Bye Bye BlackBoard

Imperial plans to roll out a new Canvas-powered learning management system to serve as a unified digital education platform across faculties, starting from the 2025-26 academic year.

Learning management systems (LMS) are software applications that support teaching – they can allow educators to post files and lecture recording, and students to upload assignments. Canvas, which was launched in 2011 by American technology firm Instructure, is now the main LMS for many top universities, including the University of Oxford and UC Berkeley. 

At Imperial, Canvas should replace the “legacy” platforms Blackboard, currently used by the faculties of Natural Science and Engineering, and Insendi, currently used by the Business School. The Earth Sciences ESESIS and Computer Science Scientia will not be impacted. Imperial said they were “reviewing other systems that could transition to Canvas” – other specialised LMS’s in use at the College include The Hub for the Business School and MedLearn for the Faculty of Medicine.

The change aims to provide students and staff with “a modern interface, improved access, and a consistent experience across departments.” It would allow a staff to share “best practises” between departments.

Alan Spivey, who oversees this transition as Interim Vice Provost for Education and Student Experience, said the system was selected after a “year-long collaborative process” and is “currently in the initiation phase, moving into design”.

Full rollout is planned for the upcoming academic year, with Canvas going live for the Business School in May, and for other faculties in August. A small number of “early adopter” programmes will test the system beforehand.

Spivey acknowledged that the “change associated with an implementation on this scale will be disruptive,” and encouraged the Imperial community to reach out to members of the Digital Education Platform Project team with input and feedback.