The Adoption Corner
Consultant-backed strategies for long-term success with Instructure tools
Rolling out a new system is just the beginning. This series explores the strategies that bring real, lasting adoption to life.
In last month’s Adoption Corner, we explored the foundation of successful adoption: the why, the vision, and the consistent messaging that brings your stakeholders fully into the adoption process. The takeaway checklist asked leaders to reflect on whether they had clearly communicated purpose, aligned on goals, and built trust with their educators.
That foundation is essential - but it is just one part of a complex adoption success plan. Once your institution has defined its vision, clarified its “why,” and laid out SMART goals for measuring the success, the next step is to ensure every User has the skills and confidence to bring that vision to life. That’s where a strategic training plan comes in.
Training is how institutions move from “woohoo - we have a tool” to “we are using this tool to transform the way we teach and learn.” Adequate training builds knowledge, skill, comfort, and confidence - and when connected to institutional goals, it creates momentum that lasts well beyond the rollout.
Fig. 1. "A cartoon of a superhero leading a professional development workshop" prompt, Gemini, 1.5 Flash, Google, 12 Sept. 2025, gemini.google.comTrue story: Early in my consulting career, I had a school district that adopted Canvas in June, completed the technical implementation in July, and scheduled their “training” for August. Their “Training Plan” consisted of bringing 10 Instructure trainers onsite for three days of back-to-back 90-minute workshops, each visiting two schools a day. By the end of the three days, trainers would have visited 60 sites and delivered roughly 60 90-minute workshops. The teachers would then know Canvas well enough to build and launch their courses with students the next week when school started. There isn’t an expressive enough emoji for my feelings upon hearing this plan.
Most of you can probably spot the problems and maybe even relate. Needless to say, the logistics of securing 10 trainers in mid-August with only a couple weeks’ notice is nearly impossible. But more importantly, the strategy was flawed. A one-and-done workshop right before the new school year doesn't give teachers the time or space to practice, plan, and build courses. Much less figure out how to assign to students, add in external tools (like textbooks, math functions, and plagiarism checkers). Canvas is powerful, but like any tool, it requires time to explore, experiment, and connect to teaching goals. Without realistic planning and pacing, training can backfire - leading to resentment, frustration, lack of buy-in, and potentially catastrophic failure before you even get started.
That’s why the Adoption Toolkit emphasizes a different approach: gradual, intentional planning that builds confidence, empowers teachers, and sustains momentum long after the first training session.
The Dual Role of Training
Short-Term Wins: Building Confidence and Buy-In
The initial phase of training is about more than showing people where to click - it’s about building knowledge, skill, comfort, and confidence. This phase clarifies the why behind Canvas adoption and sparks curiosity, helping educators see how the platform connects to your institution’s vision for teaching and learning.
Early adopters, administrators, and instructional leaders play a critical role as champions, modeling best practices and encouraging peers.
The goal is to build immediate confidence, generate buy-in, and support teachers as they take their first steps in publishing courses and engaging students - all while tying each activity back to institutional goals and success metrics.
Long-Term Growth: Sustaining Momentum
Long-term training evolves as Users grow. Late adopters and resistors need targeted support, while advanced Users are ready for deeper strategies. Parents and students also benefit from customized resources to engage fully in the learning process.
To sustain momentum, plan staged training phases - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and beyond - mapped to your vision and metrics. Include a mix of delivery methods:
- Lunch & Learns, Hands-On staff meetings
- On-Demand Training Portal which offers a variety of topics both live and recorded - these short training workshops can be accessed on the time frame that best suits your Users.
- Bring on Instructure trainers for live or virtual trainings
- Develop your own self paced, asynchronous course and incentivize participation with PD, Continuing Ed, or recertification credits
- Spotlight your Early Adopters and Power Users by featuring them at face-to-face workshops and department meetings for collaboration
- One-on-one coaching for targeted support (these are great for User groups like all admins, all non-teaching staff, all TAs, etc)
Advanced professional development, like the Canvas Certified Programs, not only offer advanced training but also ensure adoption continues to deepen over time. By connecting each training opportunity to your vision and measurable outcomes, you embed Canvas into your institution’s systems and culture, transforming Canvas into an essential driver of teaching and learning.
Four Keys to a Strategic Training Plan
1. Connect to Your Vision
Training should always link back to your institution’s goals. Why Canvas? What outcomes do you want for students and teachers? Framing training around your “why” ensures it’s not just about features but about impact. As a consultant, I ensure that every training meeting agenda and planning session has the institution’s clearly stated why or goals at the top of the page.
2. Know Your Users
Different stakeholders require different approaches to training, but if you want to experience long-term successful adoption, every User's needs must be considered and intentionally planned for.
Click on each User category below to learn more.
▶ Admins
Admins may benefit from “Be the Hero” courses and advanced reporting sessions. Admins require both knowledge of Canvas basics and how to access and use the analytics.
I have worked with many Principals and APs over the years, and the ones who have the best success with their Canvas adoption are the ones who take the time to learn it themselves and mirror best practices from the top. A Principal’s Corner Canvas Course or an institution-specific PD course, HR course, Teacher Resource Course, or training course that is created and maintained by leadership not only shows that the investment is from the top down but it also puts admins in a place of authority when teachers have concerns with the tool. How can you support the other Users if you yourself are not one?
