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 - Requesting and Using 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

Instructions

CodeGrade

Background

CodeGrade is an online code learning platform designed for educators and students in computer science and programming courses. It streamlines the process of grading by providing feedback on coding assignments, projects, and programming exercises.

Main features of CodeGrade:

  • Automated grading of programming assignments
  • Code analysis for assessing code quality and correctness
  • Plagiarism detection to identify similarities between student submissions
  • Feedback management tools for providing detailed comments and guidance on code
  • Integration with learning management systems (LMS) for a seamless educational workflow
  • Collaboration features for teamwork and peer review assignments
  • Real-time code execution to test and evaluate code within the platform.

CodeGrade is student paid. Upon launching an assignment using CodeGrade, the student will be prompted to pay $35 to finalize their enrollment in the course.

Add CodeGrade to Canvas

Creating your assignment in Canvas:

  1. Click the + Assignment button in Canvas.
  2. Under submission type, select External Tool.
  3. Under Enter or find an External Tool URL, click the Find button.
  4. In the dialog, click on CodeGrade and click Select.
  5. Add your due date and other Canvas options and save your assignment.
  6. Your assignment will automatically open in Canvas and the CodeGrade environment will be visible.

To see a video on creating an assignment, watch this video.

Get Help with CodeGrade

To get help with CodeGrade:

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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 Credentials to your Canvas site, then you incorporate it into Modules. 

Add Canvas Credentials to Canvas

To add Canvas Credentials 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 to your Canvas site 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 Credentials

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

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CrowdMark

Background

Crowdmark is an online assessment platform designed to streamline the grading process for instructors. Key features include collaborative grading, automatic distribution of feedback, and analytics to track student performance. According to CrowdMark, the only way to add the tool within Canvas is to add it as an External Link via the Canvas Modules tool. When added via a Module item, students will not see assignments in their Student To-Do List but would need to access CrowdMark to see their assessments.

Add CrowdMark to Canvas

CrowdMark is only available in Math courses.

To use CrowdMark,

  1. Add it to your site using Modules by following the directions under Add Tool to a Module.
    • The tool name in Canvas is CrowdMark LTI 1.3.
    • You can edit the page name before clicking Add Item if you'd like.
    • CrowdMark recommends launching the tool in a new tab.
  2. Add CrowdMark as an external tool to a Canvas assignment by following the directions under Add Tool to an Assignment.

Things to know:

  • Roster: Faculty will need to sync their roster in CrowdMark to get the roster of students and then sync again anytime a new student adds the course. There is no automatic sync. If the roster is not updated/synced, any new students not on the roster in CrowdMark will get the incorrect view and access in CrowdMark and be unable to complete assignments until the teacher syncs the roster in CrowdMark.
  • Grade Passback: Instructors will need to activate the grade sync in CrowdMark to have grades display in Canvas. Instructors should use caution as CrowdMark grades can be overwritten in Canvas's Speedgrader or Grades tools. There is no automatic sync.

Using CrowdMark

To get started with CrowdMark in Canvas, see: Canvas and Crowdmark.

Get Help with CrowdMark

Resources

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 multiyear enterprise contract for Gradescope. It is currently 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

Previously, instructors needed to enable iClicker Registration in their Canvas site's Course Navigation Menu for students to register their iClicker device. Moving forward, students will need to register their remotes on the iClicker Student App. Send students to: How to Register a Remote in the iClicker Student App.

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.
  • MatLab Self-Paced Online Trainings can also be assigned in Canvas for students to learn how to use MatLab.
  • Instructors create interactive coding assignments, students complete them, and assignments are graded automatically. 

Add MatLab Grader Assignments to Canvas

Create MatLab Problems
  1. Go to Create a MathWorks account.
  2. Enter your VT email address and click Sign in. 

    Image of the above instructions
  3. You will be taken to a Virginia Tech login screen for MathWorks. Log in using your Virginia Tech PID and passphrase.
  4. Go to MatLab Grader to add courses and content
  5. 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 menu, 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 Grader LTI v1.3 from the list, uncheck the Load in a new tab box and click Select.
  7. Fill out the rest of the assignment details and click Save. The assignment will re-load and the MatLab Grader Assignment screen will appear. 
  8. If you are not signed in, click Sign in to log into your MathWorks account in Canvas.
    Image of the above instructions
Add MatLab Problem to Canvas
  1. On the Add Problem screen, click on the folder of the problem you want to add.
  2. Locate the problem you want to add and click Copy. Image of the above instructions
    • If you choose the wrong problem, click Choose a Different Problem at the top of the screen to go back to Add Problem. 
  3. The problem will be added to your Canvas assignment.
  4. If you haven't published your assignment in Canvas, go back to the Canvas assignment page to publish it or edit the assignment and click Save & Publish.
Assign Students Matlab Online Training in Canvas
  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 and Simulink Online Courses LTI 1.3.
  7. Uncheck the Load in a new tab box and click Select.
  8. Click Save after you finish filling out the assignment details. The assignment will re-load and the MatLab Self-Paced Online Courses screen will appear. 
  9. Log in if required and click Add Course to start choosing trainings.
    Image of the above instructions
  10. Navigate to the course you want to assign and click Assign Course.
    Image of the above instructions
  11. You will see the self-paced course in your assignment preview window.
  12. If you haven't published your assignment, go back to the Canvas assignment page to publish it or edit the assignment and click Save & Publish. Students will be able to start and track their progress in the Matlab online training course from within the Canvas assignment.

Get Help with MatLab Grader

Resources
Support

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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 find New Analytics on a Canvas site's Course Navigation Menu. If you do not see it, enable it in your course:

  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 to show it in your menu.

Get Help with New Analytics

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

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Poll Everywhere (VetMed)

Background

Poll Everywhere is an audience response and engagement platform that enables real-time interaction with audiences. It allows instructors to create and conduct polls, surveys, quizzes, and open-ended questions for participants to respond to using their devices. Key features include real-time result display, a variety of question types, integration with presentation tools and learning management systems, and reporting and analytics capabilities.

Main features of Poll Everywhere:

  • Real-time result display
  • Multiple question types (multiple-choice, open-ended, word clouds, etc.)
  • Integration with presentation tools and learning management systems
  • Reporting and analytics
  • Customization and branding options
  • Accessibility features
  • Mobile apps for participants and presenters

Poll Everywhere is approved for purchase at Virginia Tech. It is currently only installed in Canvas for the Veterinary Medicine sub-account.

Add Poll Everywhere to Canvas

Poll Everywhere can be added to Canvas in the Course Navigation Menu for Veterinary Medicine sub-account sites. See Add Tool to the Course Navigation Menu.

For vendor instructions with screenshots, see Option B: Connecting your course to Poll Everywhere using Course Navigation.

Get Help with Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere is supported by Portfolium, not by Canvas or Virginia Tech. See:

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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/or Respondus Monitor, 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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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, Adam Stephens, 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 - Using 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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