Canvas Badges users can create a Canvas Badges Group to track badge and pathway progress for a group of recipients within Canvas Badges, outside of an LMS and using our LTI for Blackboard.
Users can create badges for learners to complete, track progress on a pathway or leaderboard and give users a more interactive experience. In partnering with Blackboard we're able to offer specialized badge triggers to award badges based on assignment completion.
Please fill out this form to have this feature enabled on your issuer or organization.
For additional information on using the Canvas Badges Groups leaderboard and viewing learner progress see our Using visible groups knowledge base article. And for information on installing the Canvas Badges LTI for Blackboard see our Installation instructions.
Course setup
Canvas Badges can be found in the Books & course tools section of an Ultra course and then added to the course content. To add Canvas Badges Groups to the course content, navigate to Books & tools and select the + icon on the Canvas Badges Groups integration.
Once the Canvas Badges LTI has been selected, users will need to select an issuer. Instructors will be able to choose from a pre-authorized list of issuers or can use one of their own. To authorize an issuer of their own user will need to:
- Enter the email associated with their Canvas Badges account, then click continue.
- Go to their email account and retrieve the verification code and enter it.
- Once verified, the instructor will be able to select an issuer from their account using the "Use issuer" button.
Note: If you run into an error message stating "Failed to create Group," review the user permissions in the installation guide. This error indicates that the Canvas Badges LTI does not have sufficient permissions.
Once an instructor opens Canvas Badges Groups from the tool list and selects an issuer, a new group is created. Instructors can then create or use existing badges to associate Blackboard course items with badges, connect pathways and set up the leaderboard.
Managing Blackboard requirements
After the LTI has been installed and configured, instructors can manage the requirements in the course by going to the Setup tab and selecting the Manage Blackboard requirements button or the ellipsis next to it. Base users of Canvas Badges will be able to create Blackboard assignment requirements and manual award badge requirements to be tracked in Blackboard.
Canvas Badges users will also be able to track externally awarded badges and use leaderboard points.
Blackboard assignment
To associate a badge with a Blackboard assignment, there needs to be an existing test or assignment in the course. Users will then select the Manage Blackboard badges button. A list of all tests and assignments in the course will then appear and instructors will be able to use the drop-down on each assignment to associate an existing badge or create a new one.
Blackboard assignment badges can be completed based on a minimum point score, a minimum required percentage or any submitted grade (ie. submitting an assignment). Canvas Badges users can also assign leaderboard points if the leaderboard has been enabled.
Manual awards and external badge tracking
In addition to linking badges to Canvas requirements, instructors can also incorporate manual awards and track external awards for users. Manually awarded badges can be used to track extra credit or optional assignments. While external badges can be used to track badges awarded at guest lectures, events or other activities outside the course. For more information on setting these up see manual and external badges.
Using the leaderboard and associating pathways
The leaderboard in a group allows students to see their ranking in a course and allows instructors to encourage healthy competition. Canvas Badges users who plan to use leaderboard points will need to ensure that the leaderboard is enabled before they're able to set points on badges.
Canvas Badges Groups allows multiple pathways to be associated with an individual group. Allowing students and instructors to track learning progress over multiple timeframes and paths.
Course roster and resync
With the Canvas Badges Groups LTI, students are automatically enrolled into the group based on the course roster. At the bottom of the Progress tab, instructors will find a Resync now button that will update the group. Groups will automatically update once a day but may need to be manually resynced earlier if new students have been enrolled or the grade book has been changed.
Instructors can also do a CSV Export for learner progress and all badge awards in the group.
Canvas Badges Groups in original Blackboard courses
While using Ultra courses is recommended, original Blackboard users can still use Canvas Badges Groups. The installation steps are the same for either version of Blackboard.
To access Canvas Badges Groups once installed, users will select Tools from the left-hand side menu and select Canvas Badges Groups from the list.
To add a quick Tool link to your course, select the + icon at the top of the left-hand side menu and choose Tool link from the list. From the Add tool link pop-up, users can name the new link and will need to select Canvas Badges Groups from the type drop-down.
