InstructureCast - The Official Instructure Podcast

In this episode of the Bamboo Beat, join your host Nicole Hiers as she interviews Brittany Jeanes, Jennifer Fribush, and Jennifer Hindes, to uncover their pioneering approach to implementing Canvas for Elementary in Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative. Together, they share their on-the-ground experiences, highlighting the challenges they've overcome and the successes they've achieved. Tune in to explore the our highlight on Canvas for Elementary!

Hosts Melissa Loble and Ryan Lufkin welcome Amanda Sessions, an Instructure higher ed strategic customer service manager who is an expert on Competency-Based Education, or CBE. Learn how many higher ed institutions are embracing the CBE model of education, a model that gives learners the power to earn credentials through mastery, move through programs at their own pace, receive proactive guidance and support, and produce portfolio-ready work.

To learn even more about CBE programs, please check out these valuable resources mentioned in the podcast: 

Host, Nicole Hiers, is joined by Renee Carney, Kristin Lundstrum, and Nathan Atkinson to talk all things Instructure Community. Shining a spotlight on the Community, this episode celebrates a significant milestone and introduces you to the new and exciting feature available in this space. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at the Instructure Community team and platform!

In this episode, host, Nicole Hiers, joined by Don Lourcey, Sarah Hawkins, and Elizabeth Lourcey, delve into the unique challenges teachers face as they gear up for the new school year. From lesson planning to managing classroom dynamics, we discuss practical strategies to cope with stress, prevent burnout, and prioritize self-care, ensuring a successful and mentally healthy start to the school year.

Special guest hosts, Jenn Mitchell, Senior Director of Instructure's Product Marketing, and Karl Rectanus, SVP of K-12 Strategy at Instructure, dissect and discuss the details surrounding Instructure’s annual State of Assessment in K-12 Education survey. 

Host, Nicole Hiers connects with Lizzy Rodriguez, Principal Learning Consultant at Instructure, Erin Mahoney-Ross, Learning Consultant at Instructure, and two incredible clients, Kristie Bigler from Indiana State University and Steven Sproles from Virtual Virginia! We talk about the Adoption Success Toolkit; what it is and the impact it has in the implementation of Canvas.

Bamboo Beat Episode: Guest host Nicole Hiers hangs out with Deonne Johnson, Instructure’s Director of People & Culture, Lyndsey Martin, Principal Program and Curriculum Designer, Miranda McIntosh, Manager in Learning Services at Instructure, and Brittany Jeanes, Principal Instructional Designer at Instructure! We talk about the incredible Canvas Course Evaluation Checklist, why and how it was created, and how you can use it to elevate your online and hybrid courses. 

InstructureCast's new podcast hosts Melissa Loble, Instructure's Chief Customer Experience Officer, and Ryan Lufkin, VP of Global Strategy for Instructure, kick off the newly reformatted podcast, formerly known as Canvascasters, with a hot topic ... generative AI! Tune in to these edtech experts to learn all about Instructure's approach to AI and get a sneak peek into upcoming AI-powered tools within the Instructure Learning Platform!

For more information about generative AI, be sure to check out these links:

Panda Pros are back! Guest host, Nicole Hiers gets the inside scoop on Instructure’s offering of Panda Pros this year. She is joined by Michelle Lattke, Senior Director of Learning Services, Jaime Jackson, Learning Consultant at Instructure, and Stella Hernandez, Principal Learning Consultant at Instructure. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes tour of everything you want to know about Panda Pros 2023 and some exciting announcements!

Guest host Nicole Hiers chats with Elizabeth Miller, Regional Director at Instructure, and Michael Kocher and Da’Shira Jackson, Program Managers at Instructure. They discuss the world of gamification and credentialing, and how Instructure’s products support engagement in online and hybrid learning environments.

Explore how the Principal's Corner can infuse connection and communication within Canvas. Guest host Nicole Hiers connects with Chasina Worman, Brittany Firestone, Dr. KC Testerman, and Mark Sluzky, Instructure’s Principal Learning Consultants, and Dr. Jackie Ashmore, Principal of Chaputnguak School & Amaqigciq School! The group discusses the benefits of a Principal’s Corner to empower educators and bridge relational gaps amongst teams.

Guest host Nicole Hiers meets up with Sam Christ, Instructure's Principal Learning Experience Designer, and Nancy Lowery, Cengage Marketing Manager for Instructor & Learning Management Systems. The trio talks about the new partnership Instructure now has with Cengage, as part of the LMS' Training Services Portal.

