Instructure

  • Est. 2011

Meet Instructure

Instructure’s origins come in part from cofounder Emily Foote’s experience as a teacher in disadvantaged school districts. After enrolling in law school and taking a class, taught by cofounder, Karl Okamoto, that promoted real-life practice (students would act out negotiation scenarios in front of classmates and law professionals) she saw an opportunity to bring this style of practice-driven learning to teachers, who could ultimately impact students in their districts.

Enter Instructure, an edtech company that brings elearning software to workers, students, and all types of learners to promote competence that enriches the work of companies, schools and hospitals, among many other clients. Instructure’s interactive video technology is heavy on peer assessment and continual feedback. The team takes this pedagogy to heart, infusing it into its company culture to promote both employee engagement and continual improvement to the product.

Today, Instructure’s beginnings as a community impact initiative carry through to the lives and involvements of its employees. Every member of the team stays involved in the local community, whether as charitable board members, volunteer tutors, or by doing their part to develop emerging tech talents.

Because so much of Instructure’s work is collaborative across departments, applicants go through an acute screening process to ensure not only the right skill-set, but the right cultural fit, too. This means introducing the video platform as early on as the application process and continuing to develop and learn from it through monthly employee challenges.

Prided on transparency and a candid culture, partnership is fostered within the team through ongoing feedback, team bonding activities ranging from spontaneous happy hours to axe throwing, and a steady supply of snacks.

In late November 2017, Practice was acquired by Instructure (and has now formally changed names from Practice to Instructure).

Instructure’s original team is spread across two offices, one in Philadelphia and one in San Francisco, and each are housed in open coworking spaces that provide easy access to co-worker collaboration as well as mingling with the other teams that work in the space. After the acquisition with Instructure, Practice now also has direct access to the headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

About Instructure

Instructure, Inc. is a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology company that makes software that makes people smarter. With a vision to help maximize the potential of people through technology, Instructure created Canvas, Gauge, Arc and Bridge to enable organizations everywhere to easily develop, deliver and manage engaging face-to-face and online learning experiences. To date, Instructure has connected millions of instructors and learners at more than 3,000 educational institutions and corporations throughout the world. Learn more about Canvas for higher ed and K-12, and Bridge for the corporate market, at www.Instructure.com.