I didn’t know but an old college buddy worked for Instructure! We ran into each other at the Keystone conference in 2017. Who know!?! So after catching up on things, we hit the mountain for a quick mountain bike ride. Tired and a bloody leg later, we returned, having filled out relationship bucket, laughed from old memories and discussed some of the rad tools we were using. Thanks to InstructureCon, these collisions are more common than not.
The edtech conference space includes plenty of opportunities to learn about new tools and upcoming widgets and gadgets that teachers can bring to their classroom like FETC, ISTE, OLC, DLA…etc. But there is one conference that has been successfully planned and arranged a gathering of diverse ideas and integrations, of higherED, k12 and corporate users that collaborate in a shared digital ecosystem for the sole purpose of bringing powerful and better learning experiences for students of all ages. That conference is called InstructureCon.
InstructureCon has the common denominator of shared technology tools (Namely the Instructure Platform: Canvas, Mastery, Impact, Credentials, LearnPlatform). Prequalifying all conversations to dive deeper into substance through a variety of approaches, integrations, methods and use-cases that its users have built and are willing to share which makes it compelling.
I attended my first climb to the mountain of InstructureCon in Keystone. What I found was an energetic, fun, and loving bunch of dedicated educators striving to do rad things with the tools provided.
What I took away was ideas for new professional developments, practical examples of integrations and inspiration to continue to lead back in my district.
- Like leveling up with pathways and digital badges and how a district has done it.
- Implementation success and failures
- Clever uses of professional developments
- Classroom templates and assignments and modules
I value the time…
- to learn about new updates to Instructure tools.
- to attend the Instructure partners in the expo hall
- to listen to great music with new and old Instructure friends
- to learn
What I recommend
- Be present to make friends (Sessions are meant to listen, chat, and learn)
- Don’t be shy to ask a question (In the elevator, in the line for a food, after the session, during the session, in the expo hall, on the dance floor)
- Bring a challenge or problem you are facing and ask everyone (Write it down and put it in your pocket. Seek a solution.)
May you have a great experience at your next InstructureCon and please, hit me up, I will be in my white glasses and I’d love to see what new and great things you are doing in your district.
