DLE is the Digital Learning Environment. This is the environment made up of all our digital tools used in Teaching and Learning, including the Central Learning Environment (see below).

VLE stands for Virtual Learning Environment, the term previously used to describe Blackboard Learn.

CLE is our Central Learning Environment. This term was chosen as it more accurately reflects the role Canvas by Instructure (and Blackboard Learn before it) will play in our DLE.

Our existing contract with Blackboard Learn will end after 14 years in 2025.

With our current provider contract due for renewal and the imminent retirement of their current product, Blackboard Learn, in favour of a more modern system, Blackboard Ultra, there is no option but to explore an alternative product.

Whatever direction we decided to take, substantial effort in migrating to a new system was inevitable. We have therefore undertaken a full open tender process to identify the most suitable CLE to meet our needs.

We evaluated suppliers that responded to our tender bid in three different ways: based on their written responses, demonstrations provided, and usability testing (carried out by a cross section of students and colleagues). Based on the requirements identified as part of the DLE Review in 2022/23, Canvas by Instructure was unanimously identified as the supplier which best met our needs and our ambitions as a university.

Engagement in preparation for the tender began with the DLE Review, which started in May 2021.

This included 20 sessions with subject matter experts, and workshops with over 160 students and colleagues, resulting in over 1,000 comments. This large-scale engagement exercise produced a set of requirements and also a recommendations report which can be found here.

The requirements from the DLE Review were then refined to form our functional and non-functional requirements that we used for our tender. These were developed and validated with subject matter experts from across the University, including the ITS and IGO.

An Evaluation Panel was formed with representation from across Teaching and Learning. This panel signed off the requirements, scoring, weighting and overall structure of the tender documentation, before the tender was published on 31 March 2023.

The evaluation process was split into three main phases:

• Evaluating the suppliers’ written responses against our requirements.
• Supplier demonstrations of their systems, where Evaluation Panel members could view the products and ask additional clarification questions to gather more information.
• Usability testing, which provided 320 students and colleagues opportunity to evaluate the potential systems by completing scenarios within sandbox environments.

The Evaluation Panel then reviewed all the information available to award scores to the potential suppliers based on our outlined requirements. The result of this process was that Canvas by Instructure came out as the solution which most aligned to our requirements and future goals.

There was no one single win that made it the best solution, but many small ones.

A few key advantages were its ease of use (for students and colleagues), high quality content creation with accessibility strongly encouraged, double blind marking, great video tools (hosting, content creation, commenting, analytics, student uploads, video assessments all in the platform), easy insertion of mathematics and many more.

We went out to tender with a wish list of everything we could possibly need from a CLE.  Canvas was the system that met all our key requirements.

We have no concerns that any further solutions are needed for any additional requirements Canvas didn’t meet.

All three platforms tested and assessed for the tender bid were better than our current solution, so there is little, if anything, that we are losing from moving away from Blackboard Learn.

The data produced following usability testing was collated and results were analysed. A report was generated and used to evaluate the potential products.

Feedback from our testers was also used the implementation phase to ensure issues flagged during the evaluation process can be properly reviewed and addressed.

We will be working to configure the system so that it works for the University and supports our students and colleagues in all aspects of teaching, learning and student experience.

Usability testing was undertaken in test environments set up in a short space of time to support scenarios we wanted to test. It is important to note that these environments weren’t completely reflective of what the solution will look and feel like following our configuration of the system.

The project team worked with colleagues and senior leaders across the University to identify areas within Teaching, Learning and the Student Experience that will be most impacted by the change, and requested representation within those areas.

This included both Professional Services and colleagues who deliver teaching.

A general call-out went to all students and colleagues requesting volunteers to take part in testing.

For each participant user group (e.g. students, Teaching and Learning staff, Professional Services staff), we determined the percentage ratio of specific traits that we were interested in having representation from (e.g. faculty, distance learners, disability etc.), to ensure each user group was representative of the University population. Volunteers were grouped according to these traits and selected at random until the required ratios were satisfied. 

In groups with high numbers of volunteers, we used the same method to create ‘reserve lists’, who could be called upon should our chosen testers need to withdraw from the process at any time.

We received over 1,700 expressions of interest to take part in testing and are grateful to everyone who volunteered, whether selected to take part or not. Student and colleague engagement is a key part of this project and we appreciate everyone’s interest and involvement.

Yes – from September 2025, our contract with Blackboard Learn comes to an end, so it is imperative all units are set up on Canvas before this time.

In the unlikely event we are unable to fulfil our obligation to deliver Canvas by September 2025, a backup option has been planned to ensure teaching and learning can continue through digital platforms. The Programme Board agreed contingency option is to extend our contract with Blackboard for another year to provide assurances that our users are not going to be left without a VLE.

