UMass Boston

Getting your Course Ready for the New Semester

This Fall you have the option to teach in Canvas or Blackboard, before all courses will be migrated to Canvas in Spring 2025. This semester offers an opportunity to teach in Canvas while still having access to your previous Blackboard courses.

Remember

  • Course shells are automatically generated (both in Blackboard and Canvas) for every course listed in WISER, at least 2 months before the semester starts.
  • Courses open for students 3 days prior to the WISER class start date and remain open for 28 days after the end date.
  • An instructor must be listed as PI in WISER for their course to appear on their Blackboard account. 

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Teaching in Canvas?

  1. Course Content: Submit the Canvas/Blackboard Course Content Request Form or if you are starting from scratch, request a template by emailing learningdesign@umb.edu.
  2. Import Course Content: If you are building your course in a migration shell or your sandbox remember to import your course into your live Fall 2024 course shell. Watch this video to learn How to Import Course Content or email learningdesign@umb.edu for assistance.
  3. Crosslist your sections: If you typically merge courses in WISER, crosslist them in Canvas. Watch this video to learn How to Crosslist Course Sections. Remember do NOT crosslist lectures and labs.
  4. Student enrollments and TAs: will only update once a day. If a student enrolls or drops the change will take 24 hours. If you have Teaching Assistants, Peer Mentors, or Tutors, follow these instructions to Enroll Assistants in Your Course.
  5. Set up an Announcement in Blackboard pointing students to Canvas.umb.edu and hide all other content on the Blackboard course menu.
  6. Run the Link Validator tool: Canvas Link Validator Resource to find all broken links in your course.
  7. Use the Batch Edit tool: Canvas Batch Edit Tool to bulk change all course due dates and availability dates. To ensure accessibility, web links should describe the link’s destination. 
  8. PUBLISH your course: Don’t forget to publish your course by August 31st at 12:00 a.m. How do I Publish my Courses?

Teaching in Blackboard?

  1. Course Content: Copy your content from a prior term (video), or submit the Canvas/Blackboard Course Content Request Form. 
  2. Courses Open to Students: Courses open three days early (August 31st, at 12:00 a.m.) for students to check enrollment and test technology.
  3. Date Management: Use the Blackboard Date Management Tool to reset all due dates and availability dates in your courses. 
  4. Check all Links: Check all links using the Blackboard Weblinks resource.
  5. Student enrollments and TAs: If you have Teaching Assistants, Peer Mentors, or Tutors, follow these instructions to Enroll Assistants in Your Course.

Also note: 

  • Please use Chrome or Firefox with Blackboard and/or Canvas and remind your students to do the same.
  • Review the Resources posted on this page for more useful tips.

Resources

Get Help from Learning Design Services

Write to us: learningdesign@umb.edu

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