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Home > Help & Support > Knowledge Base > Teaching & Learning > Canvas > Blackboard-Canvas Comparison

Blackboard-Canvas Comparison

This chart compares tools from Blackboard (Bb) Learn with its Canvas equivalent. Please use the information provided below to help familiarize yourself with the tools that are offered in Canvas, and where to find them. At this time, the information presented on this page is mostly tailored for instructors. For another perspective, watch ODU’s comparison video.

Sections on this page: Bb - Canvas tools | Bb tools without direct Canvas tool | External tools

Bb Tool Canvas Tool Notable Differences
Adaptive Release; Date Restrictions Lock Until

  • How do I lock a module?

Module Requirements; Module Prerequisites

  • How do I add requirements to a module?
  • In Canvas at the module level you can set prerequisites and requirements.
  • Prerequisites require students to complete specific prior modules before they can access the module.
  • Requirements can be enabled to ensure students complete specific items in a module to move to the next module. This can include viewing pages and scoring a specified minimum point value on quizzes, assignments, etc.
Announcements Announcements

  • What are Announcements?
  • Announcements Overview
New Functionality

  • Option to show recent announcements as part of the course home page
Assignments Assignments

  • What are Assignments?
  • Assignments Overview
New Functionality

  • Students now see a progress indicator while files are uploading, unlike with Blackboard where there was no indication. This is especially useful when a student is on a slow connection or when uploading a large file.
  • When an Assignment is created and published, it is added to the Assignment page, Syllabus, and Calendar (will only appear on the Calendar if the assignment has a set due date). When the assignment is edited/updated, all other links are automatically updated.
  • Instructors can limit the type of file allowed to be uploaded
  • The functionality to require Peer Reviews is built in and can be enabled in the Assignment settings.
  • Students can see upcoming assignments that are published but not yet available

Loss of Functionality

  • An individual assignment submission cannot be cleared. Instructors can add additional attempts for all students, or edit an individual's grade to account for a revision.
Blackboard Annotate SpeedGrader

  • How Do I use SpeedGrader?
Calendar Course Calendar

  • Calendar Basics for Instructors
  • Calendar Overview
New Functionality

  • Calendar automatically links with the Syllabus tool (the Syllabus tool in Blackboard doesn't have automatic linking) and displays assessments and due dates.
  • Assignments can be created directly from the Calendar.
  • Calendar items can be dragged and dropped within the calendar to change the assignment due date.
Content Collection Files

  • What are files?
  • Files Overview
New Functionality

  • Students are given their own "My Files" section where they can upload and manage their own library of files.
  • Access can be managed for the "Files" section of the course as an instructor. You can choose to unpublish specific content on your course Files page
  • Files can be quickly moved between directories using Drag and Drop. Instructors can also drag and drop files between courses.
  • A storage meter is displayed to monitor the remaining course quota
  • Items that are in your Commons favorites can be quickly imported into the Files section of the course

Loss of Functionality

  • No Sort by File type (You can search by file type e.g., jpg, png.)
Course Content Area/Blank Page Pages

  • What are Pages?
  • Files Overview
New Functionality

  • Pages in Canvas have history/versioning and revert/rollback.
Course Copy Course Copy
Copy This Course
What is the Course Import Tool?
New Functionality

  • Can adjust events and due dates when performing a Course Copy
  • Course Copy logs will provide direct links to course items that had issues on the import.

Loss of Functionality

  • Course import log summary and log details
Course Link Course Link

  • How do I Create Links to Course or Group Content
New Functionality

  • Improved, updated interface

Loss of Functionality

  • Only available within the Rich Content Editor
Course List Courses

  • How do I customize my Courses list as an instructor?

Dashboard

  • How do I use the Dashboard as an instructor?
New Functionality

  • The ability to “favorite” courses.
  • The ability to add a Nickname, change card colors add images to cards.
  • Quicklinks on cards to common course tools.

