Overview

This post is intended to be a kit that instructors can use to make the transition from D2L to Canvas over the summer with minimal weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Handbook

The Center put together a handy guide to help those who like paper guides to use as a reference for working on their courses. You will find an overview of Canvas, key points of comparison with D2L, how to transfer a course, and a checklist for starting the semester.

Student Resource Module

You may upload the student resource module directly into your course(s). It contains information for students on how to submit assignments, participate in discussions, and use the mobile apps. There is also contact information for campus resources – on all the branches – for academic, personal, and financial resources. Instructors may add to or delete any of this information to customize it for their courses. But it is a handy way to orient students to Canvas.

Canvas Consultations

Instructors may sign up for a consultation to discuss their courses. We can work with you remotely through Skype as well as face-to-face. Note that times will fill up the closer we get to the start of the Fall semester.

Lynda.com

For those who would like a self-paced option to do at home, Lynda.com – a software training service – has a good starter course for Canvas. Since this course is not specifically geared toward UWGB there will be come cosmetic differences between the Canvas courses you see and those shown in Lynda.com. But, the courses in general are really quite good. This course requires a UWGB login.

Training Day in August

The Center will replace its typical “Hands-on Technology Day” this August with a Canvas training day. Be on the lookout over the summer for a specific date.

General Help with Canvas

UW-System purchased 24-hour help for users to ease the transition. Please feel free to take advantage for run-of-the-mill questions, such as how to set up a discussion or how to grade a quiz, etc.

There are three ways to contact Canvas directly for help:

24-hour Chat

Instructors and students may chat with someone at Canvas at any time.

24-hour Phone

Instructors may call 1(833) 811-3205 and students may call 1(833) 811-3206.

Email

Users may email Canvas by clicking on the “help” icon in and selecting “Contact Canvas Support via email” from the menu.

Timeline of Canvas Transition

Green Bay Campus	Branch Campuses
Summer 2019: Last term in which instructors may use D2L.	Summer 2019: Canvas accounts will unite so that Colleges material and UWGB material will be available with either login. D2L materials will remain separate for Colleges and UWGB accounts.
Summer 2019: Instructors prepare their fall offerings in Canvas master courses (designated as “Blank.Your Name.1”).	Summer 2019: Instructors prepare their fall offerings in Canvas master courses (designated as “Blank.Your Name.1”).
August 11, 2019: End of Summer Term: Last day to teach in D2L.	Summer 2019: Last term in which UW-Colleges will support learning technology. Instructors will use D2L.
August 21, 2019: Fall courses will appear in Canvas for instructors. Instructors may copy material from master course into “real” or instructional course (those with students).	August 21, 2019: Fall courses will appear in Canvas for instructors. Instructors may copy material from master course into “real” or instructional course (those with students).
September 4, 2019: First day of Fall semester: All courses in Canvas. D2L will be available to access old course material only.	September 4, 2019: First day of Fall semester: All courses in Canvas. Old D2L material will be available on the Colleges’ login page.
AY 2019-2020: Instructors will archive D2L materials and student work as needed.	AY 2019-2020: Instructors will archive D2L materials and student work as needed. Instructors will find material in Colleges’s instance of D2L. Your old Colleges passwords should still work.
June 30, 2020: Last day to access D2L to retrieve course materials or access old student work. All access will end this day. Nobody will be able to login to d2l after this day.	June 30, 2020: Last day to access D2L to retrieve course materials or access old student work. All access will end this day. Nobody will be able to login to d2l after this day.
August 11, 2020: Last day that instructors will need to have access to student work done in D2L during the summer term of 2019 to be compliant with UWSTU054.	UW-Colleges will retain D2L records for UW-Colleges instructors in compliance with UWSTU054.