Instructure's Acquisition of Concentric Sky Bringing Some Changes to Canvas LMS Users

Badgr Digital Micro-Credentialing Platform to be Rebranded as Canvas Badges, Optional 'Pro' Upgrades Coming

Instructure said today its acquisition of Concentric Sky, maker of the Badgr digital credentialing platform, is complete, and the basic Badgr functions will be integrated into Canvas and rebranded as Canvas Badges.

Badgr was already the default micro-credentialing tool within Instructure's Canvas learning management system. With the merger, Badgr functions will be renamed and part of the Canvas LMS features, Instructure said in a news release. In addition, the Badgr Pro tool suite will be available to Canvas customers as a paid upgrade, offering unlimited badging, leaderboards, analytics and personalized pathway progress visualizations, in a bundle called "Canvas Credentials."

Canvas Credentials will enable institutions to "seamlessly award badges that verify and track academic achievements, including competency-based education," the company explained in a news announcement. With the stackable, shareable credentials, students will be able to track their personalized learning journeys and carry proof of their competencies and skills development.

"We know colleges and universities are seeking innovative new ways to support non-traditional learners and that those students want greater agency to demonstrate skills and achievements to potential employers," said Steve Daly, CEO of Instructure, in a statement. "With Badgr, the Concentric Sky team has developed the gold standard for verifiable, skill-aligned micro-credentials, fast becoming the currency between learning outcomes and employment opportunities. This deal enables us to continue to expand the Instructure Learning Platform to support the evolving needs of all types of educational institutions and the diverse student populations they serve."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • elementary school boy using a laptop with a glowing digital brain above his head and circuit lines extending outward

    The Brain Drain: How Overreliance on AI May Erode Creativity and Critical Thinking

    Just as sedentary lifestyles have reshaped our physical health, our dependence on AI, algorithms, and digital tools is reshaping how we think, and the effects aren't always positive.

  • robot brain with various technology and business icons

    Google Cloud Study: Early Agentic AI Adopters See Better ROI

    Google Cloud has released its second annual ROI of AI study, finding that 52% of enterprise organizations now deploy AI agents in production environments. The comprehensive survey of 3,466 senior leaders across 24 countries highlights the emergence of a distinct group of "agentic AI early adopters" who are achieving measurably higher returns on their AI investments.

  • tutor and student working together at a laptop

    You've Paid for Tutoring. Here's How to Make Sure It Works.

    As districts and states nationwide invest in tutoring, it remains one of the best tools in our educational toolkit, yielding positive impacts on student learning at scale. But to maximize return on investment, both financially and academically, we must focus on improving implementation.

  • blue and green network lines

    HPE Intros Agentic AI Enhancements to Mist Platform

    HPE recently introduced new capabilities for its Juniper Mist platform that leverage agentic AI to enable more autonomous, intelligent, and proactive network operations.