Learning Innovators LeVar Burton and Sal Khan to speak at CanvasCon Online

SALT LAKE CITY — June 23, 2020 — Instructure today announced that learning innovators LeVar Burton and Sal Khan will speak at its annual education technology conference, CanvasCon Online. The virtual global conference is free and takes place on October 15, 2020. 

“This year has brought about so much change in education and our conference will address how education technology can best support teachers, administrators, and students as we all navigate new ways to learn and ensure all students have access to quality educational experiences,” said Melissa Loble, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Instructure. “We look forward to hearing from LeVar and Sal, as well as many practicing educators and administrators, as we focus on how education changes lives.” 

Both speakers bring decades of educational experience and will highlight proven methods of learning and broadening the classroom experience. Each speaker brings a unique perspective when it comes to education. The focus of their speaking sessions include: 

LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton will speak about the different factors that have influenced his life and work and his life-long love for teaching and learning. He inspires audiences with the power of storytelling, the power of aspiration, and how education changes lives, the need for inclusion and diversity, and how technology is helping evolve education and impact student success. All of these, he says, are fundamental ingredients in personalized learning.


Sal Khan

Sal Khan will share his vision for founding the not-for-profit Khan Academy, an organization that offers free education to millions of students worldwide, with 52 million registered students in 190 countries. He’ll dive into how technology has transformed education through engaging learning experiences that enhance human relationships. Drawing from his experiences over the last decade, he’ll conclude his speech with a look to the future of education and how technology will play an increasingly important role in reaching underserved populations and facilitate lifelong learning. 


About the speakers: 

LeVar Burton

After hosting the beloved PBS children’s series Reading Rainbow, LeVar Burton launched RRKidz, a digital educational publishing company that reimagined Reading Rainbow by incorporating today’s forms of media and technology and aimed to bring Reading Rainbow to every child, everywhere. The much-awarded Burton remains committed to improving children’s education through innovative storytelling. 


Sal Khan

As founder and CEO of the nonprofit Khan Academy, Sal Khan seeks to remove the barriers to education that leave over 600 million children lacking basic math and reading skills. Khan Academy has partnered with world-class institutions such as NASA, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and MIT, and Sal's free curriculum has made a massive impact. The platform has more than 62 million registered users across the globe, each able to access practice exercises, instructional videos, and personalized dashboards.