Introducing Canvas: Important student information for the fall semester

Ohio University has begun the transition to Canvas, the new learning management system that is replacing Blackboard.

OHIO's colleges are migrating to Canvas in phases, with your positive experience as a student being the top priority. We understand that transitioning to a new technology can be challenging, but we’re here to support you every step of the way.

You might have classes being taught in various systems this fall. To find where your courses will be taught:

Review your syllabus and look for communications from your instructor with instructions about which system to leverage for your class.
You can also log in to Canvas at canvas.ohio.edu (opens in a new window). (You may want to bookmark this link so it’s easy for you to find in the future.) If your courses appear on the Dashboard page or in the “Courses” tab in the left navigation menu, they’ll be taught in Canvas.
If you can’t see your course in Canvas, visit blackboard.ohio.edu (opens in a new window). Your instructor will open your course in Blackboard if this is the system of choice for your class.
If you can’t locate your course, please contact your instructor for further information.

Helpful tips for the fall semester

Canvas help

Canvas offers 24/7 support to OHIO students. Navigate to “Get Help” in the left navigation menu within Canvas (opens in a new window) to access live chat, call the hotline, or explore other instructional resources.

Download the App

Canvas offers a great mobile app. Search “Canvas Student” in the Apple App or Google Play store. Additionally, you can access your Canvas course content through the Go OHIO app (opens in a new window).

Adjust Your Notifications

Canvas notifications function a bit differently than Blackboard notifications. By default, you won't receive email notifications for course announcements. Adjust your Canvas notifications (opens in a new window) to suit your preferences.

Prepare for Canvas

If you want to learn more about Canvas, enroll in the Passport to Canvas (Student Orientation) course (opens in a new window). This self-guided training will help you become familiar with Canvas before the semester begins. Or, join Canvas experts for a 1-hour workshop where we’ll explore Canvas as a student. You can attend in Alden Library room 319 or participate remotely. Workshops will be held Aug. 28 (opens in a new window), Sept. 5 (opens in a new window) and Sept. 11 (opens in a new window).

A subset of OHIO students previewed Canvas during the spring 2024 semester and shared positive feedback (opens in a new window). In the survey, 90% of students reported feeling comfortable using Canvas and most preferred it over Blackboard.

OHIO is committed to providing technology that enhances the student experience. Throughout the fall semester, we’ll be holding student focus groups to gather feedback on how we can improve Canvas. Additionally, students can submit the anonymous Canvas feedback form (opens in a new window) to provide their suggestions at any point this semester.

If you have additional questions about Canvas, visit the Canvas Student Resources webpage (opens in a new window) or get help directly in Canvas. (opens in a new window)

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