Canvas Transition FAQ's

Canvas is a web-based Learning Management System (LMS) developed by Instructure, and it has been the exclusive LMS for the University of Houston main campus since Summer 2023. It is widely used by institutions, educators, and students to access course materials, manage learning activities, and support communication about skills and academic progress.

Canvas offers customizable tools for course creation and management, robust analytics for both courses and users, and built-in communication features.

You can explore its layout and functionality through this Sample Canvas Course.

Effective Summer 2023, Canvas is the only LMS available to UH instructors. UH Blackboard Learn became unavailable to all users—except Blackboard administrators—on June 1, 2023. All Summer Mini, Summer, and Fall courses are now hosted in Canvas and can be requested through the Course Request System (CRS).

The June 1 retirement date was selected to occur after all Spring sessions had ended and before the start of the regular Summer sessions.

Importing/transferring your course content from Bb:

1. To get content from Blackboard, you could request a Developmental Shell by filling out the Developmental and Special Course Shell Request Form and providing details about the Blackboard course you want to copy (questions 7 and 8). 

2. Once your content has been migrated to  Canvas, check the Canvas Automatic Content Import page or the Canvas Manual Content Import page for step-by-step instructions to begin working with your imported content.

3. To learn more about Canvas, visit the UH Canvas Tutorials and Online Canvas Guide and register for the upcoming Canvas training on the Faculty and Departmental Instructional Support FDIS Learning Opportunities calendar.

Importing/transferring your course content from an existing Canvas course:

1. 1. Once your course is listed in PeopleSoft, you can request the official Canvas course shell and either modify your course using the materials you need from the Developmental and Special Course Shell or use the  Course Request System to request a copy of an existing course.

Starting from scratch:

1. Use the  Course Request System to request a Fresh shell.

2. Make sure the course content that you create is accessible (PPT)

3. Check the Building content from scratch in the Canvas page for a checklist to prepare your course.

4. To learn more about Canvas, visit the UH Canvas Tutorials and Online Canvas Guide and register for the upcoming Canvas training on the  FDIS Learning Opportunities calendar. 

Interested in some differences between Blackboard Learn and Canvas? Feel free to check out this Blackboard/Canvas Comparison Guide.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contac the NSM-IT Educational Technology and Multimedia Team.

• • Visit the Canvas Instructor Guide for guides and answers to specific tools and features in Canvas.

• • View more Canvas tutorials at the Instruction@UH Knowledgebase. 

• • Visit the NSM-IT Canvas Site for tips and guides.

Whether you are new to Canvas or have used the system before, there are many opportunities available to learn more about the tools and features Canvas offers. 

• • Visit the Faculty and Departmental Instructional Support FDIS Learning Opportunities calendar to register for webinars, workshops, and online courses for all faculty and staff.

• Contact the NSM Instructional Designers for 1-on-1 or group consultations:

  1. • Andrea Arias-Rodríguez: aariasr2@central.uh.edu . 713.743.6175

• Visit the NSM Educational Technology Training site to request a training session.

1. You can request a Developmental and Special Course Shell for the course that you will be teaching in future semesters. If you wish to import content from Blackboard to Canvas, select "Yes" in question 7 and enter information about the course in question 8. Once you have access to the DEV course in Canvas, you may organize it as you see fit, and the Canvas Admin team can then copy it into an academic semester Canvas shell with student enrollment. 
   
   Some things to consider:

   1. Blackboard-imported content does not map seamlessly to Canvas, so it would be better to go back to the original Blackboard version and prepare it for migration. The following guides provide step-by-step instructions:

      • Preparing Your Course for Canvas Migration 

      • Integrating Automatically Imported Blackboard Content in Canvas

   2. As Blackboard courses will no longer be viewable after May 31, 2023. You can request a DEV shell to help you figure out whether any content needs to be recreated. The article Integrating Imported Blackboard Content in Canvas explains what to expect when your course is migrated. 

   3. In Canvas, course content can be organized using Modules or Pages. Please visit How can I effectively use and manage my Canvas course? for more information.

   4. To get started with Canvas, please refer to the following resources:  

      • Watch the Canvas: What to expect when your course is migrated (video)

      • Watch the Getting Started with Canvas training, Part 1 and Part 2.  

      • Visit the Integrating Automatically Imported Blackboard Content in Canvas guide for step-by-step instructions on configuring your course.

      • For support and additional assistance:

        • Consult with us to discuss your course design via Teams chat, our contact us form, or face-to-face at Fleming Room 127.  

        • Join the Canvas Soft Launch team where you can post your questions, review the Tip and Resources for Canvas and communicate with other instructors and Canvas transition support staff.

        • Learn more about Canvas at  FDIS-Faculty and Departmental Instructional Support Tutorials.

        • Attend a FDIS-Faculty and Departmental Instructional Training 

        • Attend a Canvas Training using the Canvas Training Portal

        • Visit the Organizing Your Canvas Course and Canvas Transition FAQ pages for information on how to organize your Canvas course.  

   5. For questions about how to use Canvas or any issues, you can get help with Canvas by using the Canvas Help menu, which generates a list of resources (e.g., 24/7 chat, report a problem, training services portal) to help you with Canvas.