University Technology ([U]Tech) recently announced that Canvas is Case Western Reserve University’s new learning management system.
Beginning today, faculty can start creating courses in Canvas for the spring semester as they become available in the Student Information System. To get started with Canvas, faculty and staff can visit canvas.case.edu.
Canvas and Blackboard both will be available for the spring and summer semesters for teaching courses. However, beginning next fall, Blackboard no longer will be available for teaching. It will remain available throughout next year as a reference and to provide faculty with time to download their content. This will help reduce the amount of confusion students have in trying to determine which system their courses are located in.
Many resources have been created to help Canvas users become more educated and comfortable with the new system, including a comprehensive website, available at case.edu/utech/canvas/. The website lists online training resources, a schedule for upcoming workshops and support sessions, and suggestions for how academic departments can introduce Canvas to faculty, staff and students.
To help to ensure a smooth transition from Blackboard to Canvas over the coming months, [U]Tech also will offer in-person sessions. Contact Genevieve Mathieson Kilmer, senior teaching and learning designer/technologist in the Teaching and Learning Technologies Unit, at genevieve.mathieson@case.edu to schedule a transition session.
[U]Tech recognizes that the transition from Blackboard to Canvas will require time and effort as faculty and students get accustomed to a new system. For faculty in particular, time will be needed to make decisions about how to best present content in a new system. [U]Tech encourages faculty to get started right away to ensure they have enough time to learn the nuances of the system.
To get started, visit canvas.case.edu. For more information, visit case.edu/utech/canvas/.