Our campus’s transition from Desire2Learn (D2L) to Canvas is in the homestretch. The retirement of D2L on Aug. 1 will be the culmination of several years of joint work by the faculty, staff and students to vet, select and implement a new learning management system. The element most critical to the success of this transition is the campus’s adoption and integration of Canvas. We are very grateful for your involvement in this.
Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education Mary Kraus
Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer Larry Levine
As we near the Aug. 1 retirement, there are key dates to remember and resources to help you complete the transition on the “D2L Migration and Retirement” page.
Most of you have already made the switch to Canvas. As of last week, 2,055 instructors were using Canvas, and 77 percent of courses (lectures, seminars or main lab sections) were on Canvas, while 9 percent were on D2L, with the remainder not using either system. Having over 86 percent of CU Boulder’s courses on an LMS is good, but we should strive for more.
Staying on top of course materials in different formats, announcements coming from multiple sources, various assignment deadlines, as well as quizzes and test schedules can cause stress and confusion for our students. Having one place where students can obtain all their course information reduces this complexity and puts our students on a better path toward success.
Further, campuswide consistent use of an LMS, over time, will enable data that will support various retention efforts. This is why, following the retirement of D2L, we have set a goal to achieve at least a 90 percent adoption rate of Canvas. It’s a worthy goal well within our reach that will help us further fulfill CU Boulder’s academic mission.
We have made the transition to Canvas easier by migrating all D2L courses from fall 2015 through summer 2018. You will see your migrated course in Canvas within two business days after you request your new Canvas course. When you’re ready to start using your Canvas course, you can tap into a wealth of Canvas guides and tutorials, in-person and online workshops and a vibrant Canvas support community. And of course OIT’s Learning Technology Consultants (LTCs) are ready to meet with you in-person to demonstrate how Canvas can help you achieve your teaching goals.
We thank you for your contributions and efforts in this transition and always welcome your questions, comments and feedback at oitfeedback@colorado.edu.
Best regards,
Mary Kraus
Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education
Larry Levine
Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer
