Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning

Spring 2025

• A campus-wide survey focused on classroom technology, including the learning management system (LMS), was conducted with results showing a need for improved features and better integrations for the LMS with a preference for Canvas. 
• CITL TechTrendsetters grantees participated in the Online Learning Consortium's Online Teaching Certification facilitated via Canvas and express interest in transitioning to Canvas from D2L. This feedback is consistent with grantees from the 2023 Faculty Academy for Course and Program Development who also completed the OLC certification. 

Fall 2025

• Campus-wide Canvas demo presented during CITL Demo Days in October.
• Review of LMS contracts and available options.
• Presentations and discussions with Deans, Chairs, and higher administration. 

Spring 2026

• Campus-wide announcement.
• Faculty training and resource development. 
• Faculty access to Canvas and Sandboxes - March 12.
• Course Migration for Fall 2026.
• Pilot during Intercession Courses (May 11-22).

Summer 2026 

• Summer term courses offered within D2L/iLearn. 
• Continued course migration for Fall 2026. 

Fall 2026

• All fall courses offered within Canvas.
• Assist faculty with course migration for Spring 2027. 

Spring 2027

• All spring courses offered within Canvas. 
• Assist faculty with course migration for Summer 2027. 

Workshops & Trainings

CITL Workshops

The CITL is hosting weekly workshops. You can view a schedule of the upcoming workshops here or watch previous recordings in the archive. In addition, the CITL will host a day-long summer intensive focused on Canvas and preparing for fall. 

Canvas Training

Faculty have been enrolled in an asynchronous Faculty Training course within Canvas. Students will have the option to self-enroll in a student training prior to Intercession courses. 

Faculty Support

Tennessee Tech provides faculty with training and resources to effectively use Canvas and other teaching tools. Support includes guidance on Accessibility, Canvas Basics Tutorials, Integrations, Course Templates, and more. Explore the information below for step-by-step self-guided assistance, watch one of our previous workshops, or schedule a consultation to learn more. 

Learn more

Student Support

Tennessee Tech provides students with training and resources to effectively use Canvas and other classroom technologies. Support includes guidance on Canvas Basics, utilizing the LMS, and more. Explore the information below for step-by-step self-guided assistance.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

To assist in transparency and ease during this process, we have created a FAQ page that we will continue to update. 

Learn More

Additional Assistance

In addition to the support listed above, the CITL team is also available for individual consultations. To schedule an individual consultation, use the link below and find your college/school's Instructional Designer or one of our Educational Technologists. 

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Advancing Teaching and Learning: Transition to Canvas
February 24, 2026

Sent from Academic Affairs to All Faculty

Dear Colleagues,

Academic Affairs, in partnership with Information Technology Services, is pleased to share an important update regarding our learning management system (LMS). As part of our continued commitment to academic excellence and innovation, Tennessee Tech will transition from iLearn/D2L to Canvas at the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year. This decision reflects a strategic investment in the future of teaching and learning at our university.

This transition comes at a time of significant growth for our university. Across campus, we are seeing the expansion of new academic facilities, the development of forward-focused programs, and continued increases in enrollment and student engagement. Our growth reflects strong momentum and a clear institutional direction. As we expand our academic footprint, it is essential that our instructional systems evolve alongside it.

Moving to Canvas aligns directly with the priorities outlined in our strategic plan. Tech Tomorrow calls us to innovation in all we do, to exceptional stewardship of our resources, and to strengthening the student experience. Canvas supports our strategic focus on innovation, operational excellence, and an enhanced student experience by providing scalable tools that support course quality, accessibility, analytics, and student engagement. It positions us well for continued growth in online, hybrid, and technology-enhanced programs while improving consistency and usability for both faculty and students.

After working for several months on various implementation scenarios, the timeline is as follows:

• Pilot Phase – May 2026 (Intersession): A focused pilot will take place during the May intersession with a group of volunteer faculty and courses. This phase will allow us to gather feedback, refine support processes, and ensure readiness for full implementation.

• Full Access to Canvas – August 2026: Canvas will become the university's official LMS beginning in Fall 2026, with fall course offerings available to students on Canvas.

Comprehensive support will be provided throughout this process. The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) will offer training workshops, course migration assistance, consultations, and ongoing technical and pedagogical support to ensure a smooth transition.

Additional details, timelines, training opportunities, FAQs, and transition resources will be housed on the CITL website. Faculty are encouraged to visit that page regularly for updates and next steps on the Canvas transition.

