Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
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Update on LMS – Instructure Canvas

Instructure Canvas will replace Blackboard Learn as the core learning management system (LMS) used at the University. Beginning fall 2022 term, all JHU courses, including SAIS, will be hosted in Canvas.

Instructure Canvas was chosen after an extensive evaluation process by faculty, students, staff, and key University departments. The evaluators overwhelmingly agreed that Instructure Canvas should be chosen due to its ease of use, modern user interface, and powerful integrations with outside tools. See the Project History for more information.

The most recent version of your Blackboard course as of FA21 has been migrated into a stage course in Canvas. Stage courses begin with the prefix ‘STAGE’. The stage course should be used to review and edit your content from Blackboard. Once you have reviewed and edited the content in the stage course, the content will need to be copied to your Canvas academic course. Academic courses begin with the prefix ‘SA’. You may choose to copy the content yourself (visit Getting Started with Canvas) or you can request assistance by signing up for an individual meeting with an ODL team member. 

Faculty, staff, and students will continue to have access to Blackboard to retrieve any necessary materials from previous run courses through November 2022.

Blackboard will be taken offline on December 1, 2022, so please ensure you have everything you need from Blackboard well before that date. Carefully review the Blackboard Course Content and Student Data Storage for Faculty.

Canvas Training & Support 

The Online and Distance Learning team (ODL) has developed a variety of resources and training options to help you transition to Canvas.  

  • We highly recommend that you review the SAIS Getting Started with Canvas website outlining Canvas Basics for SAIS Faculty 
  • Synchronous training sessions will run until the Fall 2022 term begins. These sessions will be hosted online via Zoom. Register for training at SAIS Canvas Training registration. If fewer than four people sign up for a session five days prior to the date of that session, the session will be canceled. 
  • All Fall 2022 faculty have been enrolled into an optional self-paced Canvas training course in Canvas. If you do not see the course in your dashboard, please email sais.odl@jhu.edu to be added to the course. 
  • ODL Canvas Office hours. If you have a specific Canvas question or need help copying your course content, sign-up for a short meeting with the ODL staff. 

Additional Resources 

  • The centralized JHU Canvas Help Documentation repository is available on the Canvas at JHU website. Check out the Faculty Resources and Students Resources links on the navigation menu. This repository can be used to learn more about Canvas features and answer common questions. 
  • Explore the Canvas Community. This is where Canvas users, from all around the world, help each other find answers, share ideas, and network or collaborate. 
  • The Canvas Training Services Portal is available.  This portal includes access to live training and asynchronous courses and videos. To access the portal, log into Canvas, select Help from the left Global Navigation Menu, then select Training Services Portal. (Available through April 2023) 

Please reach out to sais.odl@jhu.edu with all your Canvas migration-related questions and concerns.