Canvas Archives

Canvas Archives Details

Canvas archives at Texas Woman’s University are designed to manage the storage, access, and eventual deletion of course materials hosted on the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). This ensures the efficient use of digital storage resources while maintaining accessibility to course content for instructors and students within defined timeframes. Key Components of Canvas archives include:

Archival Schedule

• Regular Archiving - Academic Courses older than 5 years, including those from Summer 2021 and prior, are archived annually during Summer 2026.

• Sandbox / Master Course Archiving - Sandbox courses that have not been accessed in 3 years are archived annually during Summer.

Access Periods

• Instructor Access (Academic courses) - Instructors have active access to academic courses for 3 years after their completion. They can request access to archived academic courses for up to 5 years.

• Instructor Access (Sandbox/Master courses) - Instructors have unlimited access to these courses. They will be placed on the archive list if they have not been accessed in over 3 years. They can request access to archived Sandbox/Master courses for up to 5 years.

• Student Access - Students have access to courses for the semester. Instructors can extend this access for up to 3 years.

Data Management

• Initial Storage - Course data is stored on Canvas servers for the first 5 years.

• Long-Term Storage - After 5 years, course data is exported from the Canvas servers and saved to a hard drive. The data is then deleted from the Canvas cloud.

Canvas Archives Details

Implementing a comprehensive Canvas archive plan optimizes resource use, ensures compliance, enhances accessibility, and supports the overall educational mission of TWU. Implementing a Canvas archive plan offers numerous benefits for TWU:

Efficient Data Management

• Optimize Storage Use - Efficiently manage digital storage and system management by archiving older course data to free up space on the Canvas servers.

• Data Export - Implement a robust process for exporting course data to secure external storage (e.g., hard drives) after ten years on Canvas servers.

Accessibility and Retention

• Instructor Access - Ensure instructors have active access to their course materials for 3 years post-course completion, with the ability to request access for up to 5 years.

• Student Access - Provide students with access to course materials during the current semester and allow instructors to extend this access for up to 3 years.

Compliance with Policies and Regulations

• Policy Adherence - Adhere to institutional data retention policies and accreditation requirements by systematically archiving course data.

• Data Security - Ensure the secure transfer and storage of archived data to prevent loss or corruption.

• Disaster Recovery - Ensures that archived data is securely stored and can be recovered in case of accidental deletion or other emergencies.

• Consistent Practices - Standardizes the process of managing course data, ensuring that all courses are treated uniformly and according to established guidelines.

Compliance and Security

• Policy Adherence - Adhere to institutional data retention policies and accreditation requirements by systematically archiving course data.

• Data Security - Ensure the secure transfer and storage of archived data to prevent loss or corruption.

Support and Training

• Instructor Support - Provide comprehensive resources and training to help instructors manage their course archives and understand the archiving process.

• LTI Compatibility - Ensure continued compatibility with Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) integrations for archived courses up to 3 years.

Improved Course Management

• Course Reusability - Instructors can easily retrieve and reuse archived courses, saving time in course preparation and ensuring consistency in course delivery.

• Historical Reference: Provides a repository of past courses that can be referenced for improvements in teaching methods and course content.

Support for Academic Integrity and Continuity

• Audit Trails - Maintains a record of past courses, which can be crucial for academic audits, disputes, and investigations into academic integrity issues.

• Continuity in Learning - Ensures that important course materials remain accessible for a defined period, supporting continuous learning and institutional memory.