Transition Timeline

Our licensing agreement with Blackboard extends through 2024, which provides a comfortable time-frame for evaluation of Canvas, training and transition of courses.

Overall Timeline

KU’s Blackboard agreement doesn’t end until 2024, so the timeline for transitioning to Canvas is fairly long, providing ample time for instructors to become familiar with the platform and migrate their courses. The transition to Canvas will likely occur in phases, beginning with an early adopter phase in spring 2021. The overall transition timeline is fluid and depends a great deal on information and feedback from various stakeholders and constituencies along the way, especially those who will be part of the early adopter phase.

Instructors have many demands on their time and competing priorities, so each instructor will have an opportunity to transition to Canvas at a pace that is right for them.

We will engage with student and faculty groups and Academic Affairs to understand the impact on students having to work in two learning management systems during a long transition.

See content below for complete information from the image.

Spring 2021: Innovators

Target use: 2%

Deans were asked in December 2020 to recommend instructors to serve as Innovators who would create one or more of their courses in Canvas with the help of KU Information Technology, the Center for Online and Distance Learning and the Center for Teaching Excellence. The Academic Systems Steering Committee (ASSC) ultimately selected 40 instructors with a total course enrollment of 1,800 students.

Criteria for Innovators:

  • Early adopters did not need prior experience working with Canvas.
  • Courses with fewer than 50 enrolled students.
  • Spring 2021 courses were the priority, but summer 2021 and fall 2021 courses were also part of early adoption.

Summer, Fall & Winter 2021: Early Adopters

Target use: 15%

All instructors can choose to begin using Canvas by creating their courses.

Spring & Summer 2022: Early Majority

Target use: 35%

All instructors are encouraged to begin creating their courses in Canvas and migrate all courses out of Blackboard.

Fall & Winter 2022: Late Majority

Target use: 70%

All KU course shells will be automatically created (i.e., auto-enrolled) in Canvas.

Spring 2023: Late Adopters

Target use: 100%

The goal is that beginning with spring 2023, no courses will be in Blackboard. All KU course shells will be automatically created in Canvas.