One Quarter of COVID

[shaun_moon]

Exactly three months ago today, Instructure’s Chief Product Officer, Mitch Benson sent an email to the company with this TL;DR:

The world in which we operate and live is changing dramatically and quickly due to the Coronavirus. Right now, we have an opportunity to be of service to the global population of teachers and learners who depend on our tools and people. Let's keep the world engaged in quality teaching and learning despite the challenges presented by physical separation.

The three months since then have been exhilarating, often exhausting, sometimes anxious. A lot has changed globally. Things are changing in our communities. Things have been changing in Canvasland, too.

But there are also things that have been constant through all this: you and us.

• You: Our community is bursting at the seams with the most giving, service-oriented, collaborative folks that I have ever had the honor to serve.
• Us: Canvas is graced with astonishingly creative, passionate, and hard working people.

This beautiful cocktail of people-power makes it possible to do just what Mitch called on us to do—keep the world engaged in quality teaching and learning. 

In another blog post today, Mitch shared our touchstone belief that “everyone learns together.” On Canvas, this is our North Star. We are aligned to this guiding principle. Starting now, and for years to come, we are investing in inclusivity for all. We are focusing on the heart of learning by empowering students and educators. We are creating communities where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

There’s a lot of work to be done, but given that it’s you and us, I know great things are in store.