Frequently Asked Questions

Canvas is a web-based learning management system (LMS). It is used by learning institutions, educators, and students to access and manage online course learning materials and communicate about skill development and learning achievement. Canvas includes a variety of customizable course creation and management tools, course and user analytics and statistics, and internal communication tools.

During a recent accessibility review at the University of Houston, Bb Learn, as a Learning Management System (LMS), did not meet the state and federal requirements. According to a consultant engaged by UH, the following LMS packages meet the accessibility requirements: Canvas, Desire-to-learn (D2L), and Blackboard Ultra (note that Bb Ultra is entirely different from Bb Learn).

After a brief and intense but thorough review of the options for a new Learning Management System, we are pleased to announce that we intend to move to Instructure Canvas.

We plan to have a soft launch in Fall 2023 and a full launch for Spring 2024 of all courses.

Every faculty member has access to a sandbox. You should see your sandbox along with 'Growing with Canvas' and 'Canvas Field Notes' which are training courses. The login link can be found on the Canvas landing page

No student data or work will move to Canvas in the migration from the Bb Grade Center or assignments. If you need sample student work for any reason (e.g., promotion and tenure, research) from your courses, you may download all files, your course, or students' assignment submissions. If you need additional assistance, please contact Blackboard Support at 713-221-2786 or email at bb@uhd.edu prior to December 31, 2023. If you have already uploaded graded work into your R and T course shells, that will migrate as content into your new Canvas shell. You will have Bb access until December 31, 2023. IT will keep access to Bb for one additional year to address issues such as grade appeals if needed.

Yes. We will migrate organizations to Canvas but the same migration limitations will apply to these in terms of what moves well and what does not.

The following types of Bb materials do not translate to Canvas: wikis, journals, links, student data (assignment content and gradebook), discussion board content (prompts will move), blogs. Student data will not migrate. For more information on content and how it will migrate to Canvas, please review the Blackboard to Canvas Comparison Chart