Category: Uncategorized

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

Dear Colleagues: 

As the semester winds down, we would like to provide an update on the Canvas implementation, including information on course migrations and how to opt in to use Canvas for your courses in the fall 2024 semester.

Blackboard Course Migrations

The first wave of Blackboard to Canvas course migrations will begin at the end of this semester and include the most recent section of courses taught by each instructor from the summer 2022 to spring 2024 semesters. Course migrations will copy all instructor-added content in Blackboard courses to a course in Canvas. These courses can be used as a source to copy content into your live course whenever you decide to start teaching with Canvas.

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 25, you will receive a personalized email with a list of your “pre-selected” courses and a list of other course sites tied to you in Blackboard. You can select up to five additional courses from this section to migrate during this first wave. The email will be sent from “LMS Implementation Project <noreply@qemailserver.com>, with the subject “Canvas Course Migration Selection Site.”

To be included in this first wave of migrations, this form must be submitted by Monday, May 6. However, pre-selected courses will migrate to Canvas even if you do not complete the form. You will be notified when the migrations are available in Canvas in June, and you will be provided access to guides for navigating your migrated courses in Canvas. For detailed information, visit the website.

Interest in Canvas for Fall 2024

If you are interested in teaching one or more courses in Canvas in fall 2024, the opt-in form will be available in the coming weeks. Please note that course sites will not be available until June 2024. Once available, migrated courses or selections of content can be copied into your live fall courses. 

While all faculty can opt-in, 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, and/or (3) faculty developing new courses for fall 2024 and beyond.

Canvas Access and Sandboxes

Each faculty member will automatically be provided a Canvas sandbox in the coming weeks. Sandboxes are a safe space to explore Canvas, design courses, collaborate on content, and resolve potential issues before going live. Additional sandbox courses can be requested beginning in July 2024.

As always, we encourage you to visit the project website, https://lms.gmu.edu, for updates and other important information, including links to training, quick-start guides, and FAQs. 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    

Spring 2024 courses will continue to use Blackboard. The committee is still finalizing its decision – an announcement will be made to the university community when available. Questions can be directed to lms@gmu.edu.

All Fall courses will continue to use Blackboard. The committee is still finalizing its decision. Questions can be directed to lms@gmu.edu

The Mason community can now sign up for temporary accounts with the three finalist LMS vendors. You will receive communication from the companies on how to access the accounts. Users can explore the system and test features in a prebuilt sample course. A feedback survey will be sent to those who have requested accounts.

Signup Form »

The three LMS vendor finalists – Canvas (Instructure), Brightspace (D2L) and Blackboard Ultra (Anthology) – presented on campus May 8-10. Recordings are now available. Please complete the feedback survey after viewing presentations. Mason login required.

Canvas Recording

Brightspace Recording

Blackboard Ultra Recording

In addition, vendors will provide demo courses faculty can explore to get a more hands-on experience and provide additional feedback to the selection committee. Look for an email and follow-up post soon with signup details.

Based on all the feedback we have collected, we expect to have a decision on a replacement LMS within the next few months and will share it widely on Mason’s communication channels. After a platform is selected, we understand there is much work to be done. There will be a transition period for faculty with an emphasis on faculty development and automated course conversions. More details will be provided in the coming months.

Feedback received last fall, including thousands of faculty and student responses to surveys, polls, and focus groups, has helped shape the Request for Proposal (RFP). Throughout the LMS transition process, we will be communicating regularly with our campus community on important updates, milestones and opportunities regarding our move to a new LMS. Finalists will present demos in April and the Evaluation Committee will plan to send final recommendations to university leadership by the end of the spring semester. Visit lms.gmu.edu to stay informed on all of the latest opportunities for feedback as the RFP is evaluated. Email questions to lms@gmu.edu.

Mason Community: Thank you for your support thus far on the project. This semester was dedicated to gathering information from the community. To date, the project committees have amassed more than 27,000 survey responses from faculty, students, and staff. We have led focus groups, presented at department meeting, and took part in many other interactions. This information will help to write the Request for Proposal (RFP) that will go out this spring. Enjoy the break!

Surveys for Mason staff/admins and leaders of Blackboard Organizations are available through Friday, December 16. Both short surveys are important to provide the LMS Review Committees with information.

Staff Survey link: http://go.gmu.edu/bbstaffsurvey

Organization Leaders link: http://go.gmu.edu/bborgsurvey

Please share these links with your colleagues.

A series of ten faculty focus group opportunities is now posted. All faculty (including adjuncts) are encouraged to help the Review Committee explore specific topics (based on the recent faculty survey) in depth. Most sessions we be held through Zoom with several on campus. Read more and sign up >