Canvas LTI Tools - List of Assessment Tools


Introduction

Canvas can be extended by integrating external tools. Software companies, textbook publishers, and training websites all make Canvas external tools. Some are free, others must be purchased. Virginia Tech's Canvas external tools are categorized here based on broad categories for publisher tools, collaboration tools, multimedia tools, assessment tools, accessibility tools, and tools that didn't fit into those categories. For our main article on external tools, see Canvas - How to Request and Use External Tools (LTI Tools).

Instructors can request new external tools be added to Canvas.

  • Canvas administrators and Virginia Tech's legal, IT security, and software purchasing teams must review external tools before they can be integrated.
  • Only Virginia Tech, not Canvas, can add an external tool to Canvas or to your course site.
  • Not all requests can be fulfilled. 

To be easily integrated with Canvas, external tools should be designed according to the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) standard. Some companies refer to external tools them as LTI tools. Canvas external tools are considered applications or apps. Canvas and some companies refer to external tools as LTI apps or external apps.

This article covers assessment tools available in Canvas at Virginia Tech.

Contents

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Instructions

New Analytics

Background

New Analytics allows instructors to track average course grades from student submissions using an interactive chart, graph, or table. 

With New Analytics, you can:

  • Analyze students average course grades.
  • Compare the course average with a specific assignment, course section, or student filter.
  • Send a message to all students (or individual students) about specific course criteria.

For information and instructions, see What is New Analytics in the Canvas Guides. 

Add New Analytics to a Canvas course site

You can add New Analytics to a Canvas a site's Course Navigation Menu. Please note that this is a Feature Preview so you will need to enable it in your course first.

  1. Go to your Canvas course and click Settings.
  2. Click on the Feature Options tab.
  3. Scroll down to New Course and User Analytics and click on the X in the State column to bring up your options.
  4. Click Enable to turn on this feature.
  5. See Add Tool to the Course Navigation Menu.

Get help with New Analytics

Canvas Support supports New Analytics. Click Help on any Canvas screen for a list of help options, including 24/7 chat and phone support.

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Credentials - Canvas Badges (Formerly Badgr)

Background

The Credentials tool, formerly Badgr, creates and distributes digital badges to students who complete learning modules. Students can use badges as evidence of learning and achievement. A Canvas admin adds Canvas Badges to your Canvas site, then you incorporate it into Modules. 

Add Canvas Badges to Canvas

To add Canvas Badges to Canvas, go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help. Paste in the Canvas URL of the site where you want badging. A Canvas admin will then add it for you. 

Sharing Badges (Student)

Students can share badges earned from completing modules in a Canvas course. See Sharing badges from Canvas Badges/Credentials. 

Get help with Canvas Badges

To get help and to learn more about digital badges:

  • Request a TLOS Consultation.
  • Go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help.
  • Click Help on any Canvas screen for a list of help options, including 24/7 chat and phone support.

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Gradescope

Background

Gradescope is an automated grading and feedback platform that is integrated with Canvas as an LTI tool. This tool offers flexible options for grading paper-based, digital, and bubble sheet quizzes, exams, and assignments. While Gradescope is especially well suited for STEM classes, it can be used to grade assignments from any discipline. Virginia Tech has secured a one-year license for Gradescope to pilot the program beginning in spring 2023, when it will be available for use in all Canvas courses.

Gradescope has the potential to:

  • Reduce/eliminate the need for manual machine scoring using bubble sheets. 
  • Increase efficiency/consistency of grading by aligning multiple graders with instructor-created rubrics to standardize efforts and reduce implicit biases when grading a large enrollment course.
  • Be used for quizzes, tests, homework and/or other types of assignments.
  • Allow faculty to gain a better understanding of student performance by analyzing questions after grading.

For a quick introduction to Gradescope, watch the video: What is Gradescope?

Using Gradescope with Canvas

Gradescope can be added to Canvas in the Course Navigation Menu. See Add Tool to the Course Navigation Menu.

To set up Gradescope in Canvas, see Grading Platform - How to Use Gradescope.

Get help with Gradescope

To get help with Gradescope:

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iClicker

Background

iClickers let students respond real-time to class questions. Students register their iClickers in Canvas, and instructors can sync their Canvas gradebooks with iClicker results. iClicker offers an external tool where students can register their iClickers. 

Add iClicker Registration to a Canvas course site

You can add iClicker Registration to a Canvas site's Course Navigation Menu. See Add Tool to the Course Navigation Menu.

For instructions on using iClickers, see: 

Get help with iClicker

For the knowledge base and customer support, go to:

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Kaltura Video Quiz

Background

Kaltura, Virginia Tech's video management system, has a tool to create interactive video quizzes from videos that exist in My Media. These quizzes can be tied to Canvas assignments as an external LTI tool and gradebook.

Video quizzes can:

  • Increase active viewing and engagement
  • Test students' understanding of the material
  • Provide new ways to improve learning outcomes

See Interactive Online Video Quizzing & Solutions for a quick overview of its features.

