Canvas Implementation Update
The intention of this message is to provide a comprehensive update on the Canvas Implementation project. Finally, we’ll provide details on how to access Canvas yourself and start to explore this new platform.
Why are we doing this?
The licence we have for our current CLE (Central Learning Environment) Blackboard Learn Original expires in Autumn 2025. This product is now a legacy product and so renewing our contract and staying on the same platform is not an option for us.
The University ran an extensive tender process to identify our replacement CLE tool and Canvas was unanimously selected by the panel as the most suitable product.
Who is doing this?
The Canvas implementation project is being run centrally by the Flexible Learning Program. The leads for FSE are Niels Walet and Dan Jagger.
To support this work Faculty have set up a CLE Implementation group consisting of representatives for each discipline. Representatives are there to gather information across their discipline and also feed into the project the requirements of their disciplines.
What is happening next?
The next large phase – and the purpose of this update – is to let colleagues know that all Faculty staff – academic and PS can now access an empty Sandbox space within Canvas where they can start to familiarise themselves with Canvas. Engaging with Canvas early will be crucial to help you plan and understand the work required for you once the migration phase of the project starts in Spring 2025.
How Does the Migration work?
Each individual Blackboard Course Unit space will be migrated into a Canvas Sandbox. The task then for Unit leads and teaching teams is to thoroughly check that all teaching content have been migrated correctly. Once you are satisfied the content is intact you will need to copy the materials from the Sandbox space into your Teaching space following the guidance from the Minimum Standards Document that is currently being developed. You also have the option to ignore the migrated content and rebuild your course unit entirely from scratch – and this approach may be more time effective for many staff.
The Minimum Standards Document will represent a baseline or threshold of information and design we need academic staff to build into their course unit spaces. This is driven by student feedback, the main requirement is that we achieve a level of consistency across ALL our course units.
What is happening with Community Spaces?
A Community is a Blackboard space that is not associated with Campus Solutions: common Community spaces include – Virtual Common Rooms (VCRs), Health and Safety Courses and Spaces used to deliver Training. The Implementation group have assessed all our community spaces and identified the ones which are no longer active – such spaces will not be migrated to Canvas.
Due to the huge amount of content within Virtual Common Room spaces we feel that developing them within Canvas will deliver a sub-optimal student experience. The bulk of material currently within Departmental Virtual Common Room spaces will be incorporated into the School level Student Hub Sharepoint spaces currently being developed. These spaces will be owned and managed by the faculty TLSE teams.
Each department will still have a Canvas VCR space – but it should only contain things that sit comfortably within a learning environment – for example training (such as Academic Malpractice) that require tracking and monitoring, Departmental level discussion boards and generic learning content relevant only to the discipline. These spaces can also be used as a communication tool between a discipline and its students. We will ensure that linkage between Sharepoint and Canvas spaces is clear for students.
All other Community spaces will be migrated across to Canvas and will therefore require a very similar rebuild approach to Course Unit spaces.
What about previous years courses?
Currently in Blackboard students have access to the course units they studied in previous years. A similar arrangement will be made in Canvas. As well as the current years spaces we will also be migrating the previous 4 years course units (along with the units associated with a 5 year program). There is no expectation that staff will redevelop previous years spaces within Canvas and such spaces will use a migration setting that flattens the course structure into a list of files.
When can you access to Canvas?
A very common question and we’re happy to say that time is now.
All academic and PS staff can now access Canvas and an individual Sandbox space. The intention with this is for you to begin to explore and familiarise yourself with Canvas. The eLearning team are not able to currently provide detailed support on how to use Canvas – our bookable 1-2-1 session and Drop in Clinics will be available once the Migration phase starts in Spring 2025.
The online support site for FSE is currently a work in progress but there is already a wealth of resources and “how to..” guides presented in various categories and hopefully ordered in a logical format for you all. This will be our main platform of support and will grow over the next few months as we prepare for the Migration phase.
There is a lot more information coming over the next few months but for the moment this is an opportunity for you to familiarise yourself with Canvas – discover how a Canvas ‘Module’ varies from a Blackboard ‘Folder’, have a play with the Canvas Quiz engine and take a look at Canvas studio the fantastic new video creation tool that is integrated into Canvas. Of course this is totally optional.
Access Canvas – https://canvas.manchester.ac.uk/
Access the FSE Getting Started with Canvas site – https://www.teachingcollege.fse.manchester.ac.uk/canvas (this site includes a 10min Brief Overview overview of Canvas aimed at getting you up and running with some basic Canvas information).
