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Instructure Announces Release of AI Features, K-12 and Higher Ed U.S Access to Khanmigo Teacher Tools; AWS Powers Safe, Secure AI Tools at Scale

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Major product innovations for the Instructure Learning Ecosystem support the lifelong learning journey with a focus on AI and enhancements to insights and edtech effectiveness 

SALT LAKE CITY, July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Instructure, the leading learning ecosystem, announced major AI innovations, partnerships and significant core LMS enhancements to increase educator efficiency and improve student success at its annual InstructureCon conference. Product innovation is focused on key areas: AI, insights, edtech effectiveness and the lifelong learning journey. The company also announced the launch of a standalone product, Instructure Intelligent Insights.

From responsible integration of AI tools that enhance learning through personal connection to a more cohesive user experience with Canvas serving as the hub of all teaching and learning, the innovation announced by Instructure is designed to power a lifelong learning journey and turn education into opportunities. At InstructureCon 2024, new AI product announcements included features developed directly within Instructure products, a number of well-tested partner integrations, including Khan Academy’s Khanmigo Teacher Tools and updates that enable partners to develop context-aware AI experiences within Canvas.

“We’re excited to announce substantive innovations to the Instructure Learning Ecosystem, with a strong focus on Canvas built in close partnership with our customers,” said Shiren Vijiasingam, Instructure’s Chief Product Officer. “We started with equitability in mind, addressing use cases that would help create a more level playing field for all learners while honoring the expertise of the educator.”

A Rich Landscape of AI Content Generation
Instructure leverages internally developed tools and those of its network of over 1,000 partners to help educators harness the power of AI. One such area is AI-assisted content generation, with an ever-growing landscape of available tools. One way the company will meet the rapidly growing educator demand for AI-assisted content generation is by announcing the upcoming availability of a Canvas integration with a teacher favorite, Khanmigo Teacher Tools.

Khan Academy: Khanmigo Teacher Tools
Instructure announced the seamless integration of Khanmigo Teacher Tools, directly within Canvas and available later this year for all customers in the United States. Khanmigo simplifies AI for teachers and generates high-quality, trustworthy outputs they can modify and co-edit with AI support. This integration includes access to over 20 tools in Canvas—helping educators plan lessons, generate questions, draft newsletters, write letters of recommendation, prep substitutes and more. By accessing Khanmigo from Canvas, educators can smoothly transition between planning, grading and student communication all within Canvas.

Updates to Move AI Beyond Content Generation 
Beyond content generation, Instructure also announced holistic updates that go even further in supporting institutions by partnering with them to develop their AI policies and plans, accelerate teaching and learning practices and implement their own transformative AI solutions. The company is making its new AI tools freely available for Canvas customers and working with AWS to safely, securely and efficiently scale to its community of tens of millions of educators and learners at more than 7,000 organizations around the world.

“With the LMS at the center of teaching and learning, Instructure is uniquely positioned to support institutions on their full AI journey,” said Vijiasingam. “Not only can we connect our customers with a vast ecosystem of integrated content and efficiency tools, but we can also accelerate key learning experience workflows and help them transform to a future where AI is a core part of everything they do.”

Tools that Prepare Institutions to Adopt AI

Nutrition Facts 
Instructure has published “AI nutrition fact” labels on all first- and third-party AI tools that integrate with its products, providing an unprecedented level of transparency into the LLMs and data policies of the tools in use. Nutrition facts on third-party AI tools are available on the Emerging AI Marketplace, giving institutions greater decision-making capability in service of safe technology use.LTI Certification
With the upcoming launch of the Instructure Certified LTI Apps program, Instructure announced its plans to enable integration partners to set themselves apart, meet integration best practices–including those for AI data privacy–and provide safe, seamless experiences with tools inside of Canvas.

AI Tools that Scale and Enhance Teaching and Learning

Discussion Summaries
Educators can create customizable summaries of long and complex discussion threads, a feature especially useful for large-format classrooms.Translation of Inbox Messages and Discussions 
Educators can leverage real-time, context-sensitive translation of content across 100 languages, an ideal feature for students who may not speak the language of instruction or for students who aren’t fluent in the course language.Smart Search
Smart Search allows users to search across Canvas course content while returning results that recognize the relationship between concepts—for example, searching for “guitar” will return results about violins because they’re both stringed instruments.

Tools that Enable Institutions to Adopt and Create Their Own AI Solutions

Smart Search API
The Smart Search API vectorizes Canvas course content so that LLMs or third-party AI tools have the context they need to produce more relevant results. This API, the first of its kind in an LMS, is now available to customers and partners.Institutional LLM-powered Features
Instructors should have the flexibility to select the best tools for their instructional needs, so Instructure supports a seamless and safe experience as institutions integrate Canvas with their own LLMs. Instructure already enables several institution-driven self-hosted AI deployments, extending deeply embedded AI experiences within Canvas.Enhancing seamless AI assistant experiences in Canvas
A new top navigation placement and postMessage API now allow students to interact with AI Assistants directly within their course content, without leaving their learning environment.

