and attention as Canvas is implemented. We encourage you to review our  Getting Started  materials and explore resources for instructors. We invite you to contact the project team at [email protected]  with questions or concerns.

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost 

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services

Important Information: Using Course Management Systems This Semester

Upcoming Instructor Events

Dear Patriot, 

We hope you are feeling refreshed and ready for the new academic year! 

This past spring and summer, we have been working tirelessly to prepare for the university’s transition to the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), and we are pleased to share that more than 700 faculty have opted to use Canvas this fall. During the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters we will transition from Blackboard to Canvas. During this transition period your course(s) may be hosted on either platform.  

We understand this may cause some inconvenience, but we want to assure you that this change aims to provide a more robust and user-friendly platform for your studies. By Summer 2025, all courses will be hosted exclusively on Canvas. For the fall, to determine which system will host content and/or resources for your course(s), we encourage you to review any course materials your instructor(s) may have sent, as they have been advised to include information on which LMS they will use.  

Please note:

  • Not all courses use an LMS as part of their course delivery.
  • If a course does use an LMS it will only be in one. If it is not in Blackboard, it is in Canvas. It will not be in both. In Canvas, your homepage only shows courses you can access. Click Courses/All Courses to view the full list. 

To help you navigate this transition, here are the options that are available to get acclimated to Canvas: 

  1. Canvas Student Guide: Comprehensive documentation and tutorials to help you understand and use Canvas effectively 
  2. Online Training Sessions: Interactive sessions where you can learn the ins and outs of Canvas 
  3. Canvas Support: Access to 24/7 support is available within the platform clicking the “Help” link in the navigation menu
  4. Mobile Mason App: Use the mobile app to view your course list, announcements, and due dates for both Blackboard and Canvas. Visit https://gettheapp.gmu.edu/ to download the app.

Additional training resources and information about Canvas can be accessed at https://lms.gmu.edu/getting-started-students/ and for Blackboard at https://its.gmu.edu/knowledge-base/blackboard-instructional-technology-support-for-students/. If you have specific questions about how your courses are managed, please contact your instructor(s). 

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this transition period. We are committed to making this as smooth as possible and appreciate your patience as we work towards providing a better learning environment for all. 

Best regards, 

Charmaine Madison 
Vice President and Chief Information Officer 
Information Technology Services  

Janette Muir 
Vice Provost, Academic Affairs 
Office of the Provost 

Fall Courses – Getting Ready for Canvas

Upcoming Instructor Events

Email sent to faculty using Canvas in the fall

The fall semester marks an exciting point in our Learning Management System (LMS) migration as we welcome you to Canvas – along with more than 700 hundred George Mason faculty who opted to teach in Canvas, spanning more than 1,600 individual sections across every school and college. If you have changed your mind about using Canvas, or if any of the courses created for you in Canvas are incorrect, please reach out to [email protected]
 
By now, you should have access to your live fall course course in Canvas; this is the space you will be teaching in. As a default, other sites – your sandbox and course migration files – are not accessible to students and enrollments cannot be added. Before the term begins, you can export content from one of these other workspaces and import it into your fall course. 
 
Here are some resources to help get started: 

As you get ready to welcome your students, please review the details below and consider this information for your messages to students to help them prepare for the semester. Remember that for the upcoming academic year, students and faculty will be engaging in both Blackboard and Canvas, so it will be important to communicate your system and share getting-started resources. Be sure to email and/or post an announcement to reinforce training and support options and include the Recommended Course Statement in your materials and early communications. 
 
Additional Details: 

Remember, support is (literally) always available within the Canvas platform by clicking “Help” in the left-hand menu. Especially for Canvas-specific questions, please begin with Canvas native phone and chat support. Be on the lookout for additional information in the coming weeks related to Stearns Center programming and Faculty Mentor consultations. 
 
We will reach out later in the semester to get feedback from you and your students on the overall experience. As always, let us know if you have any questions. 
 
Best wishes for a successful semester! 

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost 

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services

Important Note for Faculty Using Canvas in Fall 2024

Upcoming Instructor Events

Email sent to instructors using Canvas – August 14, 2024

Good morning. 

I would like to address some questions raised regarding the ability to combine class sections within the University’s learning management systems (LMS), Blackboard and Canvas. 

Each semester, a small number of faculty combine individual class sections to streamline section management; however, the act of combining non-cross-listed sections poses a risk under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Our students’ schedules are considered non-directory information, and we must work to retain the privacy of students beyond their individual course sections. 

While faculty may continue to combine non-cross-listed sections, we need your assistance to ensure the protection of student rights and privacy. Faculty combining sections are expected to clearly inform students that their course is part of a combined section and ensure that sensitive information such as grades and personal details are not shared across sections.  

When combining sections in the LMS, utilize group settings to maintain section-specific communications. Additional information and resources can be found here: https://its.gmu.edu/knowledge-base/canvas-combining-sections/ 

Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions. 

Thanks. 

Doug 

Doug McKenna 
University Registrar 
http://registrar.gmu.edu/