Frequently Asked Questions

Why are we switching?

The University of Richmond is moving away from Blackboard Learn because Anthology (Blackboard’s parent company) will discontinue support in January 2027.

Why/how was Canvas chosen?

Canvas was selected after extensive input from faculty, staff, and students through surveys, focus groups, pilot testing, and vendor demonstrations. It was identified as more intuitive, flexible, and better aligned with current teaching needs.

What are the advantages of Canvas?

• Clearer course organization: Modules create more streamlined learning pathways than folder-heavy layouts.

• Consistent workflows: Assignments, discussions, and quizzes share similar setup and navigation.

• Better student experience: Improved to-do lists, notifications, mobile access, and visibility of deadlines/feedback.

• More efficient grading: SpeedGrader combines submissions, feedback, and rubrics in one place.

• Starting spring 2027, Canvas will become the LMS of record for the University of Richmond and Blackboard will become read-only.

• Feb 2027, access to Blackboard Learn will be removed

All 3rd party integrations (listed below) currently available in Blackboard are also be available in Canvas. In many cases the integrations within Canvas will be improvements over the older legacy integrations in Blackboard. 

• Perusall
• McGraw Connect
• Cengage
• Macmillan Learning
• Zybooks
• Panopto
• Qwickly
• Gradescope
• Pearson
• Polls Everywhere
• MyOpen Math
• WWNorton
• Piazza
• Codon
• Google
• Office
• Respondus LDB
• Student Photos
• Canva

Blackboard has long been used for more than academic courses. Many departments, clubs, and administrative groups have relied on non-academic courses for collaboration, communication, and file storage.

We encourage current users of non-academic Blackboard courses to use this transition as an opportunity to reconsider whether an LMS is the best tool for their needs. In many cases, platforms such as Box may be a better fit for file storage and content management.

All existing non-academic Blackboard courses will be migrated to Canvas in December 2026. Canvas will also support the creation of new non-academic courses through a request process.

If you would like guidance on managing your non-academic Blackboard or Canvas use, please contact us. 

• Academic courses from Summer 2024 → Spring 2026 have been migrated into Canvas

• Academic courses from Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 as well as all non-academic courses will be migrated to canvas in December 2026

Your files and course content in Blackboard will be migrated to Canvas. However, Canvas organizes courses differently than Blackboard, so you will likely need to revise your course structure after migration. In addition, some Blackboard content types do not transfer directly to Canvas. For specific details about what will and will not migrate, please read this migration guide.

Student submissions (grades, assignments, etc.) will not be migrated from Blackboard to Canvas. To comply with the university’s five-year student data retention requirement, IS will retain access to archived Blackboard student data. This will ensure that records remain available for any relevant student academic inquiries that may occur after we transition to Canvas. Reach out to the LMS Administrator (Ryan Peloquin) to access this information.

 Steps to Archive a Blackboard Course:

• Access the Course: Log in to Blackboard and open the course you wish to archive.

• Locate Export/Archive: In the left-hand navigation menu, under the Control Panel, click on Packages and Utilities, then select Export/Archive Course.

• Archive Course: Click the Archive Course button.

• Configure Options: Choose to include Grade Center history (student submissions, grades) for a complete record. It is recommended to keep all default settings for file attachments.

• Submit: Click Submit. You will receive an email once the archive file has been generated.

• Download File: Return to the Export/Archive Course screen, refresh the page, and click on the generated .zip file link to download it to your computer.

The University of Richmond will keep an archive of old Blackboard courses content but access will be limited. Reach out to Ryan Peloquin to learn more.

We recommend that you export/archive any Blackboard classes you’d like to keep to ensure that you have everything you need when you return.

• For technical questions about Canvas, please submit a Spider TechNet ticket, email canvas@richmond.edu, or call directly to 804-287-6860.

• For pedagogical questions (designing assignments, structuring courses, etc.) feel free to book a one-on-one consultation through the Faculty Hub’s booking page.

• Canvas 24/7 support (which includes live chat, Canvas Community guides and Support Hotline (+1 (877) 445-5586) is available to all UR users, faculty, staff, and students.

• Canvas has an extensive library of resources to help faculty get started, accessible through the Help button in Canvas.

• List the links to the recordings of the Canvas Workshops can be found here. 

• Growing with Canvas is a self-paced Canvas course designed to help University of Richmond faculty and staff build confidence with the new LMS. It offers practical guidance, short learning modules, and just-in-time resources to support users as they transition from Blackboard to Canvas. Participants can explore key tools, learn effective course design practices, and develop the skills needed to use Canvas successfully at their own pace.