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

  • A child surrounded by glowing, fluid virtual patterns and holographic shapes, illuminated in a dark gradient environment of blue, purple, and pink.

    ClassVR Gets Expanded VR/AR Content Library

    Avantis Education has announced a new content library for its ClassVR virtual and augmented reality platform. Dubbed Eduverse+, the library features four content suites — EduverseAI, WildWorld, STEAM3D, and CareerHub — that can be tailored to suit a variety of educational levels.

  • A young person sitting on a couch in a bright living room during the daytime, holding a tablet, with sunlight streaming through large windows and pastel-toned furniture.

    Balancing Screen Time and Student Wellness

    Student mental health is in crisis, and excessive screen time is a significant factor. Here are four ways to help students find and maintain a healthy balance with technology.

  • computer with a red warning icon on its screen, surrounded by digital grids, glowing neural network patterns, and a holographic brain

    Report Highlights Security Concerns of Open Source AI

    In these days of rampant ransomware and other cybersecurity exploits, security is paramount to both proprietary and open source AI approaches — and here the open source movement might be susceptible to some inherent drawbacks, such as use of possibly insecure code from unknown sources.

  • A geometric pattern of open Chromebook computers with bold outlines, subtle shading, and soft gradients, spaced evenly with vibrant green and blue accents on a neutral background.

    Challenges and Opportunities Ahead for the 'Great Chromebook Refresh'

    During the pandemic, the education community scrambled to provide students with laptops to promote online learning equity and mitigate learning loss. Today, those devices are approaching the end of their useful lives — and a "great Chromebook refresh" has been predicted as schools seek to replace them with newer models.