AI technology will soon be brought into the classroom through a new integration with the Canvas learning platform.

Canvas is the main online platform used by numerous universities like the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University, as well as K-12 school districts.

Instructure, the maker of Canvas, and OpenAI announced the global partnership Wednesday, which the organizations said represents a “transformative step forward in education technology.”

“Now is the time to ensure AI benefits students, educators and institutions, and partnerships like this are critical to making that happen,” said Leah Belsky, general manager and vice president of education at OpenAI. “We’ll give educators a tool to deliver richer, more personalized and more connected learning experiences for students, and also help them reclaim time for the human side of teaching.”

It will begin with, but is not limited to, embedding OpenAI’s next-generation AI technology titled IgniteAI into Canvas.

Also announced Wednesday, IgniteAI will simplify and streamline the use of AI directly within Canvas — allowing educators to create quizzes, generate rubrics, summarize discussions, align content to outcomes and more.

For Instructure customers, the IgniteAI icon will appear in Canvas immediately where AI is already integrated into the product experience. Other features are launching on an opt-in basis.

AI will be brought into the classroom through Canvas in the following ways, according to the companies’ announcement:

Educators can design learning activities with AI technology, while maintaining complete control over interactions Students can have dynamic and personalized educational conversations within Canvas, and educators can gain insight into students’ assignment interactions with AI in Canvas Learning evidence can be captured and returned to the Gradebook by AI in Canvas Routine and low-value tasks can be automated to create space for classes to focus on more meaningful activities

The companies said the learner information will remain private to the Canvas user and is not shared with OpenAI.

“We are harnessing powerful technology — not simply because it’s innovative but because it fundamentally changes and accelerates the learning experience, said Steve Daly, CEO of Instructure.

The first tool that’s being launched by Instructure is a new type of assignment called the Large Language Model-Enabled Assignment, which will let educators create a custom GPT-like experience in Canvas.

With this, teachers can set specific learning goals and objectives, as well as determine what evidence of learning AI should track.

The LLM enables students to have interactive conversations in a ChatGPT-esque environment, according to Shiren Vijiasingam, chief product officer at Instructure, which is an environment students “already know they love.”

“They create visible learning evidence that teachers can confidently use, as it’s mapped to the learning objectives, rubrics and skills defined by the teacher,” Vijiasingam said. “What’s powerful about this tool is that it enables educators to assess the student’s learning process — not just the final outcome.”

Vijiasingam said the LLM is just the first in a set of tools being developed with OpenAI.

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