Instructure Debuts Data Optimization Service

Instructure, the company behind the Canvas learning management system (LMS), has launched Canvas Data, a hosted data service for K-12 and higher education that enables them to analyze online teaching and learning activity.

Canvas Data is a native cloud service delivered on Amazon Web Services through Redshift. According to information from Instructure, the service will help educational institutions assess and analyze their data, "including course design features, course activity, assessment and evaluation, user and device characteristics and more." The company claims that Canvas Data is different from other analytics reporting engines because it "enables institutions to discover insights without sacrificing the thoroughness of the results." Data extracted from Canvas is optimized for integration with any ODBC-compliant analytics tool, so institutions can generate custom queries and reports using their preferred tools.

The basic version of Canvas Data will be available to Canvas customers at no additional cost, and premium versions will be available for purchase. Civitas Learning and Intellify partnered with Instructure provide Canvas Data's education analytics and learning intelligence services.

More than 30 client institutions, including the University of Central Florida and Utah State University, had early access to Canvas Data and used it to develop strategies to improve their programs. "For example, Unizin, a consortium of progress-minded higher education institutions, has been developing custom services for its members by leveraging Canvas Data's premium features, including real-time data stream capability based on the IMS Caliper RAM standard," stated a news release from Instructure.

Further information about about Canvas Data can be found on the Canvas LMS site.

About the Author

Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].

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