Guest host and Instructure Customer Marketer, Shelly Ruff, huddles up with Product Manager Jacqueline Coolidge and K-12 CSM Michael Prosia to talk about the newest, FREE, feature in Canvas — Admin Analytics.

Links for more information:

Shelly and guest co-host Amber Williams huddle-up with Janie Solinski -Ruddy to talk about the new and improved Training Services Portal for Canvas. We also talk #ConfettiWithCanvas and talk mental wellness moments with our #CanvasFam!

The Canvascasters Podcast co-host, Marcus Painter, appears on the BISD BirdCast Podcast to face-off against an old friend, Matt Miller!

The challenge was fierce, but the conversation and ideas were better!  What a great episode!

Check-out the following:

In this episode, Marcus talks to Aaron Ferguson the Coordinator of Distance Learning and Canvas administrator of Oxnard Online, and Saša Stojić, a dedicated Instructional Designer at Instructure.  These two, and many others at Oxnard Union High School District, have teamed up to create and build some truly impactful new approaches to content restructuring, accessibility best practices, course building, and credit recovery!

7 Pillars of Accessibility:

In this episode, Marcus talks with a few educators about the “side hustles” and hobbies that are integral to their lives, their mental health, and sometimes even their wallets.  Ultimately, all people are seeking the truest work/life balance possible.  The guests on this episode are all educators with amazing insights and stories about the activities that enrich and enhance both their personal and professional lives.

WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association

Welcome to Episode 50 of The Canvascasters Podcast.  Today, Marcus invites two of his good friends, Carrie Gardner and Lindsey Hallett from Kansas to kick-off the 2022-2023 school year the right way by filling up our Canvas Backpacks with everything educators need to know to thrive during the 2022-2023 school year!

Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts

Please consider reviewing the podcast!

Register for a time slot with a Panda Pro:

The purpose of Global Accessibility Awareness Day is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access/inclusion and people with different disabilities. GAAD is an annual event that occurs on the third Thursday of May! https://accessibility.day/ 

Our guest will include Amy Everhart (K12) & Matt Jennings (HE). 

Welcome to Episode 48 of the Canvascasters Podcast! In this episode, we talk with Misty Joaquin, a Digital Learning Facilitator, serving Little Elm ISD, in the great state of Texas! We dive into the importance of Mental Health, from an educator’s perspective.  We discuss strategies and healthy practices for mental health, as well as ways to make life more manageable using Canvas itself.

Welcome to Episode 47 of the Canvascasters Podcast! In this episode, we talk with Glenn Davis, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and professor of English at Bowling Green State University.  Glenn and others, spear-headed an initiative in 2020 to partner with the Instructional Design Team at Instructure to completely reimagine course design.

We will also discuss how Bowling Green State University placed a priority on course design in order to ensure quality learning within the various learning modalities they have faced throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic and what that initiative looks like today.

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Welcome to Episode 46 of the Canvascasters Podcast today we are "discussing discussions" which is one of the most powerful tools for learning within Canvas LMS! In this episode, we dig into the power of Discussions in K12 and Higher Education, fun ideas to innovate with discussions, and best practices from the experts as we are joined by Melissa Greer & Linda Lee.

Melissa Greer began her career as a high school Latin teacher for the Newton College and Career Academy and STEM Institute in Covington, GA., where she, herself, attended growing up.  This year she moved into a Digital Learning Coach role where she supports teachers at 3 middle schools.  Currently, she is working on getting her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Instructional Technology from Valdosta State University. In her infinite free time (*jokes*) she likes to hang out with her boyfriend and dog, travel, cross stitch, decorate custom cookies, and just be a nerd (listen to podcasts about and play D&D, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars, books by Brandon Sanderson, etc.)

Linda Lee is a folklorist, educator, and instructional designer. She’s the Director of Instructional Design at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she leads instructional design and training efforts for the IDEA Courseware Team. She came to instructional design by way of adjunct teaching. She’s used Canvas as an instructor since 2014 and as an admin since 2015, when she joined Wharton as the school’s first instructional designer. Since then, she’s developed deep expertise in inclusive course design and all things Canvas, including Blueprint courses, discussions, and group assignments. She’s presented widely on these topics, including at InstructureCon 2021 and Educause 2021, where she co-presented sessions on “Change the Prompt, Not the Tool: Developing Effective Discussions” with Penn colleagues Meryl Krieger and Adam Zolkover.

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Welcome to Episode 45 of the Canvascasters Podcast today we are "discussing discussions" which is one of the most powerful tools for learning within Canvas LMS! In this episode, we dig into the power of Discussions in K12 and Higher Education, fun ideas to innovate with discussions, and best practices from the experts as we are joined by Melissa Greer & Linda Lee.

Melissa Greer began her career as a high school Latin teacher for the Newton College and Career Academy and STEM Institute in Covington, GA., where she, herself, attended growing up.  This year she moved into a Digital Learning Coach role where she supports teachers at 3 middle schools.  Currently, she is working on getting her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Instructional Technology from Valdosta State University. In her infinite free time (*jokes*) she likes to hang out with her boyfriend and dog, travel, cross stitch, decorate custom cookies, and just be a nerd (listen to podcasts about and play D&D, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars, books by Brandon Sanderson, etc.)

Linda Lee is a folklorist, educator, and instructional designer. She’s the Director of Instructional Design at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she leads instructional design and training efforts for the IDEA Courseware Team. She came to instructional design by way of adjunct teaching. She’s used Canvas as an instructor since 2014 and as an admin since 2015, when she joined Wharton as the school’s first instructional designer. Since then, she’s developed deep expertise in inclusive course design and all things Canvas, including Blueprint courses, discussions, and group assignments. She’s presented widely on these topics, including at InstructureCon 2021 and Educause 2021, where she co-presented sessions on “Change the Prompt, Not the Tool: Developing Effective Discussions” with Penn colleagues Meryl Krieger and Adam Zolkover.

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Welcome to Episode 43 of the Canvascasters Podcast with our #DLDay Recap! Welcome to the first EVER CANVAS DEMO SLAM!  We have collected some verified Canvas Gurus to compete in what’s called a Demo Slam!  What’s a demo slam, you may ask?  Well, it’s simple.  Each competitor gets 3 minutes to demo anything they want in, about, or relating to Canvas LMS.  They have complete freedom of strategy, content, tips and tricks, whatever.  The only rules are that they have to complete their demo within 3 minutes, and, of course, it’s got to be related to our favorite LMS, Canvas.  And, the best part is that YOU, those watching LIVE, will vote to decide the winner!

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Welcome to Episode 42 of the Canvascasters Podcast with our #DLDay Recap! Our first session welcomes Kristin Barr (Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Personalized Learning) and Pattie Bowen (Instructional Technology Resource Teacher) as they discuss their journey with Canvas LMS and Impact.

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Welcome to Episode 41 of The Canvascasters Podcast and a special edition as Eddie & Marcus finally reveal some personal news. Join them alongside some of the CanvasFam as they celebrate this important accomplishment.

Details on Canvas LMS for Dummies:

Welcome to Episode 40 of the Canvascasters Podcast with Tracy Parodi!  Tracy works as an Instructional Technologist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.  Prior to working at Embry-Riddle, she served as an elementary school teacher for 7 years, as a K-5 Online Instructor for 7 years, and as a Personalized Learning Leader for 3 years, all in the Volusia County School District in Daytona Beach.

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Our FIRST OFFICIAL edition of The Canvascasters Podcast where the Canvascasters board the boat to Iceland and catch up with our CCE/Twitter friends Helena Sigurdardottir and Valla Ósk. Both educators have given so much to their schools and universities and recently led a deliberate Canvas LMS rollout. 

Helena has a Masters degree in Educational Science and Information Technology and is finishing a MicroMasters in Instructional Design and Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus.  She has been a classroom teacher for 20 years, and has been effectively using ICT skills to help students with learning disabilities in the classroom.  She has led implementation of smart devices in elementary and high schools in Iceland for eight years, and now as a part of international projects at the University of Akureyri. Helena’s work consists of advising teachers about pedagogy and technology within their courses. All courses are online in using Canvas.  She, along with a few others, are in charge of Canvas LMS and have just finished their deliberate implementation process. She finished the Canvas Certified Educator program in August 2021

Valla has a Bachelor's degree in Danish and has lived in Denmark for some years, both for work and study. She has a teaching degree as well, and is a Danish teacher (in Iceland Danish is taught as a foreign language). She’s even taught IT, Introduction to Social Science, and Innovation. Valla has been a part of establishing two upper secondary schools, in 2004 and in 2010. Although Valla has experience using both Angel and Moodle she started using Canvas while working at the University of Akureyri in 2019. Since September 2019, Valla’s work has included instructional design at the Center of Teaching and Learning at the University of Akureyri, where she continues to support teachers in using Canvas and other programs, such as Panopto, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. Valla also had the chance to participate in the CCE program!

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Want to learn about how you can win a CCE Scholarship...

Pay close attention to the break in this episode to snag your chance!

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Welcome to Episode 37 of The Canvascasters Podcast w/ Don Lourcey! 

