Bamboo Beat

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!

Check out our Instructure Community to see what all the hype is about!

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.

Check out some important links to resources mentioned in this podcast episode: Headspace for Educators and Stories from School AZ: Juggling Glass Cups, Plastic Balls, and Ghosts. 

Hosts Melissa Loble and Ryan Lufkin visit with Texas A&M University’s Dr. Jocelyn Widmer and student Ellie Richter about how important mental health is and how technology can help support teachers and students. Through Richter and Widmer's efforts, Texas A&M students now have access to a mental health button within Canvas.

Widmer has worked in digital and online education for more than 15 years, most recently as the assistant provost for academic innovation and online learning at Texas A&M University. Prior to her role at TAMU, Widmer held joint faculty appointments in the Colleges of Architecture and Public Health at both the University of Florida and Virginia Tech. With global experience across 18 countries, she is recognized for her teaching and research that integrate technology to build digital literacy capacity in low-resource communities around the world.

Richter is a history, philosophy, and pre-law student in her senior year at Texas A&M University. She has served one of the nation’s largest student bodies as a member of the TAMU Student Government Association since her freshman year. She has been instrumental in bringing student-driven academic concerns to the university leadership to effect change. In her role as Vice President of Academic Affairs of SGA she championed a major OER initiative that is now supported by TAMU’s Office of the Provost, saving students millions of dollars annually. The mental health button in Canvas was driven by Richter's passion for linking existing barriers to student success with innovative solutions. Her steadfast leadership that champions student success initiatives has led to transformational changes to academic policies and practices at TAMU that will have lasting impacts on Aggies well into the future. 

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. 

Click here to read the full State of Assessment in K-12 Education report.

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.

Check out the Community to learn more about The Adoption Success Toolkit and complete your self-assessment.

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. 

Click these links to find the Course Evaluation Checklist 2.0 and the new 3.0 version.

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:

Instructure's AI Guiding Principles

AI Information Hub in the Community

Study Hall AI Resources

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!

Go to this early interest form to get notified for first access to sign up for a Panda Pros session. And starting Monday, July 24th, go to https://www.instructure.com/panda-pros to sign up for a session.