Use Kaltura Video Quiz

Video quizzes can be a great supplement for your course materials, but due to the intermittent issues that can arise with grades passing back automatically to the Canvas gradebook, we recommend that you don't create long video quizzes or depend on them for a large percentage of students' grades.

To create a video quiz to assign to students in Canvas:

  1. Create a video quiz in My Media or Media Gallery using the below resources:
  2. In Canvas, go to your course and click on the Assignments tab.
  3. Click + Assignment to create a new assignment.
  4. Fill out the assignment details. 
  5. For the Submission Type, click on External Tool from the drop-down list, then Find to open the Configure External Tool pop-up window.
  6. Click on In Video Quiz from the list of available tools to open the video selector.
  7. Locate the video quiz from the My Media or Media Gallery tab and click Select to return to the Configure External Tool page. 
  8. Click Select to return to the assignment.
  9. Make sure the rest of the assignment details are filled out and click Save & Publish to assign the quiz to students.

When students answer and submit their quiz, see Taking a Quiz, the grade is automatically sent to the Canvas Gradebook for the relevant assignment and student.

Please note: In order for quiz scores to pass to the Canvas gradebook, students must launch the quiz from the Assignments tab. If a quiz is launched form a Course Gallery, the quiz score will not pass to the gradebook. Only quizzes launched from Assignments will pass grades. Even so, known issues with long quiz lengths, cookies, private browsers, Safari, etc., can result in failed grade pass back in Canvas. For these instances, check for their attempt in Kaltura's Quiz Reporting and Analytics for the video and manually record their score in Canvas.

Get help with Kaltura Video Quiz

Virginia Tech supports My Media and Media Gallery. Go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help. 

Kaltura Resources

My Media and Media Gallery Resources

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LabFlow (Chemistry)

Background

LabFlow is a platform used for instruction around hands-on experimental learning activities in lab courses. LabFlow helps students be successful in labs through pre-lab preparation and post-lab coaching. LabFlow also helps TAs and instructors by streamlining lab course administration, reducing grading time, and delivering analytics on grading consistency. Currently LabFlow is only available to CHEM courses at Virginia Tech.

Add LabFlow to Canvas course site

  1. Go to your Canvas course site.
  2. In the course navigation, click Assignments.
  3. Click +Assignment.
  4. Title your assignment then scroll down to Submission Type.
  5. Change the submission type to External Tool.
  6. Paste your assignment URL in the URL field.
  7. Click the checkbox for Load This Tool In A New Tab.
  8. Click Save & Publish.

Get help with LabFlow

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Labster (Biology)

Background

Labster is an interactive LTI tool that allows you to add lab simulations to your Canvas course for your students to complete. Labster is only available to Virginia Tech's Department of Biological Sciences. 

Add Labster simulations to Canvas course site

  1. Go to your Canvas course site.
  2. In the course navigation, click Assignments.
  3. Click +Assignment.
  4. Title your assignment then scroll down to Submission Type.
  5. Change the submission type to External Tool.
  6. Paste your simulation URL in the URL field.
  7. Click the checkbox for Load This Tool In A New Tab.
  8. Click Save & Publish.

For a video and screenshots of these steps, see How to add Labster simulations to your Canvas course.

Get help with Labster

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MatLab Grader

Background

  • MatLab Grader can be used to create and share MatLab coding problems and assessments in Canvas. 
  • Instructors create interactive coding assignments, students complete them, and assignments are graded automatically. 

Add MatLab Grader assignments to Canvas

Create MathLab problems
  1. Go to Create a MathWorks account.
  2. Enter your VT email address and description. Click Create. 

    Image of the above instructions.

  3. MathWorks will send you an email. Click Verify your email and enter your profile information. 
  4. Go to MatLab Grader.
  5. Add courses and content. See For Instructors: Create Courses and Coding Problems
  6. For help creating courses and problem sets, contact Elvira Osuna-Highley at eosunahi@mathworks.com | 508-647-1840. 
Link Canvas and MatLab
  1. Go to your Canvas course site.
  2. In the course navigation, click Assignments.
  3. Click +Assignment.
  4. Title your assignment then scroll down to Submission Type.
  5. Change the submission type to External Tool.
  6. Choose MATLAB Coding Problem. 
  7. Click Save. The assignment will re-load and the MatLab Grader Add Problem screen will appear. 
  8. Scroll down and click Access your MATLAB Grader (formerly Cody Coursework) problems by linking to your MathWorks account.

    Image of the above instructions.

  9. Log in to MathWorks from within Canvas. 
Add MatLab problem to Canvas

On the Add Problem screen, navigate to the problem you want to add and click Copy. If you choose the wrong problem, click Choose a Different Problem at the top of the MatLab Problem screen to go back to Add Problem. 


Image of the above instructions.

