UMass Amherst is in the midst of a major shift: the transition from current learning management systems (Moodle and Blackboard) to Canvas, a unified LMS platform for the entire campus. This change is about more than technology—it’s about improving the teaching and learning experience for everyone, from faculty and staff to students and support teams.
This is an overview of the timeline from the perspective of someone leading the instructional design aspect of the project.
Where We’ve Been (Fall 2021–Spring 2022)
- We kicked things off with a deep analysis of our current systems and an institution-wide listening tour.
- Faculty, students, and staff provided valuable input to help us identify pain points and needs.
- After thorough evaluation, Canvas was selected as our new learning management system.
- Our project team has been hard at work designing training, integration plans, and migration strategies.
What’s Next: The Road Ahead
We’ve built a projected timeline that outlines major phases and milestones through 2025, including:
- Summer 2022: Sandbox pilots and early testing of Canvas and migration tools
- Fall 2022: Pilot courses running in Canvas with live students and instructors
- Spring 2023: Expanded pilot group; professional development and migration testing
- Summer 2023: Larger-scale migration and transition support begins
- Fall 2023 – Spring 2024: Full adoption phase—most courses running in Canvas
- Fall 2024: Blackboard and Moodle fully retired
- Summer 2025: Final access ends for legacy systems
Here is a high-level, interactive, version of the projected timeline:
