Canvas
MTSU Canvas Transition Timeline
This timeline outlines the key milestones for MTSU鈥檚 transition from D2L Brightspace to Canvas, with full deployment by Summer 2026, as announced by University Provost Mark Byrnes. The process involves planning, course migration, training, and support to ensure a seamless shift for faculty, staff, and students.
2024
- October 2024
- The (19 members, including faculty, staff, and students) views demonstrations of D2L Brightspace and Canvas.
- Faculty feedback is collected to evaluate performance, presentation quality, support, and navigation.
- December 2024
- The LMS Work Group begins a detailed comparison of D2L and Canvas using a seven-point scale across key categories (e.g., usability, integration, support).
2025
- May 15, 2025
- The LMS Work Group submits a recommendation to Provost Mark Byrnes, rating Canvas significantly higher in all categories (performance, presentation quality, faculty support, and navigation).
- Canvas is selected as the new LMS.
- June 2025
- Provost Mark Byrnes announces the decision to transition to Canvas beginning in Summer 2026, with D2L Brightspace access continuing until December 31, 2026.
- Initial planning for migration and training begins.
- July 2025
- MTSU contracts with K16 Solutions to assist with automated course content migration from D2L to Canvas.
- August 2025
- The Canvas environment is installed, including integration with MTSU鈥檚 systems (e.g., Banner for course shells).
- “Early Adopter” faculty are nominated and invited to pilot using Canvas in their Spring 2026 courses.
- September 2025
- Faculty training programs launch
- Faculty and staff gain access to Canvas practice sites to explore the platform.
- October 2025
- The first round of course migrations from D2L to Canvas begins.
- Open office hours and one-on-one consultations start to support faculty in organizing migrated courses.
- November 2025
- “Early Adopter” faculty continue preparing Spring 2026 courses in Canvas
- December 2025
- Student training resources (including Canvas mobile app tutorials) are shared with MTSU students.
2026
- January 2026
- A small number of “Early Adopter” faculty use Canvas for their Spring 2026 courses. Most faculty use D2L in Spring 2026.
- More training sessions are offered, including advanced Canvas features such as SpeedGrader and course analytics.
- March 2026
- All Summer 2026 and Fall 2026 courses are given Canvas shells for full use.
- April 2026
- Canvas is introduced to incoming and returning students.
- Ongoing faculty training and support on how to archive student data (e.g., grades, submissions, etc.) from D2L courses.
- May 2026
- Ongoing training and support are provided for all faculty, focusing on course activation and publishing in Canvas.
- June 2026
- Canvas becomes the primary LMS for Summer 2026 courses.
- Faculty begin teaching in Canvas, with ongoing support and training resources.
- August 2026
- Full deployment of Canvas as MTSU鈥檚 official LMS for the Fall 2026 semester.
- All courses are delivered through Canvas, which completes the implementation.
- December 31, 2026
- D2L Brightspace contract officially expires, finalizing the transition to Canvas.
Notes
- Migration Details: Course content (e.g., quizzes, assignments, rubrics) from Summer 2022 to Spring 2025 will be migrated using K16 Solutions, but student data (grades, submissions) must be manually downloaded before June 1, 2026. We will provide detailed instructions on how to accomplish this.
- Support Resources: Visit this Canvas resource page for students and faculty.
- Contact: For questions about the transition to Canvas, email [email protected] or call Information Technology Division support at 615-898-8189.