Accessibility and inclusivity were key considerations within the CLE tender process.

We developed requirements aimed at ensuring the product had functionality which delivered on both these requirements.

To ensure this was prioritised in our decision-making process, we also weighted our scoring process for this area higher than other areas.            

Canvas is working towards full compliance with existing UK regulations. Currently, Canvas uses a different format to assess the products’ accessibility, called VPAT. You can find information about this here.

https://www.instructure.com/en-gb/products/canvas/accessibility  

We have flagged any accessibility concerns we currently have to the Canvas team and are agreeing a more formal process for providing feedback to ensure our current or any future issues get resolved.

In terms of accessibility standards in our teaching and learning practices, Instructure provides specific accessibility training for content creators as standard, to ensure the standards we set for system users focus on promoting the creation of accessible content.      

Canvas has an accessibility checker for any content produced. We have also purchased Blackboard Ally, which is recognised as being the best accessibility checker on the CLE market and was something we didn’t want to lose as part of the transition.

One of the project’s core principles is, ‘Everything is developed accessibly’. We refer to this principle when we make decisions about the set up and configuration of Canvas to ensure we make decisions that support our accessibility aims.

We are currently working to develop a range of training resources in a variety of formats for colleagues.

These include videos, step-by-step guides, in-built Canvas guidance and a tool called Impact that provides contextual help for users about specific functionality that we can control.

International students were one of our key groups when carrying out usability testing in 2023, including students based in China. However, while the system can be accessed in China (and Canvas performed well among our remote usability testers), Instructure cannot necessarily guarantee optimal performance due to Governmental firewall restrictions. This would be the case with any system we chose, and is an area we will continue to monitor.

All applications currently available through Blackboard will continue to be available through Canvas. Any content within those applications will be transferred across.

A demonstration of Canvas by Instructure is available in the recording of our open meeting from March 2024. https://uom.link/open-meeting-march-2024

A recording of the open meeting from July 2024 can be found here and provides a demo of Canvas Studio. https://uom.link/open-meeting-july-2024

Yes. Students can record video directly into Canvas as responses to assignments. Students can also upload video files or weblinks to files as assignment submissions.

A review is currently underway to provide clear guidelines of how Video Portal should be used and how Canvas should be used to make it clear to users.

Yes. There is a search function, which content users will be able to access.

Community and Programme spaces can be built in Canvas directly.

However, a replacement for the MLE-CI, which is currently used to build these spaces in Blackboard, won’t be available until June 2025 at the earliest. Therefore, we have ensured eLearning teams have the appropriate permissions to create and enrol users directly into Community and Programme spaces in the Canvas user interface.

We will need a replacement for the MLE-CI as this is used to enrol people in community spaces in Blackboard using data feeds from Campus Solutions – this is something we cannot provision in Canvas without a replacement solution.

Further information will be shared once a process has been established.

Canvas Studio video tools were one of the features that made it stand head and shoulders above the other platforms.

This includes its ability to host video, create video content, video commenting, video analytics, the option for students to upload video, and video assessments. This is all available within the platform without the need for additional apps or add-ons.

Question types available in Canvas are:

• Categorization
• Essay
• File Upload
• Fill in the Blank
• Formula
• Hot Spot
• Matching
• Multiple Answer
• Multiple Choice
• Numeric
• Ordering
• Stimulus
• True or False

This Canvas Community article details the different question types available. https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-answer-each-type-of-question-in-New-Quizzes/ta-p/290

Any content uploaded to Canvas will be stored in the platform itself. If video content is recorded via mobile, this can be uploaded to Canvas Studio, edited and published as appropriate.

From initial review, Canvas does not look to have the same level of depth as Mobius, but further investigation into the MCQ quizzes function would be required to confirm this.

Yes – Canvas Studio and Canvas Catalog are both part of the Canvas package and will be available in time for September 2025.

Automatic linking isn’t something that Canvas could provide on its own. This would require adding manually and maintaining at a programme level to function correctly.

We can create templates that can be applied at a sub-account level. Sub-accounts reflect the organisational hierarchy in Campus Solutions and we can ensure all courses that sit under these organisational nodes inherit the same template, which could contain links to external resources.

Decisions around the delegation of who can create and manage templates needs to be agreed by the CLE Pedagogy governance sub-group and will be communicated once confirmed.

We want to make it as easy as possible for colleagues to access their Blackboard content and add it to their Canvas course.

We are working with a migration partner called K16 Solutions who have experience in successfully migrating data from Blackboard to Canvas.

