AI in Canvas: Tools for Teachers and Admins
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Maximize Efficiency with AI in Canvas:
Canvas AI Tools for Teachers and Admins
• Intelligent Insights for Admins
• Discussion Summaries
• AI-Proof Peer Review
Introduction: AI is coming for…your ability to work more efficiently as a teacher, admin, or in any role, really. But don’t worry—stories about killer robots, conquering computers, and humanity’s last stand are a bit overblown, at least for now. Instead of fearing AI, let’s focus on how it can actually work for you. Canvas already offers AI tools that can help you get started today.
Data is important, but sifting through spreadsheets and configuring tables to find trends can be time-consuming. Intelligent Insights makes this process more efficient by allowing admins to set specific criteria to analyze their accounts. Need to confirm a course has a homepage? Check. Is the course navigation set up correctly? Check. Are students enrolled in published courses? Check.
Once configured, the standout feature is the “Ask Your Data” tool, which allows you to ask Canvas questions like:
- “How many students have course grades above 90%?”
- “How many students scored 100 on their recent assignment?”
These data queries provide more granular insights into what's happening in your school, empowering you to make informed decisions quickly.
Try This: Set up Intelligent Insights in your Canvas Admin settings and ask your first data-driven question.
See It in Action: What is Intelligent Insights?
In the classroom, a quick insight can help shape tomorrow's lesson plan. Similarly, Discussion Summaries in a Principal's Corner or district-level course help admins identify key questions or concerns across the school. Encourage teachers to participate in these discussions to gauge common topics and ideas. Summaries make it easier to gather insights and provide proactive leadership.
Try This: Encourage your team to start discussions on a specific topic in your admin course and use the summaries to identify trends.
See It in Action: Dive into the Discussion Redesign with Our New Video!
AI in the classroom is a hot topic. If your team is concerned, they’re not alone. A great way to address these fears while showcasing AI’s potential is through peer review exercises.
Try This Activity: Provide teachers with a rubric and an AI-generated response to a prompt. Have them grade the AI’s response. They’ll likely find that it’s not as thorough as a student’s would be—perhaps a fact is out of context, or a quote almost makes sense, but not quite. This exercise helps students and teachers see that AI isn’t perfect and is far from replacing human understanding.
Explore More: Artificial Intelligence in Education
AI is new, and new can be intimidating. But if we, as leaders, keep it at arm’s length, our staff and students will do the same. Let’s lead by example, showing our teams that AI—like Canvas—is just another tool. The more tools we have in our educational toolbox, the better equipped we are to tackle challenges and find solutions.
Call to Action: Explore AI tools in Canvas today, and start making data-driven decisions that benefit your school community!
AI is rapidly transforming the way we approach education, but it’s not here to replace teachers or admins—it’s here to enhance what we do best. By leveraging tools like Intelligent Insights and Discussion Summaries in Canvas, we can make smarter, more efficient decisions, freeing up time to focus on what truly matters: student success. As educators and leaders, embracing AI as a helpful resource ensures we stay ahead of the curve and continue delivering the best learning experiences possible. So, why not explore these tools and see how AI can work for you?
Please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!
Our team of dedicated strategic consultants helps customers deepen and elevate their use of Instructure Learning Platform products to meet pedagogical goals across their organization by offering expertise, strategic advice, customized consultation, and targeted coaching. If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact your CSM, or @Kelley_Lozicki, Manager, Learning Services, or by email kloziciki@instructure.com.
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