We appreciate your continued dedication to our students and to delivering programs that ensure our graduates enter the workforce with the job-ready skills, grit, and determination for which Tennessee Tech is known. This transition represents an important step toward strengthening teaching and learning at Tennessee Tech, and we look forward to working with you throughout the process.

 
Thank you,
Academic Affairs
Office of the Provost

Canvas Transition & Access Update #1
March 12, 2026

Sent from CITL to All Faculty

Dear Faculty,

As shared in the Academic Affairs email on February 24, we will be transitioning our learning management system from D2L iLearn to Canvas beginning Fall 2026. Our teams across Academic Affairs, CITL, and ITS have invested significant time and effort in planning and preparing for this transition, with the goal of making the process as smooth, thoughtful, and well supported as possible for faculty and students.

As we continue preparing for this transition, we would like to share several important next steps and resources.

Course Migration for Fall 2026
We will be working with Canvas and a partner company, K16, to migrate course materials from D2L to Canvas for Fall 2026 courses. To ensure your course content is migrated from the correct previous course shell or Master Course, please complete the Fall 2026 Course Migration Form. The deadline to complete this form is Friday, April 10.The form link and instructions are available on our website.

Please note that this form applies only to Fall 2026 courses. Information and timelines for Spring 2027 and Summer 2027 courses will be shared at a later date.

Time to Explore Canvas
While course content is being migrated in preparation for the Fall semester, we encourage you to begin familiarizing yourself with Canvas by logging in through our website. Available resources include:

• An asynchronous Canvas Faculty Training available within Canvas
• A Canvas sandbox that includes the Tech template, branding, and example pages to help you get started
• A schedule of upcoming live training sessions

All training materials and resources are available on our website and may be accessed at any time.

Archiving and Retaining D2L Course Content
We recognize the importance of preserving course materials beyond the migration process. To ensure that no instructional content is lost, the university will maintain archived access to D2L course materials for reference purposes after the transition. In addition, we will provide guidance and support for exporting or saving course content that faculty may wish to retain locally. More detailed information about D2L archiving options, timelines, and recommended best practices will be shared through our website.

Our goal is to ensure you have continued access to your instructional materials, along with sufficient time, support, and clear communication to plan ahead with confidence.

Support and Consultation
Our team is happy to assist with questions or to provide individual consultations. Please contact us at CITL@tntech.edu or visit our website to schedule a consultation.

We hope you have a wonderful Spring Break, and we look forward to supporting you throughout this transition.

Canvas Transition & Access Update #2
March 12, 2026

Sent from CITL to All Faculty

Dear Faculty,

As we return from Spring Break, we would like to remind you that Canvas sandboxes are now available, and training opportunities are open for you to begin exploring the platform. You may log in to Canvas using the link on our website, where you can also view and register for upcoming training sessions including our first session this Thursday at 11 AM. Additionally, an asynchronous training course is available within Canvas, and recordings of live workshops will be posted in our workshop archive.

If you have not already done so, please complete the Fall 2026 Canvas Migration Form by Friday, April 10 to ensure that the content you would like included in your Fall 2026 course shell is successfully migrated to Canvas. More information regarding Spring courses will be shared soon.

Our team is happy to support you throughout this transition, and we look forward to working with you as we continue to enhance instructional innovation and better support our students.

Canvas Transition & Access Update #3
April 8, 2026

Sent from CITL to All Faculty

Dear Faculty,

As we continue our transition to Canvas, we would like to share a few important reminders and resources.

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Fall 2026 Courses
If you have not already done so, please complete the Fall 2026 Course Migration Request Form by Friday, April 10. This form lets us know which previous course shell you would like migrated into Canvas for your Fall 2026 course. Beginning next week, we will begin migrating course content based on the information submitted in the form.

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Open / Master / Community Courses
If you have an Open, Master, or Community course in D2L iLearn, you should have received an email from the CITL regarding the status of that course. Please reply to citl@tntech.edu to let us know how you would like to proceed with these courses.

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Training & Support
Faculty training opportunities are available to help you become familiar with Canvas.

• Weekly live workshops are being offered, and recordings are available on our website.
• An asynchronous Faculty Training course in Canvas is also available.
• Student training and Teaching/Graduate Assistant training are currently in development and will be available before the end of the semester.

For additional information, please visit our website for Frequently Asked Questions or contact us at citl@tntech.edu.

Thank you for your continued support as we move forward with this transition.