Tech Tools for Teaching
Welcome to WSU Online’s Tech Tools for Teaching guide!
The following category icons will link to lists of approved technology tools you can integrate into your instruction to enhance teaching strategies and promote student engagement and learning. Simply click on the categories below to learn more.
To brainstorm strategies to effectively use any ed-tech tools in your classes, contact an Instructional Designer (instructionaldesign@weber.edu) in WSU Online!
Want to share or find great assignment examples? Use #TechTools in Canvas Commons. To access Canvas Commons, log into Canvas and click on Commons in the sidebar navigation.
Editor Note: These sections are hidden on the live site but visible here so you can update tool lists!
Assessment Tools
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Attendance | Seating charts, attendance | Attendance (Roll Call) tool is an external app (LTI) used for taking attendance in Canvas courses for online or face-to-face courses. |
| FeedbackFruits | Polls, quiz | Tool integrated with Canvas to create engaging activities, such as interactive presentations and polling. |
| Kaltura | Video, quiz | Kaltura Video Quiz feature embeds quiz questions at any point in your Kaltura videos and can submit grades to your Canvas Gradebook. |
| Proctorio | Secure online exams | Students can take secure Canvas quizzes outside of a physical testing center, recording the student's webcam, audio, screen, and web traffic. |
| Copyleaks | Plagiarism-checked assignment | Internet-based plagiarism detection service. |
| Portfolium | Digital portfolio | Digital portfolio platform where students can visually communicate their skills and accomplishments with future employers. |
| Testing Center Check-in App* | Secure in-person exams | In order for the Testing Center to proctor your tests, this application needs to be filled out to inform the Testing Center of the parameters for your exam on Canvas. Without this step, your exams cannot be proctored in a testing center. |
| Qualtrics XM* | Polls, surveys | Create surveys, feedback, and polls using a variety of distribution means. Results can be viewed in reports and downloaded. |
*External tool: Not available in Canvas, but you are able to use outside of Canvas and post a link to the tool. For some tools you may be able to embed onto a Canvas Page or Assignment.
Collaboration Tools
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kaltura | Video, quiz | Cloud-based video management system that can be used for recording, storing, publishing, and streaming videos, video collections, and other types of media. Add quiz questions that pop up at certain times and track through Canvas Gradebook. |
| Annoto | Discussion, quiz | Interactive discussion tool that overlays your Kaltura videos, including YouTube videos linked in your Kaltura channel. |
| BigBlueButton | Video, chat | Video conferencing tool in Canvas that allows student groups to meet for project discussions. No auto captioning |
| Zoom | Virtual meeting, whiteboard | Video conferencing tool that allows users to easily connect. |
| Lucid | Flowcharts whiteboard | comprises Lucidspark, a collaborative virtual whiteboard, and Lucidchart, an intelligent diagramming application useful for mindmaps, flowcharts, etc. |
| Google Drive | Docs, sheets, slides, and more | Cloud storage solution that allows you to save files, collaborate with others, and access files on any device. |
| Canvas Collaborations | Documents | Google integration that allows multiple users to work together on the same document at the same time. |
| Packback | Discussion | Teaches students how to ask effective, open-ended questions. Students must purchase a license through WSU Bookstore. |
Creation Tools
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Commons | Content to share with other faculty | Digital library full of educational content allows Canvas users to share learning resources with other users as well as import learning resources into a Canvas course. |
| Kaltura | Video, quiz | Kaltura Personal Capture is a desktop recorder allows you to record your screen and webcam then upload to Kaltura |
| Ally | Accessible Documents | Accessibility tool that analyzes Canvas content and documents and provides recommendations to improve accessibility. |
| Pressbooks | Digital textbooks | Create books with interactive content, quizzes and polls |
| Kanopy* | Borrow videos | Access full-length documentaries and movies via WSU Library's subscription to this wonderful resource. |
| Packback | Discussion | Teaches students how to ask effective, open-ended questions. Students must purchase a license through WSU Bookstore. |
| VitalSource Bookshelf | Textbook access | Day One Access is a collaborative program between the Wildcat Store, faculty, and publishers that gives students access to their required digital course materials on the first day of class and at a reduced cost. |
| Courseware, eText, & Publisher Material | Publisher content access | (Available for purchase through WSU Bookstore): ALEKS, APA Psychlearn, Cengage (Mindlinks, Mindtap, WebAssign) Pearson (My Lab and Mastering), McGraw Hill Connect, MHcampus, Macmillan Learning, Sage Vantage, WileyPlus, WW Norton (InQuizitive), zyBooks |
| Adobe Creative Cloud* | Documents, videos, images, etc. | Create using Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Express, and Premiere Pro. |
| Qualtrics XM* | Surveys, polls | Create surveys, feedback, and polls using a variety of distribution means. Results can be viewed in reports and downloaded. |
| Hypothes.is* | Document annotation | Annotate any websites or online documents individually or in groups using this browser extension. The University doesn't own a license to this software. Consider using other options that are already available in Canvas. |
*External Tools: Not available in Canvas, but you are able to use outside of Canvas and post a link to the tool. For some tools you may be able to embed onto a Canvas Page or Assignment.
