Cloud-based educational platforms that gained traction over the pandemic will remain relevant regardless of whether schools require face-to-face, remote, or hybrid setups, according to Instructure, the edtech firm behind the Canvas learning management system (LMS).
“Institutions driving great adoption within their Canvas systems are using it both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Christopher Bradman, Instructure’s general manager and vice president for sales for Asia Pacific, at a recent media briefing.
“We’ve been very cognizant of our clients across all sectors — K-12, vocational schools, and universities,” he added.
Canvas counts among its clients the top three universities in the Philippines (Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, and De La Salle University) as well as individuals in the labor force securing certification to become more employable.
Instructure, founded in 2008 and present in the Philippines since 2017, serves over 7,000 customers in higher education, K-12, and corporate markets. Aside from being able to handle different teaching and learning functionalities, Canvas LMS has mobile apps for parents, educators, and students available in 33 languages globally, including Tagalog. It also allows institutions to integrate third-party applications such as the anti-plagiarism academic integrity tool Turnitin.
MICROCREDENTIALSSidharth Oberoi, Instructure’s vice president for international strategy, said that microcredentials and skill-based certifications are on the rise due to individuals looking to find suitable jobs as the world recovers from the pandemic.
“It’s driven by the demand inside the economy. We see people seek technical training like plumbing and electrical engineering. We also see bootcamps for coding, machine learning, and even artificial intelligence,” he said at the briefing.
“[Institutions and organizations] are hiring more on the competencies and skills learned over time. Academia is no longer a linear journey. The hybrid experience is neither fully on campus nor remote,” he added. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