Other Differences

  • You must click “All Courses” to see courses from a past term.
  • More modernized look and feel.
Course Menu Navigation Menu

  • How do I use the Course Navigation Menu as an instructor?
  • How do I manage Course Navigation links?
New Functionality

  • All coursework such as assignments and quizzes can be found in the appropriate category, regardless of their location in the modules.

Loss of Functionality

  • Currently, Canvas does not allow you to create unique course navigation menu links or rename existing menu links.
Discussion Board/ Group Discussion Discussions

  • What are Discussions?
  • How do I create a group discussion in a course?
  • Discussions Overview
New Functionality

  • Discussions are more streamlined and more straight forward with fewer layers
  • Discussions can be threaded or unthreaded
  • Discussions can be pinned
  • Discussions can be set to read-only (Closed for Comments).
  • Can filter responses to specific people.
  • Discussions can be assigned to Groups. There’s no need to make a discussion thread per group like in Blackboard.
  • Group Discussions are easier to create. Now, it is a setting that can be enabled in the Discussion settings and is no longer a separate tool.
  • Easier to modify the description for all Group Discussions in the set since there is really only one discussion topic (whereas in Blackboard you would have to go into each group forum to modify the description)

Loss of Functionality

  • Lack of Anonymous and Force Moderation options
  • Unable to disable inserting file attachments or images from the Rich Content Editor (RCE) in Discussions
  • Unable to set how many posts before entering the "Needs Grading" status
Grade Center Grades

  • What are Grades and the Gradebook?
  • How do I use the Gradebook?
  • What is SpeedGrader?
  • How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?
  • SpeedGrader Overview
New Functionality

  • You can now arrange column orders automatically.
  • Filtering options by Section (only applies to cross-listed courses), or Modules are now available.
  • Assignment Group Total Columns automatically appear at the far right of the Gradebook.
  • Students can calculate hypothetical total scores using the What-If feature.
  • You can curve grades for an assignment using a bell curve based on a manually entered average score.
  • Row colors alternate to improve readability.
  • You can create Late and Missing Policies to automatically apply grading to late and missed assignments.

Loss of Functionality

  • You cannot hide assignment columns or Assignment Group Total Columns from the instructor.
  • You cannot hide rows from the instructor.
  • You cannot manually create a column in the gradebook without creating an offline assignment.
  • You cannot create Weighted, Average, Minimum/Maximum, or Total Columns.
  • You cannot weight individual assignments (weighting is done by Assignment Group).
  • You cannot override the maximum point value of a column.

Other Differences

  • How to make Weighted Totals (See documentation as well): Under the assignments section, click on the 3 dot (kebab) menu on the top right of the page. Select Assignment Groups Weight. Check the Weight final grade based on assignment groups and enter the desired weights for each Category.
Groups Groups

  • What are Student Groups?
  • Groups: Creation & Management
New Functionality

  • Discussions can be assigned to all groups at once (via the main course Discussions)
  • Can create Groups while setting up an Assignment or Discussion
  • Can assign a leader to each group
  • Group assignments can be configured so that each student in the group needs to submit their own portion/version of the assignment.
  • Students can create their own groups (the instructor can choose not to allow this on a per-course basis)
  • Drag and drop group editing functionality

Loss of Functionality

  • Conferencing is not included in groups.
Learning Modules; Content Areas Modules

  • What are Modules?
New Functionality

  • Modules allow students to easily navigate online content with a consistent structure among all courses.
  • Modules are uniformly laid out in a linear arrangement that integrates various forms of content efficiently.
  • Modules can be hidden or revealed using accordion-style filtering.