Discussion Tools
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Collaborations | Documents | Google integration that allows multiple users to work together on the same document at the same time. |
| Annoto | Discussion/quiz | Kaltura overlay that promotes engaging discussion on your Kaltura videos, including YouTube videos linked in your Kaltura channel. |
| BigBlueButton | Discussion | Conference tool in Canvas that allows student groups to meet for project discussions |
| Packback | Discussion | Teaches students how to ask effective, open-ended questions. Students must purchase a license through WSU Bookstore. |
Publication Tools
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Commons | Content to share with other faculty | Commons is a digital library and learning object repository that enables educators to find, import, and share resources. |
| Box | Docs, sheets, slides, and more | Cloud storage solution that allows you to upload files and access them on any device. Users have 50 GB of storage available. |
| Google Drive | Docs, sheets, slides, and more | Cloud storage solution that allows you to save files, collaborate with others, and access files on any device. |
| Kaltura | Video, quiz | Access your existing Kaltura library, record, or upload external videos (mp4, YouTube etc.) directly through the rich content editor toolbar in Canvas |
| Canvas ePortfolios (Folio) | Digital portfolio | Digital portfolio platform where students can visually communicate their skills and accomplishments with future employers. |
| Adobe Creative Cloud* | Documents, videos, images, etc. | Create using Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Express, and Premiere Pro. |
*External Tools: Not available in Canvas, but you are able to use outside of Canvas and post a link to the tool. For some tools you may be able to embed onto a Canvas Page or Assignment.
Student Services
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Immersive Reader | Enhanced accessibility | Microsoft Immersive Reader enhances accessibility and comprehension for any reader. |
| Starfish | Alerts for outreach | Early alert platform that supports student success by facilitating communication and connection between faculty, students, advisors, and support services. |
| GivePulse* | Events | Register for and track involvement in student events, clubs, community partners, and volunteer opportunities. |
| Kanopy* | Borrow videos | Access full-length documentaries and movies via WSU Library's subscription to this wonderful resource. |
*External Tools: Not available in Canvas, but you are able to use outside of Canvas and post a link to the tool. For some tools you may be able to embed onto a Canvas Page or Assignment
Complete List of Tools
This section will contain a comprehensive list of all categorized tools.
Video Tools
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kaltura | Video, quiz | Cloud-based video management system that can be used for recording, storing, publishing, and streaming videos, video collections, and other types of media. Add quiz questions that track through Canvas Gradebook. |
| Annoto | Discussion, Quiz | Interactive discussion tool or quiz creator that overlays your Kaltura videos as well as YouTube and Vimeo videos. |
| BigBlueButton | Video, chat | Video conferencing tool in Canvas that allows student groups to meet for project discussions. No auto captioning. |
| Zoom | Virtual meeting, whiteboard | Video conferencing tool that allows users to easily connect. |
AI Tools
- AI: An Overview - A brief (5-minute) introduction to artificial intelligence technology. Instructors using AI activities in the classroom can show this video to define related vocabulary and summarize how AI works and how to use it.
- While there are many AI tools that can enhance your teaching, we recommend using the following tools that have been purchased by the University.
- Always revise and evaluate AI output to ensure accuracy and prevent incorrect or biased information.
Generative AI
| Tool | What can I create? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Khanmigo | Utilize pre-made prompts to create course materials | Built for teachers by teachers, Khanmigo simplifies AI. Without writing one prompt, you can co-create lesson plans, rubrics, exit tickets, and more. |
| Canvas AI Tools | Smart Search, Discussion Summary |
Smart Search is a natural language search of course content for students and educators. This is only available in your course if you enable it and will only allow students to search published content. Discussion Summary creates summaries of key points, questions, and insights from student responses. This is only available for instructor use. |
| Copilot | Search topics, answer questions, summarize text, translate, generate content | Assistant that can help you browse the web, answer questions, and more. Access through Microsoft Edge. |
| Gemini | Search topics, answer questions, summarize text, translate, generate content | Tool to simulate human conversations using natural language processing and machine learning and integrating with various Google apps and services. |
| NotebookLM | Analyze documents, answer questions, and create new content based on the information provided. | Tool designed to assist with research and writing by summarizing, extracting information, and generating content from various sources. It can be used to analyze documents, answer questions, and create new content based on the information provided. |
| Adobe Firefly | Generate images | Empower creators of all experience levels to generate high-quality images and stunning text effects, offering new ways to ideate, create, and communicate. |
Want to stay up-to-date on changes to built-in Canvas features? Subscribe to WSU Online's Monthly Newsletter where we highlight features for WSU Online!