▶ Instructors
Instructors need both entry-level support (Canvas Basics) and pathways to advanced design and pedagogy.
Instructors tend to bear the biggest share of responsibility for building and assigning content, figuring out how to get LTIs to students via Canvas, and how to grade and give feedback in Canvas. Have you prepared enough training to support how teachers “should do” all of that as well as leave time for teachers to actually do it (preferably with support)? If, for any reason, you don’t have capacity to create and offer this internally, there are many opportunities that Instructure offers from daily on-demand training for Instructors and Admins (both live and recorded options), to Community Posts, Blogs and User Groups, to live trainers who can work with you to offer whatever training you need (even if you don’t know what you need yet).
▶ Students
Students thrive with guided courses like “Passport to Canvas.”
Students need guidance to be successful. It helps if their courses have consistency in the layout - navigating inside the course can be frustrating if every teacher has their own way of doing things. (We learned this the hard way when classes went fully remote, especially if parents started getting involved. It became apparent that sometimes finding course content was harder than doing the actual course work. Removing the cognitive load from students by asking instructors to follow some consistent outlines goes a long way towards both student (and if K-12 parent) satisfaction.)
Note: Regardless of what types of stakeholders you have using the Instructure tools, when you meet each audience where they are, adoption accelerates.
3. Mix the Training Opportunities & Methods
When it comes to training, one size never fits all. A strong adoption plan offers multiple ways to learn, so people can engage in the style that works best for them. Virtual webinars and recordings make content accessible anytime, while face-to-face sessions like department workshops or staff meetings create space for collaboration. One-on-one coaching can provide targeted support, and self-paced courses give folks the flexibility to move at their own speed.
From Erin Mahoney-Ross, Program Manager - Instructure Learning Services
"The best training plan I've seen was a college that did initial admin training with us, and then designed a diverse set of learning opportunities for their faculty - they could choose between face-to-face, virtual, or asynchronous online training for each of the major topics. The training was designed in a cute 'menu' format that allowed them to choose what suited their needs/schedule. They also did a big faculty-wide kickoff with prizes and a lot of hype around the Canvas adoption."
4. Plan for Growth, Not Just Survival
Launching Canvas training is only the starting point. A sustainable plan builds in scaffolding so that new Users don’t feel overwhelmed while experienced Users continue to be challenged. The goal is balance - too much information at once can frustrate everyone, but too little can feel like a waste of time.
Think in layers:
- Refresher training: Annual or term-based check-ins for processes like course setup, cross-listing, or submitting final grades.
- On-demand resources: Recorded office hours, checklists, or quick guides for tasks that only pop up occasionally.
- New hire support: A clear path for onboarding staff who join mid-year - because substitutes and staffing changes happen constantly.
- Continuous learning: Ongoing training around what’s new, product feature previews, and evolving best practices keeps even veteran Users engaged.
By designing with growth in mind, institutions ensure every User - whether brand-new or seasoned - always has somewhere to turn for the next step in their learning.
Pro-Tip #2: Support All Users
Ensure Users know where to find ongoing support - whether through internal resources and support, the Instructure Community, Help Desk, or your Customer Success Management team. Partnering with Instructure’s Training Services or Strategic Services can also help scale your efforts and provide insights from usage data.
Training as a Catalyst for Transformation
Successful adoption isn’t about checking a box or simply logging into a new platform. It’s about making Canvas an integral part of teaching and learning. When institutions commit to continuous, differentiated training, they empower educators, students, and leaders to use the platform in ways that truly drive transformation.
The investment in training pays off in many tangible ways:
- Students experience more consistent, engaging learning environments.
- Teachers feel confident, supported, and capable - not overwhelmed.
- Leaders see technology aligned with their vision, rather than competing with it.
When training is strategic and ongoing, Canvas stops being “just a tool” and becomes a catalyst for lasting instructional change.
Key Takeaway: Canvas Adoption Checklist
- Ensure every session links back to institutional goals
- Communicate the long-term vision and “why” for Canvas adoption
- Admins, instructors, and students need tailored support
- Early adopters and champions help model best practices
- Offer webinars, workshops, self-paced courses, and coaching
- Provide options for different learning styles and schedules
- Include refreshers, on-demand resources, and new hire support
- Continuously evolve training to support advanced Users and leadership but never forget the beginners
📚 Adoption Corner Series Index
Just joining us or missed a post? Check out the full series below.
- Introduction to the Series: The Adoption Corner: Consultant-Backed Strategies for Long Term Success ...
- August 15: The Technical Success Is Just the Start - The “People Work” Is Where It Gets Real
- September 15: Beyond the Launch: Why Your Instructure Platform Needs a Strategic Training Plan for Every User
- Next Month: Strategic Use of Instructional Design for Adoption Success (from Instructure Instructional Design Experts)
🗓 New posts will go live on the 15th of each month!
Our team of dedicated strategic consultants helps customers deepen and elevate their use of Instructure Learning Platform products to meet pedagogical goals across their organization by offering expertise, strategic advice, customized consultation, and targeted coaching. If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact your CSM, or reach out to @Kelley_Lozicki, Manager, Learning Services, or by email at klozicki@instructure.com.
