Our transition from Blackboard Learn to Canvas - what you need to know

The University is working to ensure the successful implementation of Canvas through three technical releases. The first release successfully took place this week (w/c 30 September) to provision Canvas access to a limited number of identified users.  

Who has access to Canvas? 

Transnational Education (TNE), Global MBA (GMBA), and Exec Education (Exec Ed) are teaching programmes with non-traditional term times that start ahead of the academic calendar and have been identified to be provisioned access to Canvas to begin building selected courses.  

Faculties and other University services will also be provisioned Canvas access for a limited number of selected users who would benefit from early access to build courses.  

What is happening with data migration? 

Historic data - to ensure this can be accessed in the new CLE, University colleagues and third-party data migration provider, K16 Solutions, are working to understand how content from Blackboard will appear once it has been migrated to Canvas.   

Testing - the iteration testing is providing insights into how data from a sample of courses will appear once migrated, a framework will be created to outline what will and will not be migrated to Canvas. This framework will be used to support eLearning teams and Teaching and Learning colleagues to access historic data in preparation for the Blackboard switch-off in September 2025.  

Two stage migration - course content will be migrated from Blackboard after teaching has finished for each Semester and no further changes need to be applied. Migrations are set to take place in two stages, in February and June 2025.  

How will I be trained to use Canvas? 

The project team is developing a suite of training materials in a variety of formats, planned to be housed in a central location.  

Canvas will host training materials tailored to The University of Manchester. These resources will be used to compliment the training materials being produced by Faculty teams and support their substantial local training plans.   

Look out for more information in the coming months and details of the open meeting planned for November.