Loss of Functionality

  • No Auto-generated Table of Contents
  • Can't have nested modules
Mobile Apps (“Blackboard” and “Instructor” apps) Mobile Apps (“Student” and “Teacher” apps)

  • IOS Guide
  • Android Guide
  • What is the Canvas Teacher App
  • Canvas Teacher App (Video)
  • What is the Canvas Student app?
  • Canvas Student App
Student App:
New Functionality

  • Canvas UI is consistent with the desktop version
  • QR code for mobile login

Other Differences

  • Web vs Student app functionality comparison chart

Teacher App:
New Functionality

  • Speedgrader is included in the Teacher app along with the ability to annotate.
  • Canvas Teacher includes the "Message Students Who" feature from the web version of Canvas and allows teachers to easily send messages to students about specific course assessments.
  • QR code for mobile login
  • Instructors can now create new Pages and Discussions from the Teacher app

Other Differences

  • Web vs Teacher app functionality comparison chart
My Grades Grades

  • How do I view my grades in a current course?
New Functionality

  • Students can enter “what--‐if” scenarios to calculate hypothetical grades
Notification Settings Notifications

  • How do I Manage my Canvas Notification Settings as an Instructor?
  • How Do I Manage my Canvas Notification Settings as a Student?
  • Notification Settings
New Functionality

  • Teachers, Course Assistants, and Students can add additional methods to receive Canvas notifications.
Retention Center; Evaluation New Analytics

  • How do I view Course Analytics?
  • How do I view an individual student in New Analytics?
Other Differences

  • In Canvas, New Analytics provides a course-level view of student progress, grades, and course interactions.
  • The data only refreshes every 24 hours, and there is an indicator to let you know when the last update occurred.
Rich Content Editor Rich Content Editor

  • What is the Rich Content Editor?
  • Rich Content Editor How do I add a rubric to an assignment?
New Functionality

  • What you see is what you get – formatting is consistent between the editing window and the final product
  • Real-time spell-checking

Loss of Functionality

  • No emoticons
  • No ”Simple Embed” function where a thumbnail would appear for a pasted link that contains metadata. (e.g., an article link pasted from WSJ will not create a thumbnail for it in Canvas as it does in Blackboard. YouTube videos will also not generate a video thumbnail while editing.)

Other Differences

  • Not yet available with New Quizzes
Rubrics Rubrics

  • What are Rubrics?
  • How do I add a rubric to an assignment?
New Functionality

  • "Outcomes" can be imported into the rubric as a criterion.
  • Canvas Rubrics now provides a variety of rating scales.

Loss of Functionality

  • No option to switch between different Rubric Types in the Rubric tool. (Percent/Percent Range)
  • Rubrics cannot be attached to individual quiz questions
  • Categories and Keyword metadata.
Self and Peer Assessments Assignments

  • When creating an Assignment enable the "Require Peer Reviews" option.
  • Add or Edit Details in an Assignment
  • How to use Peer Review
New Functionality

  • Peer reviews are built into assignments and can be enabled on the fly.

Loss of Functionality

  • No self-evaluation options
Send Email/Course Messages Conversations Inbox

  • How do I use Conversations?
  • Communications Overview
New Functionality

  • Accessible through the Global Navigation Menu
  • Course communication can be managed through the Conversations inbox (Discussion responses, Assignment comments, and feedback.)
  • Users can reply to Conversation notifications from their external email, and it will also come through to the Conversations inbox."

Other Differences

  • There is no designated ”Email” tool in Canvas like in Blackboard. However, by default, messages sent via the Conversations Inbox will also send a copy to the external email set for the recipient‘s Canvas account. This can be disabled by turning off notifications for Conversations.
Show/Make Available; Hide/Make Unavailable Publish/Unpublish

  • How do I publish or unpublish a course?
  • How do I publish or unpublish a module?
  • How do I publish or unpublish an assignment?
Syllabus Syllabus

  • How do I use the Syllabus as an instructor?
New Functionality

  • The Syllabus tool in Canvas is a special page type that is visible on the course menu. It can be used to post the course syllabus, schedule, etc.
  • A summary of course activities and due dates is automatically populated at the bottom of the Canvas Syllabus page.
Tests, Surveys, and Pools New Quizzes

  • What is New Quizzes?
  • New Quizzes Overview (Instructors)
  • How do I use the Moderation page in New Quizzes?
New Functionality

