At the foot of the Rockies in a resort with views as far as the eye could see, a Panda greeted me at the front entrance, and I knew I had made it. All of my InstructureCon experiences for the past few years have been virtual. Don’t get me wrong, the virtual experiences with InstructureCon were among the best online conference experiences I had during the pandemic, but there’s something different about being in person.
When you’re at InstructureCon, the energy is different - there’s a camaraderie that exists as you walk in the door. Everyone there is excited to learn about new and innovative ways to use Canvas and the Instructure family of products. From the participants to the Instructure employees on site to the vendors that participate in the vendor space, everyone is working to make Canvas and the other Instructure products the best they can be for their students.
It’s exciting to meet face-to-face and hear from names you’re used to seeing online in the #CanvasFam universe. From seeing how you can integrate UDL and intentional design from Valentine King to implementing digital content stations in the elementary classroom from Carrie Gardner, InstructureCon is a great opportunity to learn and grow from people coming from institutions of all levels. In addition, you get insight from Instructure about what the future holds (i.e., incorporating AI) and what current offerings might complement your work. Not to be forgotten,the amazing keynotes—like the ones in 2023 from Arianna Huffington, Dr. Jordan Nguyen, and Deepak Chopra— are inspiring and grounding in the work we do and the world around us.
Above all, it is the networking with people that have the greatest impact on me. Whether sitting at a lunch table with people I’d never met, chatting with people while KC & the Sunshine Band played in the background, or during the un-conference, there isn’t a single better place to collaborate and work through obstacles and challenges, and celebrate successes than at InstructureCon with people from all over the country committed to providing our students with the best learning experience we can.
This year’s conference, from everything I’ve heard and read, looks to be bigger and better than last year. I am already looking forward to reconnecting with people I met at last year’s conference and networking with even more people from the Instructure Community. InstructureCon 2023 was probably one of the most impactful conferences I attended last year, and I hope to bring even more back to my district after attending InstructureCon 2024.
Learn more about InstructureCon 2024!
