The UNM IT Academic Technologies – Canvas Implementation Team announced that Canvas is now open for course development. Instructors have access to request a temporary course shell to start building Canvas courses for future semesters.

Content from Summer 2021 and Fall 2021 Blackboard Learn courses has been migrated to Canvas and is available for copying as you begin development. Spring 2022 courses will be migrated once the full term is complete, and courses from other terms (including Spring if you’re in a rush!) can be migrated to Canvas upon request. Courses were bulk migrated into Canvas to minimize disruption to our Blackboard Learn system during our transition to Canvas.

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As a reminder, Learn will no longer be used for instruction once the Spring 2022 term completes. If facullty are teaching Summer or Fall 2022 and plan to use Canvas to support your course, please plan to start getting your course ready now. Below are some items to consider:

  • Faculty can start building from scratch in Canvas or use your migrated content. The Course Migration Options documentation can help you decide and provides steps for getting started.
  • Migrated content will be in a “Read Only” format. Carefully review the content and then decide what you’d like to import into a temporary course shell to use for your class (Choose “Copy a Canvas Course”). The Migration Cleanup Checklist will be a valuable resource as you work.
  • The Canvas service is still being rolled out at UNM, and you may notice additions and changes to functionality as implementation progresses. For example, third-party integrations (such as publisher integrations or Ally) may not be ready. Please check the Canvas Info site’s Canvas New Releases and Updates or External Apps page for updates.
  • A special note for instructors teaching courses that are part of Accelerated Online Programs (AOP): please speak with your program director or chair about any unique considerations for your AOP courses before beginning any course development in Canvas.

If faculty choose to start with migrated course content as the basis for your new Canvas course, be aware that there will still be some clean-up needed. Similar to moving into a new living space, students still need to unpack boxes and arrange their belongings before it feels like home.

The UNM IT Academic Technologies – Canvas Implementation Team is encouraging faculty to start early because it will likely take some time to get your Summer and/or Fall courses ready for students while you learn to navigate a new system. Although courses can no longer be taught in Blackboard after Spring 2022, instructors will have limited access for reference purposes to Blackboard until Summer 2023. More details will follow on this limited access license.

There are several resources to support instructors as they start building in Canvas:

  • Take advantage of the many self-paced courses or live webinars offered to you through the Canvas Services Training Portal
  • Visit the UNM Canvas Info Site
  • Sign up for a Bridge to Canvas course offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning
  • Drop in to an Open Lab
  • Reach out to Canvas Support at UNM.