Instructure, founded in 2008 by two graduate students from Brigham Young University, is the parent company of Canvas. The company has expanded significantly since its inception, now employing over 1,000 staff members and serving more than 6,000 customer organizations. Canvas' user base currently exceeds 35 million people.
With regard to market share in higher education, Canvas has made significant strides, claiming 36% installed base in North America as of January, 2023. Blackboard, a platform established in 1997, holds around 19% of the installed base, and D2L, a Canadian company, holds around 14%. Many of WSU Tech's peer institutions are among the numerous organizations that currently utilize Canvas. There are presently 58 schools, colleges, universities, and consortia in Kansas that utilize Canvas.
WSU Tech stands to gain numerous benefits from the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). Developed with cutting-edge technologies, Canvas is a modern web platform that aligns with the contemporary demands of digital learning. The system is designed in adherence with W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative and Section 508 guidelines, which underscores its commitment to universal accessibility. Furthermore, Instructure affirms that Canvas has undergone testing for compatibility with a variety of screen-reader solutions, reinforcing its accessible design.
In terms of user experience, we anticipate Canvas will significantly enhance the educational environment for both instructors and students at WSU Tech. Its modern user interface simplifies tasks, particularly for student users, thereby streamlining learning activities. Moreover, Canvas is set to elevate the mobile learning experience by offering comprehensive integration and robust support for both Android and iOS platforms. This is a notable improvement over Blackboard's mobile functionality which had been somewhat lacking in terms of optimal user experience.
Finally, given Canvas' popularity among developers, who often prioritize resolving issues for this LMS over others, we foresee superior support for integrations and publisher tools. This attribute of Canvas is expected to further enrich the teaching and learning experience at WSU Tech.
Canvas was the winner of EdTech Digest’s 2020 EdTech Award in the learning management category,
and the 2019 EdTech Breakthrough Award for Overall LMS Solution Provider of the Year.
AWARDS