Intelligent Insights Product Launch
Instructure announced the launch of Intelligent Insights, which leverages AI and analytics to help educators make data-informed decisions that improve teaching and learning outcomes. With this new product, educators get insights about students in need of attention, course readiness, LTI usage and more. They can also use Ask Your Data, a conversational AI feature, to ask and answer questions in natural language.

Core Teaching & Learning Innovation
Instructure developed a customer innovation program to drive a series of improvements to the Canvas experience. Over 60 product enhancements resulted, including improvements to everyday educator workflows, an optimized feedback loop, increased personalization and streamlined communication within Canvas LMS. In addition, new features will be available throughout the year including:

Block Editor
Currently in Beta, Block Editor includes a drag-and-drop editor interface for easy content creation and is free for all Canvas users.Selective Release of Modules
Educators can differentiate instruction and personalize learning content for students through the release of modules to individuals and sections.Canvas Rubric Enhancements
Canvas rubric enhancements pair a cleaner user interface with easier workflows for creation and marking, facilitating consistency and fair evaluation. The company plans to release student self-assessment capabilities by the end of the year.Discussion Checkpoints
Students can engage in deeper, more meaningful discussions with classmates with clear checkpoints to guide their way.

Product Updates to Support EdTech Effectiveness
Education leaders need insights and tools to optimize edtech efficiency, adoption and impact, both within and outside the LMS. These new features will help institutions engage with the Instructure partner network and take full advantage of the openness and extensibility of Canvas:

EdTech Collective Marketplace
This public-facing Instructure EdTech Collective partner product directory will allow users to search for Canvas-integrated tools by relevant criteria including grade levels, subject and more. Listings for each product will include basic overviews plus important information about LTI configuration.Canvas Apps Page
This central hub for LTI tool discovery and management will increase administrator efficiency and power informed edtech decision-making inside of Canvas. It includes comprehensive partner listings, recommendations and LTI configuration resources to help elevate the most effective tools as well as a streamlined LTI installation and management experience.Expanded LTI Tool Usage Data and Analytics for Impact Customers
By bringing LTI usage data into Impact, administrators will have access to actionable insights that help them drive engagement and best practices based on an understanding of how LTI tools are being used. Administrators can seamlessly launch campaigns within Impact to better support educators and students and get the most out of their edtech tools.

Supporting the Lifelong Learner Journey: Portfolio and Journey
Instructure announced its vision for the lifelong learning experience, which includes an Integrated LMS, Portfolio, Credentialing and Journey (Learner Record). Instructure has been building this through the additions of Portfolium, Concentric Sky, Parchment and Scribbles. The company is continuing to invest in a new lifelong learning experience by bringing together portfolios and credentials into one learner view. This will enable achievements to be housed and ultimately recognized by institutions and employers.

Canvas Catalog – Enterprise Storefront
Instructure is investing in Canvas Catalog to make lifelong learning initiatives more scalable and interoperable with customer CRMs, with Salesforce as its premier partner in this space. With user-defined fields designed to help identify monetization opportunities, institutions can better optimize course offerings.Credentials – Industry Standards Alignment
Instructure also reinforced its continued investment in standards alignment as it creates digital credentials. In the digital credentialing world, interoperability and compliance with industry standards will bolster scalability, security, privacy and validity. Instructure products will adhere to OB 3.0 and CLR 2.0 standards.Scaling Credentials Programs
Institutions need to scale credentialing programs across a wide range of courses and programs to better meet emerging learner needs. Instructure announced features to deliver more flexible, personalized lifelong learning experiences, including accessible pathways, removed badge requirements and removed course copy and blueprint.Mastery View College Prep Assessments
Institutions will save time and money otherwise spent on scanning, grading and printing by administering Mastery View College Prep Assessments online. Assessment item banks are immediately available for purchase separately as add-ons to Mastery Connect. Digital college readiness assessments are also now available, helping students prepare for high-stakes tests, such as the ACT, as they move to an online format.

The InstructureCon 2024 event takes place from July 9 to July 11 at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. It features prominent keynotes from Jimmy Chin, Mary Murphy and Dr. Jordan Nguyen and addresses some of the most impactful edtech trends and how to adapt to the modern learner journey. With over 260 sessions to choose from, attendees will learn classroom-tested best practices, dive into the latest innovation and collaborate with other Instructure community members focused on driving student success.

