Calibrate: Interview with Rob McDole about InstructureCon

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So, Rob, you went to a conference a couple of weeks ago. Can you tell me what conference it was and a little bit about it?

I went to InstructureCon in Long Beach, CA. Instructure is the parent company of Canvas, the new learning management system (LMS) that Cedarville University is using in the upcoming 2019/2020 school year. This conference is geared towards administrators, teachers, developers, instructional designers, and technical support professionals who work with Canvas. There were approximately 3,000 attendees representing various businesses and institutions that use Canvas to accomplish their educational goals. Sessions included Canvas tool usage, previews of new tools that are being released, and partner sessions that integrate additional functionality.

How did you initially find this conference? What drew you toward it?

When CU signed the contract to use Canvas over the next five years, our customer service manager (CSM) invited me; our Canvas admin, Luke Bullis; and CU’s Chief Information Officer, Micah Cooper to participate. We were told that it would be a good time to talk with other Canvas schools and help us be successful in our transition this fall.

When you were looking over the schedule and making your plans, what were you most intrigued by before the conference?

There were many things that I wanted to do based on their proposed agenda (e.g., teaching best practices, outcomes, and data analytics), but I eagerly anticipated hearing Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Heath’s keynote presentations. While Malcolm Gladwell is not what I would call an exacting scholar, I appreciate his ability to create a story that grabs the attention of his listeners. Dan Heath is more of a scholar and a good storyteller who focuses on human experiences and the ones that seem to make a difference in the lives of learners. I would recommend his book The Power of Moments (2017). 

Once you were actually at the conference, what stood out to you or surprised you?

I’ve been working in online education for 20 years, and I’ve never experienced the level of accessibility to the staff of a partner company the way Canvas made their top engineers and product developers available to everyone at the conference. That level of service is unique.

What’s your biggest takeaway from the conference?

Connections with key members of the development team within Canvas. One in particular who has a desire to go on to seminary (maybe at CU) and is already working tirelessly to further the Kingdom of God through excellent work for God’s glory. This individual is responsible for some of the tools that our faculty love the most. I look forward to seeing what God does with that connection. 

What was the best conference snack/food there?

I love sushi, so for me, the Ahi Tuna tacos on rice tortillas were really amazing. Small chunks of raw tuna sprinkled with a wasabi soy sauce, fresh lime, and cilantro.

Now, for a completely random question: what’s your favorite bridge?

I’ve always loved the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. 

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