Update: New learning management system for UIC

Dear students, faculty and staff,

Earlier this year, we announced that UIC was investigating a new learning management system to enhance the experience of our community. Currently, UIC relies on Anthology’s Blackboard Original and Blackboard Ultra, with most courses housed on the Blackboard Original platform. However, with Anthology’s plans to phase out Blackboard Original, UIC began seeking a more modern learning management system. Throughout the spring semester, we conducted a two-phase evaluation of potential platforms, focusing on Anthology’s Blackboard Ultra and Instructure’s Canvas. Faculty, staff and students tested both systems, interacted with vendor representatives and gave feedback through surveys.

We are pleased to share that, after a thorough review of Anthology’s Blackboard Ultra and Instructure’s Canvas, we have decided to transition to Canvas over the coming year. This decision was guided by valuable input from our community, with an impressive 70% of survey respondents expressing a clear preference for Canvas.

We are excited about this transition, which will enhance our educational tools and support our Title II mitigation efforts by meaningfully addressing accessibility requirements. Once Canvas is fully implemented, we will begin migrating our courses and revising content to ensure compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1. This commitment is essential to providing an inclusive and accessible learning experience for all students, regardless of their individual needs.

As we approach the end of the school year, we will share transition plans with all colleges and faculty, including the timeline and resources available to support you throughout this process. Additionally, we will offer opportunities for you to share your feedback and insights, which are invaluable as we begin this journey together.

We truly appreciate your ongoing support and collaboration as we work toward creating an enhanced and more effective learning environment for our entire UIC community. Should you have any questions, please contact Bryan Libbin, associate chief information officer for academic technology and learning innovation, at blibbin@uic.edu. And stay tuned for more updates!

Sincerely,

Karen J. Colley
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Matt Riley
Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Chief Information Officer

For more information, please contact:
Bryan Libbin
blibbin@uic.edu