While the entire University of Pittsburgh won’t make the switch from Blackboard (CourseWeb) to Canvas until summer 2020, the University Center for Teaching and Learning and Computing Services and Systems Development have been hard at work setting up the new intuitive and accessible system for a limited rollout this fall.
Later this month when fall courses begin, 85 faculty from all Pitt campuses and disciplines and their students will participate in an early adopter cohort, using Canvas as the software system for both in-person and online courses.
Complete information is available on the Canvas @ Pitt website.
Read more about the fall 2019 early adopter cohort and the transition in the University Times.
Blackboard (CourseWeb) has been Pitt’s enterprise learning management system (LMS) for around 20 years, said Bobby Ackerman, manager for LMS Support and Consulting in the Teaching Center. Around 2017, the University began exploring the marketplace for an LMS that had proven success with meeting emerging needs like a modern and intuitive user experience, mobile responsiveness and compliance with accessibility requirements. Ackerman said that lots of other universities use Canvas, including about half of Pitt’s AAU peers, and that it’s a proven LMS in the marketplace.
The Teaching Center is regularly updating a website created for the Canvas transition with useful details, including a timeline for University-wide adoption, user guides for instructors and students, tips and tricks for engaging with the LMS and news and updates.
Check out a video that gives a behind-the-scenes look at Canvas: