Canvas selected as OHIO’s next learning management system

Canvas has been selected as the next vendor for Ohio University’s learning management system (LMS) following a comprehensive evaluation process that included input from students, faculty and staff across each of OHIO’s campuses.

Over the next several years, all OHIO courses will transition from Blackboard Learn to Canvas. Canvas, by Instructure, is an industry leader that can best support OHIO’s evolving needs for a learning management system. 

Supporting OHIO’s commitment to academic excellence

The transition to a more modern, user-friendly learning management system will support OHIO’s teaching excellence and help further the University’s initiatives to integrate active learning design and optimize campus space usage. Canvas will allow faculty to enhance the course design process while allowing for a consistent student experience. For example, faculty will be able to create templates that they may reuse for their courses. Faculty will also be able to create course content in Canvas Commons and pull those into courses at any time. In addition, Canvas’ calendaring functionality will allow students to keep up with assignments and due dates. 

For more information about how Canvas was chosen through the evaluation process, see the LMS Evaluation Project website.

Transition plans to be announced in coming months

A comprehensive transition plan will be announced by fall semester, with the goal of minimizing potential disruption to students and faculty. This will be accomplished by:

• Working with each department and program to identify an ideal transition timeline that will be announced well in advance of the intended migration date;
• Offering tools and services that minimize the need for manual content migration;
• Providing individualized training, consultations, and instructional design support; and
• Identifying student cohorts that can transition together to limit the need to work in multiple systems.

All LMS users are invited to submit questions to contribute to a dynamic FAQ via the Office of Information Technology’s website.