Get help with MatLab Grader

Resources
Support

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Portfolium

Background

Portfolium is the ePortfolio platform that University Libraries adopted for their ePortfolios Initiative. See the initiative's website for details on how students and instructors can use Portfolium, resources, and support. 

Use Portfolium

Log into Portfolium before you can access in Canvas: 

  1. Go to the Virginia Tech Portfolium Login page. 
  2. Click OneCampus Login and use your PID and password to sign in. 

Image of the above instructions.

Access Portfolium in Canvas

  1. After you log into Canvas and navigate to a course, click Portfolium on the Course Navigation Menu. 
  2. To use Portfolium to set assignments and assessments, contact eportfolios@vt.edu to set up an appointment. The ePortfolio team will help you set up a Portfolium instructor account. 

Image of the above instructions.

Get help with Portfolium

The Portfolium tool is created and supported by Portfolium, not by Canvas or Virginia Tech.

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Respondus LockDown Browser

Background

Respondus LockDown Browser can be integrated with Canvas to prevent students taking online quizzes from navigating to other websites, using chat, or taking screenshots. Instructors set up a Canvas quiz to require Respondus, and students must log in to Canvas and take the quiz using Respondus LockDown Browser.

Use Respondus LockDown Browser in Canvas

Get help with Respondus

For help setting up a quiz with Respondus, go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help. 

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Smart Sparrow (Chemistry)

Background

This is a tool accessible to the Department of Chemistry. Smart Sparrow is a learning design tool that can be integrated with Canvas to create learning material. It is accessible as an external tool through the course's assignments and modules.

Use Smart Sparrow with Canvas

To request Smart Sparrow, go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help. State you'd like Smart Sparrow enabled in the site and paste in the Canvas URL. 

Get help with Smart Sparrow

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SPOT

Background

Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) Evaluations are run using Course Evaluations & Surveys (CES), formerly EvaluationKIT, an external tool that is on Canvas. 

Use SPOT in Canvas

Get help with SPOT

An overview of SPOT can be found on the Analytics & Institutional Effectiveness (AIE) website.

Depending on your issue, SPOT is supported by:

  • AIE office for both end-user problems and course-import problems for SPOT Evaluations.
  • TLOS for system issues, outages, Canvas integration, data exports to the Data Warehouse, and requests for legacy data from Sakai SPOT. 

To contact AIE or TLOS about SPOT, go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help.

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Top Hat

Background

Top Hat is teaching platform and student response system instructors can use to engage students both in and out of the classroom. Instructors can present interactive slides, videos, discussions, graded quizzes, and polls. Students use their own web-enabled devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, or even traditional cell phones) to participate.  

Use TopHat with Canvas

Get help with Top Hat

Contact technical support

Both Top Hat and Canvas support Top Hat.

  • Top Hat support email: support@tophat.com 
  • Top Hat support call-in: 888-663-5491
  • Canvas support: click Support on any Canvas screen
Request demonstration

To schedule a personalized demonstration or learn more about implementing Top Hat in your course, please contact Top Hat directly. Top Hat’s dedicated Education Technology Specialist, Justin, will get in touch with you.

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Turnitin Plagiarism Framework

Background

Turnitin Plagiarism Framework in Canvas is a plagiarism detection system used in education to promote academic integrity and enhance student learning.

  • Plagiarism Framework has replaced Turnitin Feedback Studio.
  • Instructors and students access Turnitin Plagiarism Framework through the Canvas Assignments tool.
  • Plagiarism Framework is available in all Canvas sites. 

Instructors can: 

  • Run grammar, spelling, and originality reports on student papers.
  • Check for plagiarism.
  • Reduce unoriginal content and foster more confident writing.

Students can: 

  • If instructors let them, students can use Turnitin to check their work for spelling, grammar, and the originality of their writing.
  • Students can see instructor feedback, in context, right on their papers.

Resources:

Use Turnitin Plagiarism Framework

For instructions, see Plagiarism Detection - How to Use Turnitin Plagiarism Framework in Canvas.

Get help with Turnitin

Technical questions: 

Policy and academic integrity questions:

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Web-CAT (Computer Science)

Background

Web-CAT is a free and open source software that provides instructors with an advanced automated grading system that grades students on how well they test their own code. It is highly customizable and extensible, and supports virtually any model of program grading, assessment, and feedback generation. Web-CAT is implemented as a web application with a plug-in-style architecture so that it also can serve as a platform for providing additional student support services to help students learn programming or software testing. Some of its key features:

  • Customizable and extensible
  • Plug-in-style architecture
  • Supports student-written tests, measurement of test coverage, and grading on test thoroughness
  • Supports static analysis tools to assess documentation and coding style
  • Supports manual grading with direct on-line markup of assignments

Add Web-CAT to Canvas Course Site

Web-CAT is only available to the Computer Science department on Canvas. Enable Web-CAT on the Course Navigation Menu of your Canvas course. See:

Get help with Web-CAT

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