CU: External Apps (aka LTI Tools)

Overview

Define what an External Apps (aka LTI Tools) is, know what external apps are commonly used in CSD, and understand how to add external apps in a Canvas Course.

Learning Intentions

I can articulate why, and determine when, I would want to use an external app in my Canvas course.
I can define external app (LTI Tool).
I can add an external app to my Canvas course.

Why Bring Outside Resources into Your Canvas Course?

In this module you are going to learn about external apps (LTIs) and Open Education Resources (OERs) and how to use them in Canvas. First, it is important to think about why you would want to use them in your Canvas course.

External apps and OERs are resources that are created outside of Canvas, and listed below are the benefits of incorporating them into your Canvas course. The video shared on this page talks through the benefits that are listed below.

Easier Access to Content and Materials
Canvas becomes the "one-stop" for accessing the content needed, and helps eliminate navigation issues that occur when students need to access different online programs/websites.
Help with the Distribution of Content and Materials
In addition to making it easier for students (and parents) to access the content/materials, educators can use external apps and OERs to help distribute various learning activities and assignments.
Connection to the Canvas Gradebook
Some external apps and OERs have the ability to connect to Canvas assignments, which in turn can connect to the Canvas gradebook.
Support Personalized Learning
OERs provide additional ways to learn and personalize learning.
Flexibility and Support with Blended Learning
Online textbooks provide flexibility in place and pace.
Supplement Content
OERs can serve as a supplement to the curriculum being used in the classroom, and shouldn't be used as a replacement.
Eliminates the need for students to create their own accounts.
With some external apps and OERs bringing the content into Canvas eliminates the need for students to create an account within the program itself, which in turn can support safeguarding student privacy.

What are External Apps (LTI Tools)

Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) provides a framework through which an LMS (Canvas) can send some verifiable information about a user to a third party. For LTI to work, the third party needs to provide a consumer key and shared secret that Canvas can use to generate a signature to verify the authenticity of the data sent. By default most user information is anonymized, but this can be changed when the configuration is first set up.

Note: External apps can be configured on the account or course level, and with that said, you may encounter some apps that you are not able to add without the help and support of the CSD Canvas Admin. If this is the case, submit a footprints tickets.

When would I use an External App?

External Apps are an easy way to add new features to Canvas, and can be added to individual courses or to all courses in an account. External apps can be added to modules, course navigation, the rich content editor, and assignments. The external apps can be added through the App Center, which is part of the Apps tab in both Account and Course Settings. It allows you to:

Add new features to Canvas at the account or course level
Configure apps to link to modules or assessments
Install apps without the help of IT
Created a customized teaching experience
Open the door to more possibilities
Filter apps by name
View installed apps

It is important to ensure that the apps you are adding to you Canvas course are apps that are approved for use in Canyons District. If you are not sure whether or not an app is approved for use, visit https://learn.canyonsdistrict.org Links to an external site.. The video provided demonstrates how to use the LEARN Platform to view approved apps and/or submit apps for approval.

🔍Exploration Task: Try some things out! Select an external app (or two, or three) and try using it in a Canvas course. See what it is like to embed an external app on a content page, or using the external tool submission type in an assignment. It is recommended that you try out an external app that you haven't used before.
Video on how to add external apps to Canvas. Links to an external site.

The external apps shared below are not the only apps available in Canvas, however, with that said it is important to use what is approved by the school/district and approved for use. If you have questions you can reference the LEARN platform and your school-based coach. If you need assistance in getting an app added to your Canvas app contact your school-based coach for support. If it turns out you need a Canvas administrator to add an app to Canvas submit a Footprints ticket with the following information.

Screencast O'Matic

Screencast-O-Matic is a screencasting and video editing software tool that can be launched directly from a browser.

Adobe Spark

Adobe Spark is a suite of applications that Adobe has created for educators to use with their students. Teachers and students can use Adobe Spark's Post, Page, & Video to design engaging lessons.

Nearpod

Nearpod is an online program that allows teacher to create and deliver interactive lessons, videos, and formative assessments.

Unicheck

Unicheck is a plagiarism checker. It verifies the originality of submitted texts or documents and delivers detailed similarity reports to instructors and students. Unicheck can be used by instructors and students in Canvas Assignment activity.

Google

Canvas supports an integration with Google Apps in Assignments, Collaborations, Modules, Course Navigation, and the Rich Content Editor. This integration allows students and instructors to use, create, share, and collaborate on Google Apps files within Canvas. Users can also view their Google Drive files directly in Canvas.

CSDDocs in Canvas

Quizlet

Quizlet is a free website providing learning tools for students, including flashcards, study and game modes.

Zoom

Zoom allows teachers to organize distance meetings, conduct remote and virtual instruction, and collaborate.

Zoom Features / Zoom in Canvas

EdPuzzle

Edpuzzle is a web-based interactive video and formative assessment tool that lets users crop existing online videos and add content to target specific learning objectives.

Important note: When making your EDpuzzle account, do not use your CSDDocs account , as you will not be able to receive confirmation emails. Use your @canyonsdistrict.org email instead.

Newsela

Newsela is an online program that provides interactive online reading opportunties for students, and provides a collection of fiction and non-fiction text. Each article can be adjusted by Lexile level, and Newsela provides news, ELA, Science, and Social Studies connections.

Kami

Kami is an online document annotation and markup tool. You can highlight, underline, and strikethrough text in PDF and other document formats. You can also add text boxes, shapes, and images. Kami works with Google Drive and Canvas. With Kami, you can easily collaborate on documents in the classroom while avoiding the hassles of printing documents.

Connect Ed

The McGraw Hill ConnectED science content is available for elementary teachers.

Bite-Sized PD: Utilizing McGraw Hill ConnectED in Canvas Links to an external site.

Flipgrid

Flipgrid is a social learning platform on which an educator can post a question and students can respond with short videos. Students can even respond to each other to create a video-based discussion thread in a managed environment.

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Gale Virtual Reference Library is a single source for eReference aimed at the needs of students, researchers, professionals and general readers and provides teachers access to more than 7,000 authoritative, full-text titles—from Gale and a host of premier publishing partners—within 18 subject areas researchers study most. This has been made available in the CSD Canvas instance thanks to our partners at the Utah Education Network (UEN). Canyons teachers have access to the following external tools within Canvas that are part of the Gale Virtual Reference Library:

Biography in Context
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Global Issues in Context
InfoTrac Newstand
Kids Info Bits
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Research in Context
Science in Context
Student Edition
Student in Context

Video: Gale Canvas LTI Links to an external site.