Great API and LTI dev course, but not maintained for a while

[stelpstra]

Hi,

There is a nice course available on API and LTI development:

https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/785215

Brian Whitmer is the teacher in this course and after googling his name I can guess why this course hasn't been updated for a while.

Although I am enthusiastic about this course, I believe it needs more materials to first learn to understand the technology enough to be able do the assignments properly.

Additionally, in the assignments multiple times you are requested to perform some actions which return specific text. This need to be submitted in the assignments. But because the returned text has slightly been changed in the past few years, the submitted answers are marked as incorrect.

My question would be, is it possible to assign one or more teachers to this course and to update the content and assignments? If so, I would definitely recommend this course to the developers at our university.

Kind regards,

Jaap Stelpstra

[tjones1]

My first exposure to Canvas LTI Tools was through this course. While going through the assignments, I had the same thought.

The course is a great starting point and should be expanded to teach new developers how to build their own lti tools.

Canvas would see all kinds of new apps developed by its users.

[BKINNEY]

Me too. I learned a lot by struggling my way through Brian's course. It was hard, and I could have used a lot more guidance, but the biggest thing is making sure it actually works. I'm currently mentoring someone who needs to learn all that stuff, and I've tasked him with completing the course. I'd like to think it's not so broken that he won't be able to complete it. I'm okay with the minimalist approach to instruction, but if the assignments can no longer be completed successfully, I'm going to be really stuck for a way to get him off the ground. I noticed that Deactivated user​ is also listed as a teacher. Hopefully he will see this mention.

[stuart_ryan]

Hi  @stelpstra ,

I am going through having a look at some of the early days in the Canvas Developers group, and checking in to see if older enquiries have been answered. I also noticed there hasn’t been any discussion on this question in quite some time.

I am wondering if this is something you are still interested in! I recently created the Canvas APIs: Getting started, the practical ins and outs, gotchas, tips, and tricks‌ document as a helpful starting point, though I can also see that a course would be very useful!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Cheers,
Stuart

[stelpstra]

Hi  @stuart_ryan ‌, thanks for the API resource, that is a very useful page.

Regarding LTI development, there is almost no documentation available and almost no examples. The examples that are out there are outdated and do not work any more. Additionally, OAuth documentation is incomplete, it lacks information about handshake validation.

A quick look at https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/785215 indicated it has not been updated and contains invalid answers which would be quite confusing for those starting to learn how it all works.

It would be very helpful if a similar document as the API Getting Started documentation would be created, including some working examples.

Cheers,

Jaap.

[stuart_ryan]

Hi  @stelpstra ,

I agree, this is something I have wished for as well (as I will admit, while I can code, I have never come within a country mile of coding an LTI).

I will see if I can find a few people at hack night at InstructureCon who might have some knowledge and see what we can pull together. Equally, if anyone has expertise and experience in this are that they may be open to collaborating on this, I would be keen!

Cheers,
Stuart

[sendres]

 @stelpstra ‌ I would also like to work on an LTI getting started resource/course. I've been tinkering with the IMS-LTI code without success. Would love to figure this out and share some guidance to make it easier for others to get started.

[skriloffn]

Does anyone have links to a simple hello world LTI app I could start on? 

[molea]

 @stelpstra ‌ I would like to work on this course!

[sendres]

HI colleagues,

Many of us have expressed interest in learning to write LTIs and possibly developing a course on that topic. I'm willing to organize a peer-learning group for this purpose. Our goal would be that, by the end of the summer, each of us in the group will have been able to get at least a basic LTI tool up and running.

If you would be like to join this group, please state your intent by replying to this post by Sunday, May 5th. Based on availability, I will coordinate a synchronous meeting for interested parties and see if I can find someone experienced with LTIs to mentor us.

I will ask that  @stelpstra ‌,  @tjones1 ‌,  @BKINNEY ‌,  @stuart_ryan ‌,  @skriloffn ‌, and  @molea ‌ please confirm if this is of interest to you.

[skriloffn]

Interested

[themidiman]

Interested as well. Thanks!

[a_craik]

Interested too, thanks

FYI the furthest I got with figuring out where to even begin with learning this is here: https://community.canvaslms.com/thread/14038-learning-lti-with-atomic-jolt-a-noobie

[viral]

Interested as well.. 

[stelpstra]

Hi  @sendres ‌, great initiative! Unfortunately I am not developing much any more, so I have to skip this.

[skriloffn]

Does anyone have a Canvas LTI hello world app they could point me to? 

[pklove]

What language?

For Node.js there is a simple example at https://community.canvaslms.com/message/107773-re-hire-an-lti-consultantfreelancer?commentID=107773#... 

But rather than "hello world" it will show username and roles.

And if its an external assignment it will return a score to the gradebook.

[skriloffn]

Peter,  Thanks!  I will try it out. 

[michael_ewen]

Interested 🙂

[dnimri]

Hi, I am interested. Please send me an invite if it is not too late to join. Thank you!

[sendres]

Hello  @dnimri ‌,

You are welcome to join us. I've just sent you an invitation to the course. We actually just got rolling last week.

You may want to take a look in the Modules for two discussions summarizing two kick-off calls we held last Wednesday and Thursday. The recordings of those discussions are available to watch as well.

[sendres]

Hi all,

I'll set up a Canvas course as a workspace for those of us interested in building LTIs this summer. Look for an invitation later today.  @skriloffn ‌ I haven't found a hello world app per se, but do have a few resources I have found along the way to get us started. I'll share them in the workspace course shell.

If anyone else is interested in joining us, please reply to the thread by Sunday, May 5th. Next week, I'll see if we can find a time for an initial web conference to get started.

[raj_veeravalli]

Hi Steven,

Sounds great! Can you please add me to the list?

Thanks!

[sendres]

For those interested in the "let's learn LTI this summer" team, I have created a Canvas course and sent you invitations. As soon as everyone has accepted their invitations, we'll get things going!

[nardell]

Another request to be added to the course. Sorry for being late!

[sendres]

Invitation sent to your email to join our Canvas course.

[grodriguez2]

Hello I am a junior front-end & app developer, I know i´m really late but i would love to join the course!

[sendres]

Hi  @grodriguez2 ‌,

I've added you to the Canvas shell. You should have received an invitation via email and should also see it if you log in at https://canvas.instructure.com.

[robotcars]

 @sendres 

I see I'm late to this party, but I'd like to be involved.

I'm planning to produce NodeJS LTI boilerplates to bring Canvas Data/reports back into Canvas for any DB engine.

[sendres]

I've sent you an invitation to our Canvas shell. Welcome!

[robotcars]

Steven,

Not sure that invite went to carroll-ccsd.

[James]

carroll-ccsd, I think I got it by mistake.

[sendres]

Hi James,

I did send you an invite as well, but if you're not interested, let me know and I can drop you from the course.

[sendres]

Robert, I did send an invitation to your email. If it still hasn't arrived, please direct message me with your correct email and I'll resend.

[jsimon3]

I am interested in this I am making boilerplates in C# for easy SSIS integration