Course Setup, Migration, and Support Resources
How do I get started creating my course(s) in Canvas? What if I encounter size limits when I migrate content to Canvas?
Once you're ready to begin, follow the steps outlined in the Canvas Faculty Hub for setting up your course.
It is important to be aware that Canvas has a course size limit of 2GB, which is different from Blackboard. There are a tips to reduce your files sizes, if needed, on the preparing your course for Canvas page. This is helpful if you are encountering difficulty with file size as you transfer content to Canvas.
How do I migrate my Blackboard course content to Canvas?
What type of training and other support resources are available?
Access 24/7 Canvas support via phone, chat, and email right inside Canvas. Log in to Canvas at canvas.ohio.edu and select "Get Help" from the left navigation menu.
Additionally, the University is offering vendor-led workshops, 1:1 consultations, departmental workshops, and a diverse range of self-guided training. View the Canvas Training webpage for more information.
Will organizations be available in Canvas?
Yes, you will be able to house your Blackboard Organization content within a Course in Canvas. In Blackboard, we had two types of containers for content: Courses and Organizations, the main differences being Organizations are not term-based and enrollments in Organizations are handled manually, not through the integration with our student information system. In Canvas, there is only one type of container, Courses, but we can adjust the settings of those courses to not be term-based and to have manual enrollments. This allows us to create the same functionality of a Blackboard Organization within a Canvas Course.
You can request a non-term-based course by requesting a manually created course. In the "What kind of Canvas request are you making?" field, select "I am requesting a manually created course".
What will happen to old content in Blackboard that is not moved to Canvas?
Instructors will have access to Blackboard until June 2026 and should use this time to review their Blackboard course material and determine what should be migrated, saved, or deleted.
In June 2026, to support the transition from Blackboard to Canvas, the University will retain all academic courses from the past seven years (dating back to June 2019) for two years (until June 2028).
Academic courses are defined as courses generated from our Student Information System (PeopleSoft) for academic credit. This does not include Blackboard organizations, test courses, or any other kind of manually created courses. Instructors must save this type of content on their own if they wish to retain it.
After June 2028, all Blackboard academic course content will be deleted.
When will my 'real' courses be accessible in Canvas for the upcoming semester?
Term-based courses load to Canvas and Blackboard eight-weeks prior to the start date of the course. This means instructors will have access to begin setting up their course that will later have students enrolled. Students will be enrolled in courses two-weeks prior to the start date of the course.
Courses will only be accessible to students when instructors publish the course. Please only publish courses in one LMS to ensure it is easy for students to determine where the course will actually be taught. We also encourage faculty to contact students in advance of the term to let them know which LMS the course will use.
If you are unable to see or access a course in your Canvas Dashboard, view our Troubleshooting Course Access help article.
When will students be added to my Canvas course?
Students will be enrolled in courses two-weeks prior to the start date of the course. This is the same time when students were added to Blackboard courses in the past.
When a student adds or drops a course after this time, their course enrollment will be updated during the next Canvas data update, which runs three times per day.
Courses will only be accessible to students when instructors publish the course. Please only publish courses in one LMS to ensure it is easy for students to determine where the course will actually be taught. We also encourage faculty to contact students in advance of the term to let them know which LMS the course will use.
