Drexel has officially announced that it will transition from Blackboard Learn to Canvas as its new learning management system. According to the university, the transition will occur in phases, and students will start to see changes over the upcoming academic terms.
Blackboard Learn has been Drexel’s primary platform for submitting assignments, checking grades, and accessing course materials since 2012. Canvas, on the other hand, is a learning platform used by many universities and includes tools for course navigation, mobile access, and communication and collaboration.
In an email shared with students on Jan. 12, 2026, the university stated that the decision followed a year-long pilot and evaluation process, with feedback from 1,000 students and 33 faculty members across colleges and schools. The transition is scheduled to be fully implemented by January 2027, with training resources available to help students and faculty adjust featured on the Canvas status page.
Sophomore User Experience and Interaction Design major Janet Ifeoma Ogbu shared her feelings on this upcoming shift:
“I only started college recently, so I haven’t had enough time to get very used to Blackboard Learn,” Ogbu said.
“Because of that, the switch doesn’t feel like it will have a huge impact on me. I’m keeping an open mind and [am] curious to see how Canvas compares.”
Ogbu said that adjusting to Canvas may take some time at first, mainly due to learning where features are located.
“I think it’ll mostly be about figuring out where everything is,” she said. “Once I spend some time navigating the platform, it probably won’t feel overwhelming.”
Although she has heard of Canvas, Ogbu said she has not used the platform before.
“It’ll be completely new for me,” she said. “I’m interested to see what the differences are compared to Blackboard Learn.”
Canvas is currently accessible to students as the transition continues, and the university has stated that IT and teaching support teams will assist throughout the process. Students can also prepare for the Canvas transition by reviewing tutorial videos and exploring sample courses available on the platform.
The implementation will take place before the move to a semester calendar in August 2027.
Information and updates about the transition are available through Drexel’s official IT announcements and university communications.