Office of the Provost

Drexel Is Moving to Canvas—Here’s What You Need to Know

January 12, 2026

This message was shared with students on January 12, 2026.

Dear Students,

We are pleased to announce that Drexel University is adopting Canvas as our new learning management system (LMS) through a phased transition over this calendar year. This decision follows a year-long pilot and comprehensive evaluation, which incorporated feedback from more than 1,000 students and 33 faculty members across colleges and schools.

Why Canvas?

In a comparison between Canvas and Blackboard, Canvas stood out for its ease of use, mobile-friendly design, and strong support for teaching and learning. Students and faculty rated Canvas higher on nearly all evaluation criteria. Students in the pilot appreciated the consistent interface and improved experience, and faculty reported faster workflows and more flexible tools. Canvas is also widely used by leading universities and integrates smoothly with tools students and faculty already rely on.

Timeline

  • Some early adopter courses are already in Canvas.
  • Fall 2026: Almost all courses will be in Canvas, with limited exceptions.
  • December 31, 2026: Blackboard Learn Original courses become read-only.
  • January 2027: All courses will be in Canvas.

This phased approach ensures a smooth transition before Drexel moves to a semester calendar in August 2027.

Resources and What to Expect

  • Your instructor will let you know whether your course will be taught with Blackboard or Canvas.
  • To access Canvas, visit canvas.drexel.edu and sign in with your Drexel credentials.
  • You’ll see more courses moving into Canvas over the next several terms.

To assist you during this transition, we’ve created a Canvas SharePoint with FAQs about the transition, links to Canvas training resources and a detailed timeline.

Visit the Countdown to Canvas SharePoint

Please reach out to the Instructional Technology Group at itg@drexel.edu if you have questions about this change. Thank you for your flexibility as we make this important improvement to the Drexel student learning experience.

Sincerely,

Paul E. Jensen, PhD
Executive Vice President
Nina Henderson Provost

Johanna Inman, EdD
Associate Vice Provost
Executive Director, Teaching and Learning Center
Co-Lead, LMS Implementation Task Force

Michael Shelmet, EdD
Director of Instructional Technology
Co-Lead, LMS Implementation Task Force