For more information about InstructureCon, check out the Frequently Asked Questions page and the event agenda.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. All statements other than statements of historical facts are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of these provisions, including those relating to future events or our future financial performance and financial guidance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “intend,” or “continued,” the negative of terms like these or other comparable terminology, and other words or terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. These statements are only predictions. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to future events, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, or currently unknown to us. Our assumptions may turn out to be inaccurate and cause actual events or results to differ materially from our expectation or projections. We discuss many of these risks, uncertainties and other factors in greater detail in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 21, 2024 and as may be described from time to time in future reports we file with the SEC. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to us on the date hereof, and we expressly disclaim any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

ABOUT INSTRUCTURE

Instructure (NYSE: INST) powers the delivery of education globally and provides learners with the rich credentials they need to create opportunities across their lifetimes. Today, the Instructure ecosystem of products enables educators and institutions to elevate student success, amplify the power of teaching, and inspire everyone to learn together. With our global network of learners, educators, partners and customers, we continue to deliver on our vision to be the platform that powers learning for a lifetime and turns that learning into opportunities. We encourage you to discover more at www.instructure.com.

CONTACT:
Brian Watkins
Corporate Communications
Instructure
(801) 658-7525
brian.watkins@instructure.com

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Capital Advantage, Inc. Offers Tailored Financial Services for Kaiser Permanente® and TPMG Employees

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January 10, 2025

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WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Capital Advantage, Inc., a trusted name in wealth management, is proud to highlight its specialized services designed to meet the unique financial needs of Kaiser Permanente® and The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) employees.

At Capital Advantage, we understand the complexities of Kaiser Permanente® and TPMG benefit plans. Our team is dedicated to helping healthcare professionals navigate their robust and often intricate benefit options. With over 30 years of expertise and a deep understanding of Kaiser’s offerings, we craft personalized financial plans to help maximize the value of our clients’ benefits.

“We recognize the unique challenges and opportunities that healthcare professionals face in managing their financial lives,” says Ian Castille, CFP®, Principal and Senior Financial Advisor at Capital Advantage, Inc.

Donna Zinman, CRPC®, Principal and Senior Advisor, adds, “Our goal is to educate our clients about their attractive benefit options and help them make the most of these opportunities.”

Key services for Kaiser Permanente® and TPMG employees include customized portfolio strategies and personalized guidance on retirement savings plans, identification of ideal pension options and annual open-enrollment benefit selections, advice on traditional vs. Roth 401(k) options, advanced tax-saving strategies (such as mega-backdoor Roth contributions), and simplification of retirement planning by working directly with Kaiser/TPMG’s benefits department. These services are designed to provide Kaiser/TPMG employees with peace of mind, confidence, and financial empowerment as they navigate their retirement and benefits planning.

About Capital Advantage, Inc.

Capital Advantage is a trusted, independently owned wealth management firm with over 40 years of experience helping individuals and families to achieve their financial goals. As a 100% fee-only fiduciary, Capital Advantage strives to provide financial peace of mind to each and every client, delivering large institution expertise with the personalized care and attention of a boutique firm. Our experienced advisors work closely with pre-retirees and retirees, women navigating unique financial journeys, and Kaiser Permanente® and The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) employees to create strategies that provide clarity, confidence, and long-term success.

For more information on Capital Advantage’s services visit: Kaiser/TPMG Employees – Capital Advantage, Inc. or call (925) 299-1500 to contact one of our advisors for a no-cost initial consultation.

Disclaimer: Capital Advantage, Inc. is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Kaiser Permanente® or TPMG (The Permanente Medical Group)

Limitations: No amount of experience, recognition, or past success, nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Capital Advantage is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. Please see Important Disclosure.

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SOURCE Capital Advantage, Inc.

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NASA Sets Coverage for Firefly First Commercial Robotic Moon Launch

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January 10, 2025

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Carrying NASA science and technology to the Moon as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 is targeting launch Wednesday, Jan. 15. The mission will lift off on a SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Live launch coverage will air on NASA+ with prelaunch events starting Monday, Jan. 13. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. Follow all events at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live/

After the launch, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander will spend approximately 45 days in transit to the Moon before landing on the lunar surface in early March. The lander will carry 10 NASA science investigations to further our understanding of the Moon’s environment and help prepare for future human missions to the lunar surface, as part of the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration approach. 

Science investigations on this flight aim to test and demonstrate lunar subsurface drilling technology, regolith sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system abilities, radiation tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation methods. The data captured could benefit humans on Earth by providing insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces impact Earth. 

The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. The agency’s media accreditation policy is available online. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.

Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern):

Monday, Jan. 13
2:30 p.m. – Lunar science media teleconference with the following participants:

Chris Culbert, CLPS program manager, NASA’s Johnson Space CenterMaria Banks, CLPS project scientist, NASA Johnson

Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website:

https://www.nasa.gov/live/

Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 1:30 p.m. EST Jan. 13, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

Tuesday, Jan. 14
1 p.m. – Lunar delivery readiness media teleconference with the following participants:

Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA HeadquartersJason Kim, CEO, Firefly AerospaceJulianna Scheiman, director, NASA science missions, SpaceXMark Burger, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron

Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website:

https://www.nasa.gov/live/

Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 12 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

Wednesday, Jan. 15
12:30 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+ and the agency’s website.

1:11 a.m. – Launch

NASA Launch Coverage
Audio only of the media teleconferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, or -7135. On launch day, the full mission broadcast can be heard on -1220 and -1240, while the countdown net only can be heard on -7135 beginning approximately one hour before the mission broadcast begins.

On launch day, a “tech feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel.

NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 12:30 a.m. EST Jan. 15, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on our launch blog for updates.

NASA Virtual Guests for Launch
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. Registrants will receive mission updates and activities by email, including curated mission resources, schedule updates, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch. Print your passport and get ready to add your stamp!

Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Artemis. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:

X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis, @NASAMoon

Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, NASAArtemis

Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis

Coverage en Español
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en español? Check out NASA en español on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for additional mission coverage.

Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.

For media inquiries relating to the launch provider, please contact SpaceX’s communications department by emailing: media@spacex.com. For media inquiries relating to the CLPS provider, Firefly Aerospace, please contact Firefly’s communication department by emailing: press@fireflyspace.com.
For more information about the agency’s CLPS initiative, see:

https://www.nasa.gov/clps

 

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SOURCE NASA

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Universal Brain Announces Publication of Groundbreaking Depression Research Using Multiple Event-Related Potentials

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January 10, 2025

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New findings support the company’s neuroscience-driven approach to precision psychiatry, offering actionable insights for personalized depression treatment

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Universal Brain, a pioneering technology company focused on transforming mental healthcare through neuroscience, today announced the publication of its latest peer-reviewed study, “Neurotyping depression using multiple event-related potentials (ERPs): Leveraging task-based variation to predict remission in depression,” the paper introduces a novel framework for detecting unique neurophysiological patterns that can help predict which depressed patients are most likely to achieve remission from depression.

“By combining several EEG paradigms with novel statistical analyses, we’re moving closer to a future where depression therapies can be precisely tailored to each individual,” said Kazu Okuda, Chief Executive Officer of Universal Brain. “In particular, we are poised to leverage a battery of EEG paradigms to better subtype depression – which will pave the way for more precision in treatment development and selection.  These functional measures of brain activity (i.e., neurotypes) will be used to determine what treatment works best for whom.”

Key Highlights of the Study

Multi-Task ERP Analyses
The study leveraged multiple cognitive and emotional tasks to capture a broader spectrum of brain responses, thereby enabling more robust classification of distinct depression subtypes.Predictive Neurotyping
Through comprehensive ERP assessment, researchers identified patterns linked to a higher likelihood of remission in depression, paving the way for more targeted clinical strategies. Combining ERPs from multiple tasks outperformed classifications based on more traditional single-task analyses.Implications for Precision Psychiatry
These findings underscore the potential of individualized treatment pathways—an approach backed by emerging research in the field of precision psychiatry, which calls for data-driven, personalized solutions to improve outcomes in mental health.

“This work is especially exciting because it bridges the gap between laboratory-based assessments and potential real-world clinical practice. We believe our new method can help physicians potentially select treatment but also help clinicians fine-tune therapeutic interventions to an individual’s unique neural signature,” commented Greg Hajcak, Chief Scientific Advisor of Universal Brain. “By leveraging multiple ERPs in varying tasks, we can aim to better predict who will respond to specific treatments, a key step in transforming how we approach depression management.”

Championing Precision Psychiatry

Universal Brain’s overarching mission is to integrate cutting-edge neuroscience with clinical insights to advance precision psychiatry—a transformative model of care that personalizes interventions based on individual biological, behavioral, and environmental factors. This focus resonates with emerging trends in psychiatric research to enhance treatment outcomes.

In close collaboration with academic institutions, research hospitals, and clinical partners, Universal Brain continues to drive neuroscience-based innovation that bridges the gap between academic discoveries and real-world patient care.

For more information on Universal Brain’s research and the company’s commitment to developing neuroscience-driven solutions for mental health, please visit universal-brain.com or email us at media@universal-brain.com.

About Universal Brain

Universal Brain is a science-driven technology company dedicated to revolutionizing mental healthcare by unlocking the power of precision psychiatry. Drawing on advances in neuroscience, data analytics, and engineering, Universal Brain develops innovative tools and platforms that personalize psychiatric treatment and improve patient outcomes. To learn more, visit www.universal-brain.com.

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SOURCE Universal Brain

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