Canvas LMS transition, upcoming Q&A sessions and project updates

Ohio University officially started its contract with Instructure, Inc., the provider of the Canvas learning management system (LMS), on July 1, 2023.

This marks a major milestone for the teaching and learning portfolio for the University. For the past 16 months, a large group of colleagues from the Office of Information Technology and a wide range of colleges, offices and departments on the Athens and regional campuses have collaborated on the Learning Management System Evaluation Project, which included a comprehensive request for proposal process.

In collaboration with the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, this project is an opportunity to improve the student experience by enhancing OHIO's business processes and workflows, and designing accessible course templates. As such, the past several weeks and the remainder of the summer months will be spent on setting up the system, establishing training and support for faculty and students, and preparing for the first courses to be built in Canvas during Fall 2023. Ideally, a programmatic migration to Canvas would start in Spring of 2024 and conclude all of it on or before June 2026.

A new website has been developed to communicate timelines and ideas, and to allow the University community to share questions. The Learning Management System Implementation website is open for everyone to learn more about the project and stay updated on its progress.

Upcoming Q&A sessions

In addition to the website, the Office of Information Technology is excited to announce a series of learning management system question and answer sessions designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the plans, support mechanisms, training, and timelines. These sessions will serve as platforms to answer questions and gather valuable feedback to refine the change management strategies with Canvas. Scheduled sessions are as follows:

• Wednesday, September 6, 4-5 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 12, 4-5 p.m.
• Thursday, September 21, 4-5 p.m.
• Thursday, September 28, 10-11 a.m.

These sessions will be broadcast via the existing Teaching and Learning Technologies Advisory Community channel. Further details will be disseminated through Blackboard's institution page, the OHIO Employee News email, and other University communication channels.