  • New Categorization question type.
  • Stimulus content can be added to Quizzes
  • Specific time adjustment options for student quiz exceptions can be set from the Accommodations column under the Moderate tab.
  • Calculators can be enabled.
  • IP Address Quiz Restriction
  • A new option to require a Waiting Period between quiz attempts.
  • Edits can be made to the Quiz even after students have submitted it. There is also a Notify Users option to inform them of any changes.
  • "Fudge Points" can be added via SpeedGrader.
  • The new user interface is more intuitive when creating Quizzes
  • The Item Banks screen has a search bar with filtering options, and the option to share Item Banks.

Loss of Functionality

  • Unsupported questions from Blackboard
    • Quiz Bowl
    • Jumbled sentence
    • Likert scale
  • No option to create a Survey
  • No Auto-Submit ON/OFF toggle (Auto-Submit is always on for a timed test)
  • No Option to label multiple choice questions (i.e., ABC, 123), or option to choose between vertical or horizontal orientation.
  • Question Banks cannot be imported into New Quizzes from Classic quizzes
User Settings Profile and User Settings

  • What are profile and user settings?
  • How do I select personal pronouns in my user account as a student?
New Functionality

  • Additional emails can be added to have notifications sent to.
  • Personal pronouns can be selected.
Users People

  • How do I use the people page?
  • People Overview
New Functionality

  • Can view the student "interactions report" and "access report"
  • Provides a concise list of recent messages
  • An instructor can view various pieces of data about students, such as Student Grades, Interactions Reports, Access Reports, New Analytics, Missing/Late assignments, Total and Last Activity, and Activity Compared to the rest of the class for each student.

Loss of Functionality

  • Cannot find the user’s email. Can only see NetID and send messages via the Canvas message tool.
Weblinks External Link/URL

  • How do I create hyperlinks to external URL in the Rich Content Editor?
  • How do I add an external URL as a module item?
Rich Content Editor:
New Functionality

  • Improved, updated interface.
  • Keyboard shortcut – Select desired text, then Cmd/Ctrl + K

Loss of Functionality

  • Only available through the Rich Content Editor

Modules:
New Functionality

  • Option to add indentation to the External Link
Bb Tool Options in Canvas (No Direct Equivalent) Workaround
Blogs Discussions with adjusted settings.
  • Currently, there is no Blogs tool in Canvas. Please see the section for Blogs on the Migration Cleanup checklist for a workaround.
Folders Module Text Headers and Indentations
  • Use Modules for top-level organization. Separate content within modules using text headers and indentations.
Journal Discussion Board OR Text Assignment Submission
  • Currently, there is no Journals tool in Canvas. Please see the section for Journals on the Migration Cleanup checklist for a workaround.
Manual Grade Column New Assignment - No Submission
  • You cannot add a manual grade column directly to the Grade Book in Canvas (as you can in Learn). You must create a new assignment, and in the “Submission Type” settings, set to “No Submission.” How do I create assignment columns for non-submission Assignments?
Wikis Pages with adjusted editing permissions
  • Currently, there is no Wikis tool in Canvas. Please see the section for Wikis on the Migration Cleanup checklist for a workaround. The workaround does not work as cleanly as Wikis, however, Pages will work. You’ll need to change the permissions of that page to allow students to edit.
  • Pages cannot be set to be worth a grade, and there is no designated comment section for users to provide feedback on individual pages.
External Tool in Blackboard New Tool in Canvas
Respondus Lockdown Browser / Monitor
  • Honorlock
Collaborate Ultra
  • Zoom
SafeAssign
  • Turnitin
Blackboard Ally
  • Panorama
Last modified: May 6, 2025

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  • Blackboard to Canvas Integration List

Related Articles

  • Getting Canvas Ready
  • Blackboard to Canvas Migrated Course Cleanup Guide
  • Course Migration Options: Blackboard to Canvas Manual Migration
  • Course Migration Options: Starting from Scratch

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