Our IT Services and eLearning teams are working with them to migrate a small number of courses from our existing Blackboard onto Canvas as of June 2024. This will help us understand what content does and does not migrate properly.

This iterative approach to migrate, provide feedback and migrate again will enable K16 Solutions to update their scripts and tools. The output will provide the framework which we can publish to everybody, to be clear about what content will and will not migrate.

We understand the University is a complex organisation and structure. One size will not fit all when it comes to migration so, within reason, our approach will be tailored.

Colleagues can start setting expectations about what they will see after the iterative testing period.

The iterative migration testing started in June 2024 and is expected to be completed in October 2024, when we can then develop a clear framework around what content will and will not migrate. A detailed framework of what will and will not migrate should be signed off ready for communication to users by December 2024.

Semester 1 course content can then be migrated in February 2025. Semester 2 content will be migrated in June 2025.

Users will need to interact with migrated content to move it over to the core space of Canvas as part of the process.

We are recommending users clear as much historic or out of use files are moved out of Blackboard courses. We would like to make the content as clean and simple as possible.

The CLE Design governance group and Faculty Implementation Groups are working to understand how courses can be built in Canvas and then try to provide some support and guidance around it. We are trying to set some basic standards in the system with option for innovation.

Free instances of Canvas currently being used by colleagues are out of scope for the project and data is not planned to be migrated.

If you are using a free instance of Canvas, please contact the team to discuss support.

We plan to migrate Semester 1 content around December 2024/January 2025 and Semester 2 content around May/June 2025. The exact details will need to be confirmed.

Colleagues will need to log into Canvas to review their migrated content and add it to their core space within the platform.

Course content will not be rolled over for users as it was in Blackboard previously in June/July 2024. Users will need to review migrated content from Blackboard and add this to their teaching course shells in Canvas.

Content will not be migrated that you don’t want students to see in an area where students can view it.

Migrated content will be migrated to ‘holding shells’ that students will not see. It will be the responsibility of academic colleagues to copy this course content into their course shells used for teaching in Canvas.

We will migrate content for Semester 1 in February 2025 and Semester 2 in June 2025. Users can continue to develop in Blackboard but should read the migration framework when it is circulated in December 2024 to check what will and will not migrate.

We can dictate what content we migrate from Blackboard into Canvas. We will be working with business areas to agree our final course list for migration.

The University is required to keep a record of student data for 7 years. Including the current cohort of students, this means we have 10 years of programme information to store and archive.

Processes are being developed to understand how historic student data can be accessed when needed.

IT Services and eLearning teams have the knowledge to support the background work and implementation of Canvas, and enhancement training is planned for these teams over the coming months.

Plans for a programme of training will include:

• Asynchronous course access.Users can learn at their own pace through an introductory Canvas course. This will be for colleagues who will be teaching, facilitating learning, creating content, or informing course design in Canvas. Modules will include:
  • Course Organisation,
  • Creating Content,
  • Using Assignments,
  • Grading and Feedback,
  • Using Discussions,
  • Using Quizzes,
  • Communication in Canvas.
• Online pages for self-directed learning will include a suite of ‘How to’ guides.​
• In person training will be available for additional support if required.
• Demos, roadshows and lunch and learn Canvas sessions will also be available.

As part of the implementation process, we have established a Pedagogical Standards governance sub-group to define standards and effective practices on how to use the new CLE. Any recommendations from this group will be factored into both training and communications plans.

We plan to have training available to colleagues to help you navigate your way around Canvas from January 2025.

We will also have training for PS colleagues who manage courses in Campus Solutions to ensure courses are created in the correct way and Canvas has the data it needs to function effectively.

A glossary is also available to provide The University of Manchester users with terminology used by Instructure to support a seamless transition. These terms will aid colleagues in accessing guidance through the Instructure community support forums available.

https://community.canvaslms.com/

These forums include over two million global users and typically a response already exists or will be answered within hours.

We will need to assess the need for UoM specific guides if we feel the Instructure Community guides aren't sufficient and there is a requirement for a more bespoke manual.

There will be opportunity for early controlled access to Canvas for some colleagues for identified colleagues from across the University to work with eLearning Teams and start building courses following the Technical Releases (Release 1 in September 2024, Release 2 in January 2025).

Colleagues should contact their eLearning teams for further information about early access to Canvas.

We will consider a variety of programmes of different sizes and programme length to make sure we capture a range of user needs.

Early access approval will be granted by our Faculty Implementation Groups and will be determined by the number of requests and capacity to support users.

We have given this great consideration and have decided an early access approach has the advantage of pilot testing, feedback and more detailed resource planning.

The intention is to minimise risks and challenges during the wider rollout.

