After the start of classes last week, quite a few students were surprised to discover that half their course content remains on Angel and the other half moved to Canvas. So what’s going on?

Canvas is currently up and running, but some final developments in the system are not quite finished yet. What we do know is that as of now, both Canvas and Angel are still available for use and it is up to your professor (or your major’s department) to decide which database they prefer for that specific course. While it’s annoying that you don’t have the ability to make this choice for yourself, have no fear. As long as you stay relatively organized, digitally-navigating your courses this year should be simple — each database allows you to bounce from one to the other pretty easily.

However, whether you still have a fierce loyalty to Angel or you can’t wait to see its demise, be prepared to start making the final shift by the end of this school year. Courses will only be taught on Angel through the spring 2017 semester. Any class beginning after June 30, 2017, will be taught on Canvas.

Clearly, the 2016-2017 school year is a year comprised of multiple changes (and yes – we’re primarily talking about you, LionPATH). Having to deal with yet another major shift can be daunting. Luckily, Penn State has implemented plenty of programs and tutorials to help students and faculty begin this gradual change as smoothly as possible. The Canvas Student Guide, for example, offers frequently-updated instructions on navigating the database, accessing assignments, and utilizing the online chat service, to name a few. The university even uploaded a chart of terms you used to see frequently on Angel and what they are now called on Canvas. For those who need further assistance, the Canvas Community invites anyone who uses the new database to ask questions and even hold group discussions about the program. 

Simply put, we just have to suck it up. We’ll get used to it eventually, especially because Canvas isn’t as horrible as LionPATH. If you ever have additional questions or difficulties adjusting to the new program, contact canvas@psu.edu.09