Recommendations for faculty during a Canvas outage
Overview
While major learning management system (LMS) outages are uncommon, they can temporarily disrupt access to course materials, assignments, communication tools, quizzes, and grade information. Preparing in advance can help minimize disruption to teaching and learning activities.
The following recommendations are intended to help faculty maintain instructional continuity before, during, and after a significant Canvas outage.
Before an outage
Maintain local copies of curricular materials
Always maintain copies of important course materials in a secure location outside of Canvas.
For example, course documents, syllabi, assignment instructions, and announcements may be initially developed and stored in Microsoft Word, OneDrive, or SharePoint prior to being uploaded to Canvas. Maintaining original copies outside of the LMS can help simplify recovery if access to Canvas is temporarily unavailable.
Regularly export and back up your Canvas course
Faculty are encouraged to periodically export their Canvas courses and store backup files in a secure university-approved location such as SharePoint or OneDrive.
Canvas course exports create an .imscc backup package that can assist with course restoration if needed.
Instructions are available under “How to export a Canvas course” on the Canvas Course Content Retention page.
Regularly back up your gradebook and course roster
Faculty should periodically export their Canvas gradebook to maintain an offline copy of grades and student contact information.
This export generates a spreadsheet containing student names, university IDs, email addresses, assignment scores, and current grades.
To export the Canvas gradebook:
Open your course and select Grades from the course navigation menu.
Select the Actions menu near the upper-left corner of the Gradebook.
Choose Export.
Save the downloaded CSV or Excel file to a secure and private location such as SharePoint or OneDrive.
If an outage occurs before student contact information can be exported, you can find your student roster with email addresses by logging into Web4U.
Identify alternative communication methods in advance
Consider identifying alternative tools and communication methods before an outage occurs.
University-supported tools may help support temporary communication, file sharing, office hours, or virtual instruction during an LMS disruption.
For example:
Microsoft Teams
Zoom
Microsoft Outlook
Faculty may also wish to communicate contingency plans in advance through the course syllabus or a standing announcement.
During an outage
Monitor official university communications
During a major outage, continue monitoring official university communication channels for updates regarding system status, estimated resolution times, and available workarounds.
Avoid relying on unofficial reports or social media speculation when making instructional decisions.
Communicate clearly with students
If possible, notify students using alternative communication tools such as email or Teams. You can find your student roster with email addresses by logging into Web4U.
Consider communicating:
expected impacts to coursework,
temporary instructional changes,
revised deadlines if appropriate,
alternative assignment submission methods,
and where students should look for updates.
Clear and consistent communication can significantly reduce student confusion and anxiety during service interruptions.
Use alternative methods for instructional continuity
Depending on the nature and duration of the outage, faculty may temporarily:
distribute materials via email or Teams,
collect assignments through Outlook email attachments,
conduct synchronous sessions through Zoom or Teams,
or provide temporary flexibility for deadlines and assessments.
Faculty are encouraged to prioritize continuity of instruction while remaining mindful of accessibility and student equity considerations.
Avoid sharing sensitive data through unapproved channels
Even during an outage, faculty should continue following university data security and privacy requirements.
Sensitive, confidential, or protected student information should only be shared using approved institutional tools and secure methods.
After an outage
Verify course functionality
After service has been restored, verify that:
course content is accessible,
assignments and quizzes are functioning properly,
grades remain accurate,
and recent student submissions were successfully retained.
Communicate any changes or adjustments
If timelines, assignments, or instructional plans changed during the outage, communicate any revised expectations clearly to students.
Providing a brief summary of next steps can help students transition back to normal course operations.
Report ongoing issues
If course content appears missing or functionality remains impaired after the outage has ended, contact Canvas Help at CanvasHelp@wwu.edu.
Providing screenshots, timestamps, and detailed descriptions of issues can help expedite troubleshooting.
Additional recommendations
Faculty may also wish to:
include an LMS outage contingency statement in their syllabus,
maintain a simple offline copy of their course schedule,
keep important contact lists accessible outside of Canvas,
and avoid relying exclusively on a single system for critical instructional activities.
Preparation and redundancy can help reduce disruption and support a smoother experience for both faculty and students during unexpected service interruptions.
Additional support
If you have any additional questions, please send an email to CanvasHelp@wwu.edu or contact the ATUS Help Desk.