UMKC Instructional Technology

✉ its@umkc.edu

Migrating a Course from Blackboard to Canvas

Exporting your course from Blackboard and importing it to Canvas can be a quick way to get up-and-running with the Canvas learning management system by moving your content from one platform to another. Most content in Blackboard has a 1:1 complementary tool in Canvas. This means that most content will copy to Canvas in a way that yields a similar course structure (or functionality) to your course in Blackboard. The exception to this rule is third-party tool integrations (Kaltura, Panopto, VoiceThread) which will need to be relinked in you Canvas course as they do not copy.

Exporting Your Course from Blackboard

1. Log into UMKC’s Blackboard site and open the course you want to export in your course list.
2. In the course, locate the Control Panel on the left-hand side.
3. Select Packages and Utilities.
4. Select Export/Archive Course.
   
   
5. At the top of the Export/Archive Course page, select the Export Course.
6. On the Export Course page, check the box next to “Copy links and include copies of the files in the course default directory.”
7. Select the items you would like to move to Canvas by selecting the checkmarks next to each type of content OR select Select All to copy all course content.
8. Click Submit at the bottom of the page.
   Blackboard will prepare a downloadable file (.zip) of your course contents. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, but you can leave the page and revisit it when the process is done. You will receive an email when the file is ready. Navigate back to the Export/Archive Course area (steps 1-4) or refresh the page and you will see a link (example pictured below).
9. Click the link to download the file to your computer.
   1. NOTE: When the file is downloaded to your computer, do not unzip the file.
10. Save the file to your computer.
    Using your web browser, navigate to Canvas (https://umkc.instructure.com) and log in with your UMKC SSO ID and password.
11. Select the Canvas course where you want to import your Blackboard content.
12. On the left-side navigation menu in your course, select Settings.
13. On the right-hand side of the Settings screen, select Import Course Content.
14. On the Import Content page, select the Content Type drop-down menu.
15. Select Blackboard 6/7/8/9 export .zip file. New selections will appear.
16. Select the Choose File button and upload the Blackboard .zip file you exported (in Steps 6-10) from Blackboard.
17. Select what content you want to import from the Blackboard course.
18. Select the Import button.
    The import process will now begin. Don’t exit the browser window until it is complete (if possible). Once the import is complete, you can see a detailed log of any issues encountered and troubleshoot them accordingly. Congratulations! You imported a course from Blackboard into Canvas.

Next Steps

After importing a course, take time to visit the different areas of your Canvas course to make sure items imported as they should. If your Blackboard course was organized in folders, you can find an approximation of that structure in the Canvas Modules area. Check your Assignments, Quizzes, and Grades areas.

If you have any questions about the import process, please contact ITS (816-235-6700; its@umkc.edu).