Canvas LMS Transition

Category: email

Blackboard Org Content Migration to Canvas

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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/

July Faculty Update for Canvas Implementation 

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Dear Colleagues, 

As the summer begins winding down, we are pleased to provide this month’s updates about the Canvas migration. As a reminder, all fall courses will be in Blackboard unless you choose to use Canvas. For those eager to use Canvas in the fall 2024 semester, complete this opt-in form. New course sites could take up to three days to appear in Canvas after you submit your request.


Canvas Course Types

There are several types of courses in Canvas you should be aware of as you begin navigating the new platform. They include:

  • Semester: created through Banner/Patriot Web and populated with your enrolled students.
  • Sandboxes: instructors can explore the tools and features of Canvas without disturbing a course used for instruction. It can also be used to prepare courses and/or modules before copying them into live courses.
  • Migrated: copies of Blackboard courses transferred to Canvas through an automated process. These courses are not accessible to students and contain no student data.
  • Development: for the development of a course expected to be used as a source course for most sections of a course – often managed by a department/course coordinator or course designer. The course is jointly accessible and is not tied to one specific user.
  • Community: available for activities that support student training, student program or degree resources, student cohort sites, and instructional technology training. Please note for community sites, your intended use must meet the Canvas Use Guidelines.

Requests for these courses can be submitted here.

Course Migration Files

The first wave of course migrations is complete and includes recent courses from summer 2022 through spring 2024 and additional courses identified by individual instructors. The next opportunity to identify courses that have not already been migrated is September. This wave will be an opportunity for Blackboard Organizations activities to be transitioned as an approved use of Canvas. To learn more about the automated migrations, visit the project website.

Fall 2024 Activities

  • Training & Support: Sign up for the Canvas Bootcamp on August 13, 14 & 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily via Zoom. The recordings of the June bootcamp can be found in the “Growing with Canvas” course in your Canvas course list. Sign up here.
    Also, 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.
  • Student Communications: for the next two semesters students will need to navigate the possibility of using both learning management systems simultaneously. While the project team is preparing a communication plan to help orient students for the fall, we encourage all faculty, regardless of the LMS, to include this information in any communications to students enrolled in your courses.

As always, we appreciate your continued support and attention as Canvas is implemented. We encourage you to visit https://lms.gmu.edu/getting-started-faculty/ where you will find many useful resources for instructors, whether you are transitioning this fall or in the spring. As always, 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

Bb Orgs Retirement Update

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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.

Blackboard Migrated Courses Available in Canvas

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Dear Colleagues, 

We are pleased to share that the first migration of Blackboard courses is complete and your migrated course sites are now available in Canvas. Remember, recent courses taught between summer 2022 and spring 2024 and select courses identified by faculty earlier this spring were migrated from Blackboard.  

For those who have opted-in to use Canvas this fall, live course sites will be created in Canvas in the next few weeks. You will then be able to copy course content from these migrated courses into your live fall courses. We strongly encourage you to visit the project website to learn more about automated migrations including frequently asked questions and the migrated course cleanup guide. 

Please note that courses that are part of Wiley programs were migrated separately. You will hear from Wiley directly as they update the courses for Canvas. 

Canvas  Support and Training 

We have compiled a comprehensive list of training resources designed to facilitate a smooth and efficient adoption of Canvas. These resources are designed to help you navigate the platform and integrate your course materials. We strongly recommend that you take advantage of the following training opportunities to ensure a seamless transition to Canvas. 

  • Register for the next Canvas Bootcamp on August 13, 14 & 15. Recordings from previous Boot Camp sessions will be made available in the Growing with Canvas training course next week. 
  • 24/7 Canvas 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.  
  • The Canvas Training Services Portal is a comprehensive resource to help faculty effectively use Canvas. It offers self-paced courses, live webinars, on-demand videos, and interactive guides for faculty to learn about Canvas at their own pace, stay updated on new features, and implement best practices in their teaching. 
  • Getting Started for Faculty lists all training resources, helps you download the Canvas mobile app, and keeps you up to date on the project timeline. 

