Instructure is committed to enhancing the management and use of LTI (Learning Tool Interoperability) apps within Canvas to be as efficient and impactful as possible. We are also dedicated to providing our partners with outstanding integrated experiences in several ways. Keep reading to learn about our newest LTI releases, LTI tool discovery, and how we’re making it easier than ever to manage LTI apps effectively.
LTI Releases and Updates
We’ve released two new LTI specifications to streamline integration with Canvas for administrators and partners, emphasizing safety and data security. One of the new specifications is Platform Storage, which increases security for LTI launches in privacy-oriented browsers, like Safari. The second is Dynamic Registration, which eliminates the tedious copy-pasting and clicking during new LTI tool installation. The simplified process reduces the demand for documentation and support. It also boasts a more user-friendly interface and aligns with LTI 1.3 standards to minimize data privacy and security risks.
Keep an eye out for upcoming implementations, including the Platform Notification Service and the Asset Processor. The Platform Notification Service enables tools to register for specific kinds of updates from Canvas, like when a student submits a new attempt to an assignment. This will be used in conjunction with the Asset Processor specification to enable tools to retrieve new submissions, process them, and return a report to Canvas. This is commonly used by plagiarism detection tools, but can be used by other tools as well. Upgrade to LTI 1.3 to take advantage of all these new specifications, as we are no longer developing new features for LTI 1.1.
LTI Tool Discovery and Management
We know Canvas users want more visibility to who Instructure’s partners are and the integrated tools they offer. That’s why we’re laying the foundation for tool discovery with the EdTech Collective Marketplace– our brand-new, public-facing directory of LTI integration partners’ products that can be leveraged in Canvas. It will allow any user to search for Canvas-integrated tools by criteria like grade levels and subjects. Listings for each product will include basic overviews plus important information about LTI configuration to help education users evaluate integration tools and make decisions about which ones are right for their organizations. This standalone offering is not part of Canvas and does not require a login to explore, making it useful for districts and universities considering Canvas and wondering about tool compatibility. It will also provide partners with a platform to promote their products and share valuable information about their tools.
We also recognize that the experience of searching for, installing, and managing LTI tools needs to be brought inside of Canvas to maximize efficiency for educators and administrators. That’s why we’re excited to introduce the Canvas Apps page, now currently in closed beta. This is the first library of its kind to highlight the vast array of tools compatible with Canvas, and making it easy to find relevant, compliant tools to install for your organization.
The Canvas Apps page serves as a central hub for LTI tool discovery and management within Canvas. It will feature partner listings similar to the EdTech Collective Marketplace, but with more comprehensive information and LTI configuration resources. It will also ‘suggest’ LTI tools via different categories — like 1EdTech Trusted App certified tools — to help elevate the highest-quality integration partners and enable users to make better edtech decisions. Eventually, this will replace the EduApp Center.
Users will also be able to directly install and configure any tools they’ve chosen to use. Administrators will be able to use simple check box and toggle modals to easily select which placements will be activated for each LTI and which permissions the tool is being granted. All of this is built to 1.3 standards to ensure data privacy and security, though eventually both LTI 1.1 and 1.3 tools can be managed from it.
Additionally, LTI usage data is now available for Impact customers and is included in our recently announced Intelligent Insights offering to provide administrators with new insights into how LTI tools are being used to drive decision-making.
Ready to do more with LTI tools in Canvas? Explore the EdTech Collective Marketplace, and stay tuned for more information about the Canvas Apps page open beta availability later this year!
