Teaching in the Spring Semester
Teaching in the Spring Semester
Spring 2026 introduces a flexible transition period where faculty may teach in either Canvas or Blackboard. This page outlines your options and the steps to take before the semester begins.
Your LMS Choice (Spring 2026)
For Spring 2026, the choice of Learning Management System (LMS) is yours. Faculty may teach in Canvas or Blackboard.
At the same time, some departments or colleges may have coordinated plans for where courses should be taught to support students and instructional teams. Please consider any guidance from your department or college when making your decision.
UIC now uses a system that sends course, instructor, and student enrollment information from Banner to both Canvas and Blackboard. As a result, you will automatically receive an empty course shell in each LMS, each with the correct course ID, instructor role, and enrolled students.
You simply choose which LMS you want to use.
If You Choose Canvas
Canvas Course Prep
When deciding whether to teach in Canvas, your choice of platform hinges on whether your course materials are already prepared in Canvas. In other words, you’ve either built your course directly in Canvas, had your Blackboard content copied over to Canvas and you reorganized it, or you worked with an instructional designer to prepare your course for teaching in Canvas.
Next Steps
Once your course materials are ready, you will need to copy them into the empty Canvas course shell, just as you have done in past semesters when teaching in Blackboard. Your prepared materials are in a Default Term and need to be copied into your Spring 2026 Term course.
To complete this step, follow the instructions in the Quick Guide to Copy Your Course Content to the Active Term. If you need assistance with copying content, please submit a ticket to LTS@uic.edu. Once your content is in place and updated, publish the Canvas course so it is available to students.
If You Choose Blackboard
If you choose to continue teaching in Blackboard, the process remains the same as in past semesters. You may continue teaching in Blackboard using your existing workflow.
Informing Your Students
Before the semester begins, email your students through Banner to let them know whether the course will be taught in Canvas or Blackboard.
Early communication helps students prepare and ensures a smoother start to the term.
Sharing Your Canvas Course Information with Students
Post an announcement in Canvas stating that your course will be in Canvas.
For example:
Welcome to the course! A quick note: we will be using Canvas instead of Blackboard this semester. All course materials, assignments, and announcements will be found here in Canvas.
Getting Started
Log in to Canvas with your usual school credentials.
Make sure this course is visible on your Dashboard (check Courses → All Courses if not).
Helpful Reminders
Update your Notification Settings so you don’t miss announcements or due dates.
Canvas has a built-in Help menu with student guides and tech support.
You may use the Canvas mobile app, but some assignments work best on a computer. If you have any trouble accessing or using Canvas, please reach out.
[Instructor Name]
After You Publish
After you publish the Canvas course, that announcement will automatically be emailed to all enrolled students.
We recommend that you log in to the LMS you are using on the first day of class to help students get oriented.
Help & Support
Students will have access to training and support directly from their LMS Dashboard, which is also hosted on this page: Student Guide to Using Canvas.
LTS will also provide reminders in both Blackboard and Canvas. Early in the spring semester, LTS will share instructions for transferring grades from Canvas to Banner.
If you have questions or need support, please contact LTS@uic.edu.