Out with Blackboard, and in with Canvas. The new learning management system has quickly become a central part of students’ daily routine. 

But change is not always met with immediate approval.

“I don’t like Canvas. Last year, all my classes were in order of my schedule—first, second period, et cetera. Now all my classes are out of order,” junior Shanmukha Gannavaram said.

NASH senior Kyronessa Avotri has mixed feelings.

“It’s not horrible. It looks cleaner than Blackboard did,” Avotri said. “But I should not have to open Canvas, and then my class, and then the agenda [like I did in Blackboard]. I should see the agenda first.” 

Olivia Rodgers, another senior, reported a similar opinion on the new setup.

“I feel like it isn’t overly different from Blackboard,” she said. “I think it can be more of a struggle for teachers, but if teachers do it well, it’s pretty much the same. I don’t like the fact that, whenever you click a link, it opens a new tab.”

Senior Jon Geier is taking a patient approach,

“I prefer Blackboard, because I’m used to it, but Canvas is fine,” he said.

Sean Polk, a senior, has a generally positive outlook.

“I like Canvas a little more than Blackboard,” he said. “Blackboard was really glitchy for me, and Canvas has more reliability and organization.”

NASH teachers are also learning to adapt to the new platform.

“So far, it has been challenging,” social studies teacher Mr. Pirring said. “I was very comfortable with Blackboard, and I put a lot of work into my site. It’s going to take some adjusting and some growing pains to get used to Canvas. I’m hoping, as time goes on, these growing pains will go away, and I’ll be able to flourish using Canvas.”

Most teachers have similar hopes.

“I think it’s going to be a good tool, once we learn how to use it properly,” math teacher Mrs. Miller said. “It’s offers a lot of options, and it’s just going to take a lot of time to get used to.”