“The Don”, as we like to call him, is the Digital Teaching and Learning Coach & Canvas Administrator at Iredell-Statesville Schools in North Carolina.  As is the case with so many amazing educators, Don started as an English teacher!  He has extensive expertise in digital and online learning throughout his career.  And, on top of all that, his Canvas game is strong!  He is an Instructure Contractor: Instructional Designer, Canvas Trainer, and a Canvas Certified Educator Facilitator.

Don Lourcey has been highlighted in a number of Canvas webinars and Livestreams and is a strong voice in the Canvas community who is always helping fellow Canvas users improve!  

In This Episode:

Welcome to Episode 36 of The Canvascasters Podcast!

2021 Nebraska Canvas User Group Conference - Marcus, Eddie, and our good friend KC Testerman (DR. KC!) hosted an afternoon chat with audience Q&A. It's always great to spend time with KC and we had a blast being a part of this conference.

Welcome to Episode 36 of The Canvascasters Podcast!

2021 Nebraska Canvas User Group Conference - Marcus and Eddie were invited to keynote this 5th Annual Event and it was incredible. We are humbled by the experience and hope you find a few nuggets in our keynote recording - in its ENTIRETY!

Welcome to Episode 35 of the Canvascasters Podcast!

Today we turn over the mic to two of our favorites as they host The Canvascasters.

Eddie & Marcus were thrilled to provide this closing session for the Elementary Summer Camp provided by the fantastic facebook group : Canvas for Elementary. This is the audio recording from that session.

Welcome to Episode 34 of the Canvascasters Podcast!

Today we welcome two members of the TL;DR Canvas Podcast - Jenn Mitchell & Ryan Lufkin! 

After working in higher ed, Jenn worked in marketing before finding a home in K-12 edtech. Passionate about supporting educators as they make real, lasting impact for students, she leads the K-12 product marketing team for LMS and Assessment products. Ryan’s career has been largely spent in the edtech space. His experience spans enterprise resource planning and curriculum design and he has worked for various LMS providers. He currently focuses on strategic initiatives that market Canvas to both new and existing customers.

In today's episode we cover everything from:

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This week we welcome Snehal Bhakta to the Canvascasters Podcast!

Currently, Snehal is a CTE Administrator employed for the 5th largest school district in the country, Clark County School District(CCSD) focusing on ensuring that Nevada’s future workforce is prepared for success. Snehal has worked on projects related to increasing student and community participation with National Job Shadow Day, started an Annual Student Workforce & Innovation Summit for seniors, promoted growth of Career & Technical Student Organizations, and leads CCSD’s #GirlsinSTEM and #GirlsinTECH Initiatives as well as supporting STEM Equity and Diversity programs across 59 middle and 47 high schools especially for those students that are underserved and underrepresented.

Mr. Bhakta also serves as the Nevada Affiliate Coordinator for NCWIT(National Center for Women & Information Technology), legislative member for the Society of Information Management(SIM) of Las Vegas, steering committee member for the Intermountain STEM Steering Committee, and holds board positions on several other local organizations.

In 2017, he was awarded the Top Tech Exec Award in the Education Category by Cox Communications and in 2019, the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity(NAPE) awarded Snehal the 2019 Rising Star award at their National Summit for Educational Equity in Washington, D.C. and received the COX Business 2019 Top Tech Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with diversity in the workforce in Southern Nevada.

Mr. Bhakta has also been appointed in 2020 to the Governor’s Advisory Board for STEM, Nevada State Multicultural Committee, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity(NAPE) Executive Committee, and the Inclusion, Access, Equity and Diversity Taskforce for the Association of Career and Technical Education(ACTE).

In This Episode You Will Hear Great Stuff Like:

“Data is great, but you still gotta work with humans”

“You can tackle equity with a hammer or with a scalpel”

“Empower learners to CHOOSE a CTE path, rather than force them down that path.”

Welcome to The Canvascasters Podcast.

Jim Wolf has finally joined our show! In his current position, Jim trains and coaches teachers on Canvas utilization and other educational platforms and trains teachers on technology integration.  He has a MSEd in Education from DePaul University and a MSEd in Instructional Technology from Northern Illinois University. Jim is a Certified Technology Specialist, a Canvas Administrator, Instructure Advocate, a Google Certified Educator levels 1 and 2, and an Apple Teacher.

He is currently studying for his Certified Education Technology Leader Certification.  Jim is also currently working through BETA testing for the Canvas Certified Educator program, as well as facilitating CCE courses. He truly believes that technology is the best way to engage with students.  In his free time, Jim does documentary and artistic photography, and he has recently become a beekeeper.   He is a California transplant and when Jim grows up, he hopes to become a Director of Instructional Technology.

