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In an email this week to all UMass Amherst instructors, the Office of the Provost announced that preparations for the transition to Canvas are underway. The email follows the March 2 announcement from Provost Tricia Serio and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Christopher Misra that Canvas will become the official learning management system at UMass Amherst, which stated that, “By choosing Canvas, UMass Amherst reaffirms its commitment to flexible learning, faculty development and student success.”

As outlined in this week’s email, Canvas will gradually replace Moodle and Blackboard in the next two academic years to become the central learning management platform by summer 2025. During this transition, the Instructional Design, Engagement & Support (IDEAS) Group and Information Technology will support faculty to move existing courses or build new courses in Canvas.

For fall 2023, instructors can choose between Canvas, Moodle and Blackboard for courses. Starting Wednesday, April 19, instructors can request Canvas course shells in SPIRE in addition to Moodle and Blackboard. Instructors are not required to use Canvas in fall 2023.

Instructors who decide to use Canvas in fall 2023 can either create their course content directly in Canvas or request that their course content be copied from Moodle or Blackboard to Canvas using a Concierge Migration service.

Instructors who would like their course content copied to Canvas for fall 2023 through the concierge migration service must place a request by Friday, June 16. Course content transfers through this option are expected to be completed by August 1.

New Canvas learning and support resources for instructors are also available, including:

• Canvas On-Demand Training and Resources
• Live Workshops and Webinars

Additionally, every instructor has a sandbox course available to them for practice in Canvas. Instructors can also contact the Instructional Media Lab at canvastransition@umass.edu with questions or to schedule an individual consultation.

Contact canvastransition@umass.edu with questions or requests for assistance, and the latest updates and resources are available at umass.edu/provost/lms-transition.