The LMS Team has developed a new process for Data Retention of Canvas courses which is defined in the new Learning Management System (LMS) Guidelines, Practices and Procedures resource. Based on our research which includes what we have learned from other institutions on their best practices for data retention, we have defined the process as the following:
During mid-August of each academic year, Canvas sites that are five years old or older will be concluded (meaning all enrollment in the site is removed and sites will no longer be visible in the “all courses” list for users). Two weeks prior to the selected date, an announcement will be provided in Canvas specifying the exact date courses will be concluded. If for any reason, a course needs to be retained longer than five years, the instructor-of-record, department chair, or dean must complete the Canvas – Request to Retain Course Access Beyond Deadline form prior to the scheduled conclusion date.
We know this will help many faculty and students who have seen an increasing long list of courses in their “All courses” list and want them removed. Faculty, who have a need to keep a course longer than five years, will be able to by completing the Canvas – Request to Retain Course Access Beyond Deadline form or export your course content to store locally.
To assist with testing and understanding this permanent process, we will be removing the old Sakai migrated course sites this February. On February 1, 2022, the old migrated Sakai sites in Canvas will be concluded (meaning all enrollment in the site is removed and sites will no longer be visible in the “all courses” list for users). These were the sites created by the migration tool, when we transitioned to Canvas. If for any reason you need to keep one of these old Canvas course sites and you are the instructor for the site, please complete the Canvas – Request to Retain Course Access Beyond Deadline form or export your course content to store locally. Otherwise, these sites will be concluded on February 1st.
Then in August 2022, we will conclude all courses dating from 2012 when the very first courses in our Canvas instance were created through Summer 2017. A process is now in place to conclude courses annually in August of each year. So, for example in August of 2023, sites from Fall 2017 – Summer 2018 would be concluded. There will always be communications and announcements when these events are to occur.
If you have any specific questions, you can contact canvas-info@udel.edu.