It is episode THIRTY of The Canvascasters Podcast as we welcome Dr. Ellen Bloomfield.

Dr. Ellen Bloomfield serves as the Director of The Center for Teaching & Learning at Midway University where she led the transition to Canvas LMS in Spring 2020.  As a result of the pandemic, the university switched to remote learning in March 2020 just shy of the 2 month go-live date for Canvas.  During this time, Ellen led the faculty through rapid remote conversion of Spring 2020 courses in the previous LMS while preparing faculty to teach in our current Canvas LMS for Summer 2020.

Dr. Bloomfield has 20 years’ experience in education, working as a secondary mathematics teacher prior to joining Midway University in 2014.  At Midway University, Ellen has managed the institution’s Library, administered the online learning management system, and created Midway's Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation. An Instructional Designer, by degree, Ellen’s passion is supporting faculty enabling them to successfully leverage technologies to create highly engaging and effective learning environments for their students.  Her research interests include the connections between learning theories, technology integration models, and effective pedagogical practices.

In this episode:

• Why Peer to Peer is more effective
• How to exploit the beauty of the subject matter.

Welcome to Episode 29 of The Canvascasters Podcast!  

Canvas + UDL= Designing for ALL learners

With 17 years of experience in public schools, Katie Fielding is always excited to talk about ways to integrate technology into the classroom. Katie transitioned to the role of Instructional Technology Coach at Woodbridge Senior High School after 13 years in the high school Science classroom. In that position, she has quickly found her niche in sharing instructional practices with her colleagues, and she was selected VSTE Coach Of The Year in 2019.   Katie takes joy in building capacity in others so they can fully participate in the digital world.

Katie has a special interest in improving homebound instruction for chronically ill students.  She shares this message through professional learning opportunities and connecting with educational leaders on the topic. Now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she hopes to improve those virtual practices for all learners..

In this episode we discuss:

• How she's adapted her staff quickly from Google Classroom to Canvas LMS.
• How sharing resources helps the greater good.
• What it's like to adapt for accessibility and UDL.! 

How the Google Innovator Academy shaped her Design Thinking Mindset How Canvas Can Make Google Better The Positive Mindset Cat's Canvas Backpack w/ (Nerd Alert) HTML

Welcome to Episode 28 of The Canvascasters Podcast!  We welcome Cat Flippen who is an award-winning edu-leader recognized for her expertise with technology-empowered teaching and learning. She has an extensive background as a high school educator, district administrator, consultant, K-12 and Higher Ed faculty, and she currently serves as the Instructional Technology and Professional Learning Specialist and ELL/ESOL Coordinator for Jackson County Schools, in Georgia. She is a Google Certified Innovator and Trainer and has garnered several honors including being named the 2014 Georgia Foreign Language Teacher of the Year and a 2014 ISTE Emerging Leader.

In this episode we discuss:

• How the Google Innovator Academy shaped her Design Thinking Mindset
• How Canvas Can Make Google Better
• The Positive Mindset
• Cat's Canvas Backpack w/ (Nerd Alert) HTML

Welcome to Episode 1 of Season 2 of The Canvascasters Podcast!  

In this episode we welcome Melissa Loble to the show! She talks about the transformative educational landscape, what is in her Canvas backpack, and how she is preparing for CanvasCon 2020! 

Melissa is a seasoned Education Technology executive, customer experience, and business leader. She is passionate about innovating digital alternatives to traditional teaching/learning practices and delivering at scale. She is an IMS Global Learning Consortium Board Member. She is also a TEACHER - Officially 21 years in the educational industry, and will be celebrating her 7th year at Instructure in December. And, above all of that, she has actually listened to our podcast and is willing to publicly state that she is a listener and fan of the show!

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Suzy Lolley has been in public education for 16 years. She served as both a middle and high school English teacher and as an instructional technology specialist for teachers in K-12. She is currently a technology integration specialist at Kennesaw State University, and supports the personalized learning initiatives for two Fulton County elementary schools. She is a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and Master Trainer, a Microsoft Surface expert, and a Raspberry Pi ambassador. As if all of that wasn’t enough, we have Suzy on the show today because she is an amazing Canvas resource and provides great content on her Youtube Channel with her Canvas For Littles Series.

Welcome to The Canvascasters Podcast.

Kona Jones (2x) has graciously accepted our invitation to return to the show to discuss how DISTANCE LEARNING doesn’t mean DISTANT! Kona is the Director of Online Learning and facilitator of the Faculty Academy at Richland Community College in Illinois.  Kona is a Canvas power-user and has been a mainstay in the Canvas Community for years