Help Select UIC’s New Learning Management System to Best Serve Your Needs
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As educational institutions evolve, the tools and platforms we rely on to deliver instruction are paramount. This evolution for many universities involves transitioning to a new LMS or a single LMS.
| Associate CIO of Academic Technology and Learning Innovation
Navigating the Transition from Blackboard Original to Another LMS Heading link
UIC’s planned LMS shift is not merely a change in the interface, but a strategic endeavor to reinforce our commitment to accessibility, strengthening security, ensuring compliance, and significantly enriching the teaching and learning experiences of faculty and students.
As our contract with Anthology expires in July 2026, we have initially talked with Anthology (Blackboard Ultra LMS) and Instructure (Canvas LMS) about their roadmaps, features, support, and pricing as we prepare to sign a new contract at UIC.
These two vendors were chosen because we currently use Anthology’s Blackboard LMS, and the other U of I System schools use Instructure’s Canvas. It is crucial to involve the input of administration, deans, faculty, staff, and students, in deciding the university’s direction during this period.
The Importance of Accessibility and Compliance Heading link
Accessibility is a cornerstone of modern educational technology. Both Blackboard Learn and Blackboard Ultra meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, aligning with UIC and state-mandated policy requirements. Canvas is currently WCAG 2.0 compliant, although Canvas has promised to be compliant by the first quarter of 2025 and moving toward WCAG 2.2 as well.
Compliance isn’t solely about the platform’s capabilities, however. It extends to the content uploaded by instructors, which can vary significantly in its adherence to accessibility standards. With a vast amount of instructional content—28TB in our case—managed transition is critical to updating and revising this content to meet accessibility and compliance standards.
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Transitioning to Blackboard Ultra or Canvas allows us to address accessibility concerns systematically.
| Associate CIO of Academic Technology and Learning Innovation
A Strategic Opportunity Heading link
The transition from Blackboard Learn to a new LMS now represents a strategic opportunity to enhance accessibility, improve the user experience, and address faculty concerns in a manageable way. A gradual, phased approach, combined with targeted support for content compliance and course enhancements, will facilitate a more seamless adaptation for faculty and students and provide our university with a forward-looking LMS.
Feedback Gathering Heading link
There are two phases to gathering feedback in deciding which LMS UIC will adopt. The first phase involved 100 staff and faculty members testing an instance of Canvas. The second phase of this evaluation will begin in late January to early February 2025. During this time, faculty and students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from Instructure (Canvas) and Anthology (Blackboard Ultra).
These sessions will include customized workshops where participants can ask questions and provide feedback. We also aim to involve a broader group for testing, including students, who will evaluate both Canvas and Blackboard Ultra, culminating in a survey. Once those two phase are complete, the data will be shared, however, if it is not conclusive, then a third phase of course testing will involve real classes being taught in both platforms and additional data collected.
Preview & Help Choose a New LMS for UIC! Heading link
UIC is transitioning to a modern Learning Management System! We are currently evaluating two platforms: Blackboard Ultra and Canvas. If you are interested in testing these platforms and providing feedback through a survey, please click the following link to fill out the form.
Please note that there are limited space available, and participants will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Faculty, students, and staff will receive an email from Anthology (Blackboard Ultra) and Instructure (Canvas) once the testing begins in late January and early February 2025.