By Hudson Hawkins

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A countdown clock is a traditionally foreboding omen. The one that UK students have become familiar with in the past few weeks is the one they are greeted with when they log on to Blackboard.

The timer is counting down to our transition from Blackboard to Canvas. Both sites are learning softwares used by professors for everything from general class announcements, to homework and tests and finals. The final switch is coming on June 1, 2016.

The University’s Analytics and Technologies department began looking in to options for a new software after receiving feedback from students and faculty that it might be time for a change. They gathered this feedback over four years and took into account opinions on usability and the kinds of features that people wanted in a replacement for Blackboard.

According to marketing and communications manager for UKAT Ashley Tabb, Canvas was eventually selected because it does not require long periods of down time for upgrades that other services, such as Blackboard, need.

“Feedback we have heard so far from faculty making the transition has been very positive. Overall student feedback has been positive about canvas,” Tabb said.

Tabb said the biggest complaint so far was that students and faculty would have to go back to Blackboard for courses that weren’t ready for Canvas.

“Currently we have 1,324 active courses in Canvas. We have 1,104 instructors and TAs in canvas,” Tabb said.

Tabb said that the university is giving instructors this year to transition to the new service because they know that the process can be both time consuming and difficult. They are also hoping that students will be patient and understanding when having to deal with courses spread over two distinct services.

Sydney Beidleman, public health sophomore, said that she prefers Canvas over Blackboard.

“It’s easier to find things because there are fewer tabs,” Beidleman said. “I could never find anything here (in Blackboard) and I really appreciate the 24/7 support.”