What is Different in Canvas?
Selected differences between Canvas, Blackboard Ultra, and Blackboard Original:
Tables of Contents (Blackboard Original)
- The organizational structure of Canvas is different than that of Blackboard. When preparing your Blackboard Original Course (the type of Blackboard course that has a customizable left navigation menu) for migration to Canvas, please note that the menu structure will not transfer between systems.
Teaching and Learning Tool Integrations
- All integrations (third-party tools like McGraw Hill and VoiceThread) must be installed by OIT in Canvas before they can be used in Canvas courses. Since these are new connections between the tools and Canvas, any links and assignments you created with these tools in Blackboard will not automatically transfer to Canvas.
- In the best case scenario, you will need to relink the content you created on the third-party tool page (such as publisher assignments) to your Canvas course.
- In the worst case scenario, such as with Turnitin Assignments, you may need to create a new assignment in Canvas.
To view the full list of integrations and their expected availability within Canvas, visit the Using third-party integrations in Canvas help article (opens in a new window).
Access to Student Data Stored in Blackboard
- No student data from Blackboard will be imported to Canvas. Any archival process will store data in a separate space outside of Canvas.
- Student portfolios from Blackboard will not import to Canvas and will have to be exported in a different format for later access. OIT is not providing an alternative tool for backing up student portfolios.
Test Courses, Manually Created Courses, and Organizations
- Users will not be able to create their own courses in Canvas, but OIT will create courses on request. Please view the instructions for requesting a manually created course (opens in a new window).
- Manually created courses are not connected to the data feed that populates courses with students or other users. Manually created courses are best used as a space to design a course and then copy content into term-based course shells as they are created.
- Manually created courses can also be used to house organizations, as a replacement for the Organization feature in Blackboard.
List of Comparisons for Commonly Used Features
| Blackboard Feature: Original Courses | Blackboard Feature: Ultra Courses | Canvas Feature | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not Available in Original | Accommodations | Moderate (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Achievements | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Add/Modify Enrollments | Roster, Enroll People | People, + People | You can add or remove Instructors, TAs, and Designers. You can add Students to your courses as soon as they are admitted, but you will not be able to remove them. This is to prevent the accidental loss of data if you were to delete a student who should be enrolled in the course. See Adding and Removing TAs, Instructors, and Other Users in a Canvas Course (opens in a new window) knowledge article for details and instructions. |
| Adaptive Release | Conditional Availability | Prerequisites and Locking Modules (opens in a new window) | The following conditions can be used to determine release of materials: date and time for all students, completion of prior modules. Availability cannot be determined by user or group. |
| Additional Attempts to Students in Specific Assessments | Additional Attempts to Students in Specific Assessments | See Additional Information | You may grant additional attempts for all students for a quiz or an assignment and you may grant an additional attempt to a specific student for a quiz, but Canvas does not allow you to grant a single student an additional attempt for an assignment. |
| Announcements | Course Announcements | Announcements (opens in a new window) | Cannot force an email message to students regarding announcements. Can allow students to comment or like announcements. Can schedule to post at a later date. Cannot set an expiration date. |
| Anonymous Grading | Anonymous Grading | Anonymous Grading (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Anonymous Discussion Board Posts | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Assignments | Assignments | Assignments (opens in a new window) | Canvas does not permit instructors to clear individual student attempts. Can restrict file upload types. Can accept a website URL as a submission. Can accept additional submission types such as On Paper, External Tool, No Submission. No Submission could be used to add items to the Course Calendar, such as readings. |
| Attendance | Attendance | Roll Call (opens in a new window) | No additional information |
| Audio/Video Feedback | Audio/Video Feedback | Feedback in SpeedGrader (opens in a new window) | Available as part of feedback options in SpeedGrader in Canvas. |
| Blackboard Mobile App | Blackboard Mobile App | Canvas Mobile App (opens in a new window) | Two apps with different functionalities based on role (one for teacher and one for student) |
| Blank Page | Documents | Blank Page | No significant changes |
| Blogs | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | Workaround 1: Pages (opens in a new window) become editable when editing is allowed for teachers and students. Workaround 2: Collaborations (opens in a new window) creates a shared document for selected students to edit. |
| Bulk Download of Assessments | Bulk Download of Assessments | Download submissions (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Calculated Formula | Calculated Formula | Formula Question (opens in a new window) | There are multiple options for formula questions in Canvas. |
| Calendar | Calendar | Calendar (opens in a new window) (overview for Instructors) | The calendar automatically populates with due dates and meetings from the course. |
| Calendar Export | Calendar Export | Calendar Feed (opens in a new window) | In Canvas, you can subscribe to the Canvas calendar to have it add content to Outlook. |
| Not Available in Original | Calendar Import | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Categories | Assignment Groups | Assignment Groups (opens in a new window) | |
