Canvas Update

Dear Faculty:

Please find the latest Canvas Project updates below regarding where we currently are in the migration process from Moodle to Canvas, when you will have access to Canvas, training opportunities, and information about course preparation. Additional information can be found on the Canvas Project website. 

Migration

The first round of course migration from Moodle to Canvas is complete and included courses from Fall 2021 – Fall 2023. Spring 2024 courses will be migrated later in May and Summer 2024 courses will be migrated in early Fall. This mass migration includes online, blended, hybrid, and many face-to-face courses. Courses with no use of activities or very minor use of content were not included in this mass migration. There will be other migration methods available for courses not included in this mass migration. Migrated courses will contain content only--no student data or submissions. They will be read-only and will serve as archives of your Moodle courses. Content can then be imported into a sandbox course shell or directly into your Fall 2024 course shell where you will have full editing access.  

Access to Canvas

Testing with Banner and new automation features for enrollment and course provisioning has resulted in unexpected issues and delays. Due to these delays, the target date for faculty account creation and Fall course shells will need to be pushed out beyond the week of May 6th. We apologize for the delay as we troubleshoot issues. You will receive an email notification when enrolled in your Fall 2024 course shell(s) along with instructions for accessing and importing content. Please check email periodically over the next month for updates and messages about Canvas access. 

Please understand that we are still in the pilot phase of implementation and our primary focus is on the summer courses that are participating in the pilot. If you are part of the summer opt-in pilot for Canvas, your user account has already been set up, you have access to your migrated courses and summer course shells, and you have been receiving separate communications. 

Training

The first training you should take is the UM Canvas Essentials on-demand/on-line course or the UM Canvas Essentials Live training. Both cover the same material, but one is a self-paced, online version and the other is a fast-paced, live session via Zoom. Once you have been notified of your Canvas access, the online UM Canvas Essentials on-demand course will be available to you. Either of these Canvas Essentials trainings will provide the foundations needed to get the most out of the other more in-depth and live trainings. It is important that you register for all live trainings via Griz Hub, to guarantee a seat and receive notifications about the training. For descriptions, dates and registration go to Griz Hub.  

Please note that you can participate in the live training sessions, although you won’t be able to work in your course until you have your UM Canvas user account and access to a sandbox course shell or your Fall course shell. While waiting, you can set up a free Canvas account and course to practice with, but keep in mind that some features may be slightly different. More resources to explore prior to your UM Canvas access can be found at the Canvas Resources website.

Course Preparation

Although content will migrate over to Canvas, the layout is different than Moodle and will require some time to make adjustments to align with the Canvas layout. Fall 2024 course shells and any sandbox shells will include a UM branded template. Participating in Canvas training will be important to help you adjust content and make design selections within the template. Faculty are highly encouraged to do the training and take care of importing and adjusting content well before Fall semester begins, if possible. We realize the delay in access to Canvas and migrated content for Fall courses does not coincide with many faculty schedules during the summer. However, the many different supports available provide flexibility for engagement. In addition, UMOnline instructional designers (IDs) will be available throughout the summer for training and support via live sessions, such as Course Building Workshops and Online ID Office Hours. Participating in multiple opportunities for training and support over the next few months will help reduce stress for everyone involved and ensure fall semester readiness.  

Third-Party Tools

As always, if you use third party tools outside of the LMS, please make sure they have been previously tested for accessibility, and that you can find those tools in the Canvas environment to avoid delays in adding them. All third-party tools must be checked for accessibility by Accessible Technology Services (ATS). Please allow sufficient time prior to the start of the semester to (4-6 weeks) for testing. If you are uncertain if a third-party tool has been tested, please contact UMOnlineIDS@umontana.edu. 

In conclusion, we know this is a huge lift for everyone and ask for your continued patience as we work through the many details this transition requires. Please know that the Implementation Team appreciates your understanding as we launch our instance of Canvas at UM. We have worked hard since January to prepare UM for this transition. It is a lot of work, with many moving parts that require various integrations, but we think Canvas will provide you and your students a great online learning environment, whether you teach online or in-person.  

Our team looks forward to working with you as we move into the wider training and support phase of our Canvas implementation. Check the Canvas Project website for more information, and you can contact the team at canvas.umt@umontana.edu if you have questions.    

Thank you!

- The UM Canvas Implementation Team