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Instructure Releases Mobile Edition of Canvas for iOS

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 12/08/11

Instructure has released a free mobile app for Apple's iOS that will facilitate communication among instructors and their students using Canvas, its Web-based learning management system. Canvas for iOS, which has been approved by Apple, will shortly appear in the App Store. It includes functions for activity streams, conversations, syllabus, and grades.

The activity stream was first introduced in the full edition of Canvas and appears to the student when they log in. From there, they can respond to a discussion post, be notified of a change in an assignment, or get a reminder of an upcoming exam for any of their courses. That capability is part of the new app.

The browser-based version of Canvas also features a Facebook-like messaging component, called Conversations. On the mobile app, the student can participate in Conversations and also view feedback on submissions and check grades.

This isn't the first mobile offering by Instructure. Earlier in the year the company released SpeedGrader for iPad, an app that allows instructors to view student submissions to Canvas, assess rubrics, assign grades, and deliver comments to students via text, audio, and video.

Instructure announced plans to offer an Android edition as well as a Web edition of the Canvas app in 2012.