| Contacts | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Content Editor | Content Editor | Content Editor (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Not Available in Original | Copy Content | Duplicate an assignment (opens in a new window) /Duplicate a module item (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Course Copy | Course Copy | Course Import Tool (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Course Banner | Course Image | Front Page (opens in a new window) | You can create a custom page, including images, which can then be set to the home page for your course. |
| Course Builder Role | Not Available in Ultra | Designer (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Not Available in Original | Course Faculty | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Course Link | Course Link | Course Link (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Course Menu | Not Available in Ultra | Course Navigation Menu (opens in a new window) | Able to reorder or hide the existing menu items, but unable to edit the names of existing menu items or create new menu items. |
| Course Merge | Not Available in Ultra | Cross-List (opens in a new window) | Faculty must wait until students are enrolled to cross-list their course sections. Students are loaded to a course two weeks prior to its start date. |
| Course Messages | Course Messages | Course Messages (opens in a new window) | Course Messages are completely contained within Canvas, they are not an email message, and do not have the option to be forcibly delivered via email. The course messages also do not have the full rich text content editor (RTE) and only allow text, video, audio or attachments. |
| Course Reports | Course Activity | New Analytics (opens in a new window) | There are significant changes in Canvas. We recommend you review the linked support materials. |
| Not Available in Original | Course Schedule | Course Summary (opens in a new window) | Course Summary is located on the Syllabus page and automatically pulls in the due dates for any items in the course. |
| Course Structures | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | See "Teaching Style" |
| Not Available in Original | Not Available in Ultra | Curve Grades (opens in a new window) | Can curve grades for an assignment using a bell curve based on a manually entered average score. |
| Import Package/View Logs | Course Tasks and Logs | Import>Current Jobs & Exports (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Date Management | Bulk Edit | Batch Edit (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Decimal Points in Tests | Decimal Points in Tests | Decimal Points in Tests | No significant changes |
| Delegated Grading | Parallel Grading | Moderated Grading (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Not Available in Original | Discussion Analytics | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Discussions | Discussions | Discussions (opens in a new window) | Anonymous posting not available in Canvas. |
| Dropping Grades | Dropping Grades | Create Rules for Assignment (opens in a new window) | Canvas allows you to create an exception for assignments that should not be considered for dropping. |
| Edit Mode | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | Workaround: Student View (opens in a new window) |
| Embed Media | Embed Media | Embed (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Exempt Grades | Exceptions | Excused (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Extra Credit | Extra Credit | See Additional Notes | Workarounds for granting extra credit in Canvas (opens in a new window) |
| Files | Upload or Insert Local Files | Files (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Forum | Discussion | Discussions (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Folders | Folders | Modules (opens in a new window) | Added functionality: indent options to create a hierarchy of content within the module, ability to share modules with other instructors. Loss of functionality: cannot nest modules. |
| Glossary | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | Workaround: Create a page (opens in a new window) for a course glossary. |
| Grade Center | Gradebook | Gradebook (opens in a new window) | There are significant changes to the Gradebook in Canvas. We recommend you review the linked support materials. |
| Groups | Groups | Groups / Group Sets (opens in a new window) | Canvas allows the option for students to create their own Groups. This must be enabled in course settings. Student-created groups cannot be assigned group assignments. |
| Groups - Manual Enrollment | Groups - Custom Enrollment | Groups - Manual Enrollment (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Group Assignments | Group Assignments | Group Assignments (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Groups - Random Enrollment | Groups - Randomly Assign | Groups / Randomly Assign (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Not Available in Original | Groups - Reuse Group | Clone Group Set (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Groups - Self Enrollment | Groups - Self Enrollment | Groups / Self Sign-Up (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Not Available in Original | Not Available in Ultra | Groups / Group Leader (opens in a new window) | Groups may have an assigned student leader. |
| Institution-based Cloud Storage | Institution-based Cloud Storage | Institution-based Cloud Storage (opens in a new window) | No significant changes. You can add content from your Ohio University OneDrive account directly to Canvas courses and assignments. |
| Item | Documents | Pages (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Item Analysis | Question Analysis | Item Analysis (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Journal | Journal | Not available in Canvas | Workaround (opens in a new window): Create a Discussion assignment, make it a group assignment, and then assign each individual student to their own group. |
| Not Available in Original | Not Available in Ultra | Missing Submission Policy (opens in a new window) | The Missing Submission policy allows you to define a grade that will be granted for missing submissions as a percentage of the total points possible. |
| Learning Module | Learning Module | Modules (opens in a new window) | Added functionality: indent options to create a hierarchy of content within the module, ability to share modules with other instructors. Loss of functionality: cannot nest modules. |