Extending the rollout to all colleagues simultaneously would create significant resource pressure, and costs in running two solutions in parallel.

The transition will require involvement from users to be trained and familiarise themselves with Canvas as well as preparing their courses ahead of teaching with the CLE.

We will migrate course content from Blackboard so users can copy this into course shells in Canvas easily, but there will be a requirement for colleagues to engage with this process.

We ask that all colleagues are advocates for this positive change and keep informed through regular communications and open meetings.

We have established governance groups to support much of the work needed in transitioning to Canvas. The goal of these groups is to find solutions to limit the workload of the wider users.

Already our teams have been instrumental in supporting the configuration of the system and supporting the design and delivery of the necessary technical activities. 

Teams are being ringfenced to focus on this work which is one of the University’s top priorities.

Additional resource will be provided to both IT Services and eLearning teams to support them.

There is some functionality in Canvas to allow us to update templates on an annual basis. LTIs can be made available at a sub-account/global level but installation of these into course spaces will require some manual intervention.

A Course Template is a course shell that can be configured to provide structure and support for the University’s style for good course design. Configuration for a Course Template can include course navigation, widely applicable content pages promoting Faculty or School ethos, as well as module layout to help with pacing through a term.

Like a Course Template, a Blueprint Course can set the default design, content, and settings for many courses. Unlike a Template, however, a Blueprint Course maintains associations with its courses and allows for central management of course design and content.

Blueprint Courses are most valuable for courses that have been centrally designed and developed, and where maintaining the integrity and currency of the design or content is important, no matter who is teaching it, such as with facilitator-led courses.

Blueprint Courses can lock content from being edited by instructors. If content needs to be updated or changed, the Blueprint author can do so and sync those changes to all associated courses without relying on each instructor to manually make the adjustments in their individual courses, and without disturbing any edits or additions made by the instructors.

Canvas cannot replace Articulate Rise entirely for content creation, however, Canvas has a much richer content editor than Blackboard Learn, so there may be some cases where it is able to replace other content creation tools over time.

LTI integration and having an extensible platform was very high on our agenda when looking at solutions. As such, Canvas is fully LTI 1.3 and advantage compliant so all our current LTI integrated tools will be able to be connected into Canvas.

ThingLink is not included. However, functionality such as hotspots on images, and video for assignments or content, are features available in Canvas.

As part of the DLE Project, the whole digital ecosystem is being reviewed. Processes will be put in place to request solutions to any teaching and learning problems identified.

Canvas integrates with MS Teams incredibly well, as well as almost all third-party learning software. Some further investigation and discussion with IT Services is required before MS Teams can be installed in Canvas. For any platforms where integration isn’t currently available, we will look at building bespoke links to ensure a seamless experience for students and colleagues.

Yes, these are on the list the applications to be integrated.

All current VoiceThreads will be preserved and available in Canvas after migration.

In the longer term, we may end up investigating some of the new tools, such as Canvas Studio, which could provide a useful alternative to VoiceThread; however, this is not an immediate priority.

It's possible to embed a Padlet in Canvas. The following link explains how to do this.

https://teacherscollege.screenstepslive.com/a/1489641-embed-a-padlet-in-canvas

Yes, STACK is currently being tested following installation in our Canvas environment.

The CLE project team are continuing to work with the Medical School to fully understand what the impact of the new CLE will be for SMS and OneMed. This means carrying out some detailed gap analysis work between the two systems which will begin shortly.

Once this piece of work has been completed it will provide a clearer indication as to the best options for the School, our medical students and colleagues.

Canvas is unlikely to immediately replace everything on the OneMed suite. The FBMH faculty Implementation Group is undertaking a detailed gap analysis to understand what we have in terms of a detailed set of requirements and how that maps onto Canvas.

The initial focus will be on WordPress sites that form part of the suite (OneMed Learn, OneMed Info, OneMed Buzz and the programme handbooks).

Student record and timetabling are quite unlikely to be migrated across to Canvas at this stage, and we would use our existing solutions here, at least for academic year 2025-2026.

Regarding learning content, we are confident that Canvas will be suitable for the MB ChB programme structure. There are several UK medical schools using Canvas as their CLE and we are working with Instructure and eLearning colleagues in the Faculty to understand what is possible.

Further investigation into this user case should be sought from your eLearning team to understand the requirement and potential solution in more detail.

We are aware of GMBA’s use of a different instance and will be working with AMBS to ensure their transition journey is equally as supported as those currently using Blackboard Learn.

We are working with eLearning colleagues from this area to plan out courses that will use Canvas ahead of September 2025. Details of this will be communicated from both the project and eLearning teams when known.