All fall courses will be created in Blackboard unless you choose to use Canvas. To date, more than 1000 courses across every school, college, and campus will be using Canvas in Fall 2024. For those who are still interested in transitioning to Canvas in the Fall 2024 semester, complete this opt-in form. Fall Canvas courses will be created in the next few weeks. 

Finally, if you do not see a course you thought was going to be migrated, please contact the project team at [email protected] with the course information. 

Warm Regards, 

Charles Kreitzer 
Executive Director, Mason Online 
Office of the Provost 

Joy Taylor 
Executive Director, Learning Support Services 
Information Technology Services 

June Faculty Update for Canvas Implementation 

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Dear Colleagues,

Canvas, George Mason University’s new Learning Management System, has officially launched, and all instructional faculty now have access to Canvas – including a sandbox course site to practice in and the Growing with Canvas course to begin learning how Canvas works. Additional sandboxes can be requested later this summer.

How to Log in to Canvas and Access Your Sandbox Site:

  • Go to Canvas at Mason
  • Log in with your Mason NetID and Patriot Pass Password (plus Duo Mobile for security) 

Explore Getting Started for Faculty training resources, download the Canvas mobile app, and review the project timeline. We will continue adding training and support opportunities as they are developed.

Canvas Training Services Portal

Get to know the Canvas Training Services Portal, a comprehensive resource to help faculty effectively use Canvas. It offers self-paced courses, live webinars, on-demand videos, and interactive guides for faculty to learn about Canvas at their own pace, stay updated on new features, and implement best practices in their teaching.

Canvas Support and Training

Sign up for a Canvas Bootcamp on June 25, 26 & 27, August 13, 14 & 15, or December 3, 4 & 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day via Zoom. Sessions will be recorded and made available. Also, 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.

Opting into Canvas for Fall 2024

All fall courses will be in Blackboard unless you choose to use Canvas. For those eager to use Canvas in the Fall 2024 semester, complete this opt-in form. Please note that migrated course sites will not be available until late June 2024.

Course Migration Files

Bb-to-Canvas course migration files will not be available until late June 2024. Once available, migrated courses or selections of content can be copied into your live fall courses. Visit our website to learn more about automated migrations.

Thank you for your participation and support throughout this project.

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services 

Canvas is Here (Instructors)

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Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the official launch of Canvas, George Mason University’s new Learning Management System! The LMS Project Team has been working through early set-up activities and we are excited to invite all instructional faculty members to begin exploring its features.

How to Log in to Canvas:

  • Go to Canvas at Mason
  • Log in with your Mason NetID and Patriot Pass Password (plus Duo Mobile for security) 

Explore our Getting Started for Faculty training resources, download the mobile app, and review the project timeline. We will continue adding training and support opportunities as they are developed.

Sandbox Environments

Starting today, each instructional faculty member has been provided a personal Canvas sandbox. This space is designed to acquaint you with the new system, develop your courses, collaborate on content, and smooth out any issues in a secure environment. If you need more than one sandbox course, we will begin accepting requests for additional courses starting in July 2024.

You also will see Growing with Canvas in your Canvas dashboard, a self-paced training course designed to orient faculty to Canvas. Recommended training pathways are available for your review to help you get started.

Opting into Canvas for Fall 2024

All fall courses will be in Blackboard unless you choose to use Canvas. For those eager to use Canvas in the Fall 2024 semester, complete this opt-in form. Please note that course sites will not be available until late June 2024. Once available, migrated courses or selections of content can be copied into your live fall courses. Visit our website to learn more about automated migrations.

We encourage academic units to have intentional conversations about their overall transition to Canvas. Sections with multiple labs, cross listing, recitation sections, and other unique scheduling needs should consider transitioning as a department to mitigate the impact on students.

We particularly invite the following faculty groups to consider opting into Canvas this fall:

  1. Those who are new to George Mason
  2. Those with prior experience using Canvas
  3. Those who are developing new courses for Fall 2024 and beyond 

Need Assistance?

24/7 support is available within the Canvas platform by clicking “Help.” You can also review additional training and support resources. We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible and are excited about the new opportunities Canvas will bring to your courses.

Thank you for your participation and support throughout this project.

Charles Kreitzer
Executive Director, Mason Online
Office of the Provost

Joy Taylor
Executive Director, Learning Support Services
Information Technology Services