| Lesson Plan | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Manual Grade Column | Manual Grade Column | Not available in Canvas | Workaround: You cannot add a manual grade column directly to the Gradebook (opens in a new window) in Canvas (as you can in Blackboard). You must create a new assignment, and in the “Submission Type” settings, set to “No Submission.” |
| Mashup: Flickr | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | Workaround: Content can be embedded using the Embed (opens in a new window) option. |
| Mashup: Slideshare | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | Workaround: Content can be embedded using the Embed (opens in a new window) option. |
| Mashup: YouTube | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | Workaround: Content can be embedded using the Embed (opens in a new window) option. |
| Not Available in Original | Office 365 Integration | Microsoft OneDrive (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Password Protected Assessments | Password Protected Assessments | Quiz Restrictions (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Performance Dashboard | Not Available in Ultra | New Analytics (opens in a new window) | There are significant changes in Canvas. We recommend you review the linked support materials. |
| Portfolio Assignment | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Portfolios | Portfolios | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Not Available in Original | Progress Tracking | Student Progress (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Question Pools | Question Banks | See Additional Information | Classic Quizzes draw from Question Banks and New Quizzes draw from Item Banks. |
| Question Regrading | Question Regrading | Quiz Regrade (opens in a new window) | Additional options have been added. |
| Question Sets | Question Pools | Question Group (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Random Blocks (Questions) | Question Pools | Question Group (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Retention Center | Not Available in Ultra | New Analytics (opens in a new window) | There are significant changes in Canvas. We recommend you review the linked support materials. |
| Rich Text Editor (RTE) | Rich Text Editor (RTE) | Rich Content Editor (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Roster | Roster | People (opens in a new window) | Instructors are able to add/remove users with non-student roles. Instructors are able to add, but not remove, users with Student role. |
| Rubrics | Rubrics | Rubrics (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| SafeAssign | SafeAssign | Turnitin Plagiarism Framework (opens in a new window) | Turnitin offers an integration called Plagiarism Framework which allows you to use the native Canvas assignment features with the addition of the originality check from Turnitin. |
| SafeAssign Direct Submit | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | No additional information |
| Score Per Question | Score Per Question | Grade by Question (opens in a new window) | You can choose to manually grade the same quiz question for each student before viewing student submissions for a different quiz question. Note: Quizzes that pull questions from a question bank will shuffle the order of questions for each student. Question order for each submission may vary within SpeedGrader. Available for both Classic and New Quizzes |
| SCORM | SCORM | SCORM (opens in a new window) | SCORM report is not visible for grading. |
| Student Preview | Student Preview | Student View (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Surveys | Not Available in Ultra | See Additional Information | Workaround (opens in a new window): You can create a graded or ungraded anonymous survey with the Classic Quizzes feature. |
| Syllabus | Not Available in Ultra | Syllabus (opens in a new window) | The Syllabus feature allows you to add information that is pertinent to your course. You can do so through the Canvas text editor, or by attaching a copy of your existing syllabus. The Course Summary section of the Syllabus page automatically populates with due dates and events that exist within the course. |
| Self and Peer Assessment | Peer Assessment | Peer Review (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Send Email | Not available in Canvas | See Course Messages | |
| Not Available in Original | Single Student Progress Report | Grades for Student (opens in a new window) | Instructors can view all assignments, due dates, status, and score for each individual student via the Gradebook. |
| Not Available in Original | Student Overview | Notes (opens in a new window) | Notes in the Gradebook are visible to anyone with access to the gradebook. |
| Tasks | Not Available in Ultra | To-Do (opens in a new window) | To Do in Canvas has a similar functionality to the Activity Stream in Blackboard for students. |
| Test Availability Exception | Test Additional Time | Moderate Quiz (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Teaching Style | Not Available in Ultra | See Additional Information | All the features in Teaching Style are available in Canvas, but in different locations. You can import a template (opens in a new window) from Commons to provide a structure, choose a course home page and set a banner image by selecting a Front Page (opens in a new window), and reorder the course menu under Settings by selecting Navigation (opens in a new window). |
| Tests | Tests | Quizzes (opens in a new window) / New Quizzes (opens in a new window) | Canvas is in the process of redesigning their quiz offerings and currently have two options. These options are the following: Quizzes, also referred to as Classic Quizzes, and New Quizzes. If you import tests from Blackboard they will be using the Quizzes (aka Classic Quizzes) option. |
| Video Everywhere/Browse My YouTube Videos | Insert YouTube Video | Embed a video (opens in a new window) | No significant changes |
| Web Link | Web Link | Web Link (opens in a new window) | Links open in a new window by default. |
| Weighted Total Calculated Column | Weighted Total Calculation | Weighted Assignment Groups (opens in a new window) | Individual assignments cannot be weighted in Canvas. Workaround: make an assignment group for each individual assignment. |
| Wiki | Not Available in Ultra | Not available in Canvas | Workaround 1: Pages (opens in a new window) become editable when editing is allowed for teachers and students. Workaround 2: Collaborations (opens in a new window) creates a shared document for selected students to edit. |