Pepperdine Launches Canvas as the University’s Next Learning Management System
Faculty and Staff invited to Town Hall on Canvas tools, transition timeline, and more on February 12
It’s an exciting time at Pepperdine as the University officially establishes Canvas as the institution’s next learning management system (LMS). Pepperdine University Provost Jay Brewster and the Deans of each school at Pepperdine chose to adopt Canvas starting in Fall 2025.
In a community email on Monday, January 27, the Office of the Provost shared with all faculty, staff, and students that Canvas will eventually replace Courses/Sakai, which has been in use since 2009. Canvas is a great fit for Pepperdine because of its user-friendly interface, comprehensive communication features, mobile-ready capabilities, and capacity to adapt to diverse learning environments.
The announcement cited the work that led to the decision, including a comprehensive LMS study and the successful pilot program completed by Information Technology's Technology & Learning team. The study and pilot findings revealed that:
- 79% of student and faculty pilot respondents support a change to Canvas
- 70% of University faculty respondents endorse Canvas for Pepperdine
- 64% of students indicated they have past experience with Canvas
“Canvas has a smart, intuitive interface, making it easy for faculty and students to use. And, our students will be able to access course materials and submit assignments on their mobile devices through the Canvas app," said Pepperdine University Associate Chief Information Officer Gerard Flynn.
The move to Canvas is a significant and positive shift for the University, but it only applies to the schools and programs currently using Courses/Sakai (it does not impact Digital Campus/2U programs).
While many are excited about the possibilities that Canvas offers, Information Technology also understands that change can be challenging. That's why we, in partnership with the Office of the Provost and the Center for Digital Learning, are committed to providing robust support and resources to ensure a smooth transition for everyone.
“To provide the Pepperdine community with the best possible experience with Canvas, we are putting the full weight of the Information Technology department’s resources behind this launch,” Flynn continued. Those efforts include:
- Town Hall Events: Technology & Learning (TechLearn) will host the first of several planned town halls on Wednesday, February 12, at 2 PM (PST) for all faculty and staff to learn about Canvas, the transition timeline, tools, and more. Register to attend the February town hall in person or online.
- Comprehensive Training and Support: TechLearn and our project partners will offer a range of training opportunities, including workshops, accessible video tutorials, and one-on-one consultations.
- Content Migration: TechLearn will provide options for instructors to request or self-migrate instructional content from Courses/Sakai to Canvas.
- Option to Extend One Term: In IT, we know that every class is different, and some professors may need extra time to transition. TechLearn will offer an extension opportunity to allow one extra semester on Sakai before making the move to Canvas.
Over the next six months, the TechLearn team will provide regular email updates to the community about the move to Canvas, and you can also visit the Pepperdine LMS Transition website for additional details about the project. Professors who are eager to start exploring Canvas may contact TechLearn for assistance