Considering a New Academic Tool? We Can Help!
Have you ever wanted to try a new eLearning tool, but finding one that fits your goals, familiarizing yourself with something new, then teaching your students to do the same simply feels too daunting? Or maybe it seems too confusing to figure out how to get that tool added to your Canvas course. What if we were here to hold your hand (after applying sanitizer, of course) and guide you through the process? Would that eliminate at least some of your frustrations?
A Pathway to Integration
With the endless availability of options for instructors and administrators and a less than exact way to quickly define what makes an LTI tool (the “official” name for eLearning tools that integrate with Canvas) beneficial and secure, we wanted to help. The Educational Technology team is working alongside some of our favorite instructors and academic committees to refine the LTI request process, providing a pathway to pilot tools so that we can integrate those that offer a specific, defined benefit, and make sure that faculty are aware of their purpose and function.
What Exactly is an LTI Tool?
First, because it’s an often misunderstood term, let’s break down what an LTI is and why you may want to request one. Often, the terms LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability), EduApp, or academic tool are used interchangeably to reference any tool that can be integrated with Canvas to connect it with another educational platform. These range from specific courseware platforms in which students complete most, if not all of their work (such as MyMathLab) to supplemental tools used alongside course content to enhance the learning experience (like Studio, the college’s video repository system). Some are seamlessly integrated with Canvas, so that you may not even know that you’ve left the LMS when you are using them (like Canvas Commons), while others can feel more disjointed due to their placement, function, and even their branding. The College pays for many tools based on an enterprise license, whereas others prompt students to cover the cost, or are offered at no financial cost.
What’s Required for Integration?
Although on the surface it may sound as if all tools should be integrated within the LMS, there are a few requirements and details to consider prior to an LTI being added into the College’s system. As a part of the new process, when an instructor makes a request they will see the three initial requirements that need to be met in order to consider the integration of an LTI into Canvas. The tool must meet FSCJ’s policy of being FERPA compliant, ADA or 508 compliant, and LTI Standard 1.3 compliant. These provide our students and staff a secure experience and one that follows the policies and procedures in place at FSCJ.
What’s Considered Before Integration?
After confirming those requirements are met, the requester will need to provide details about the requested new tool’s benefits, potential users, and other details to assist in determining the viability and usefulness of its integration. If beneficial, a pilot of the tool will be scheduled to provide willing instructors with the opportunity to use the tool within the LMS instead of as a standalone product (outside of an LMS integration), then share that experience with other instructors that may be interested in adopting the tool as well. Upon completion of each pilot, feedback will be gathered from participants, then shared amongst the EdTech team and faculty-led committees to determine if the piloted tool should then be considered for permanent integration within Canvas for a wider, more streamlined experience.
The Process for Requesting a New Tool Be Integrated
Update May 2021: The LTI request process is final and in place. To request an LTI be integrated with Canvas, please visit help.fscj.edu, select Submit a Request, then from the Categories on the left choose Canvas. On that page, choose Add a New LTI, External Tool, or EduApp to Canvas then complete the fields as requested. The request will come to the Educational Technology team for review.
