Educational Technologies

Canvas

Canvas is a web-based learning management system (LMS) used at UT Austin. Instructors can use it to communicate with students, share files and media, organize online learning materials, and assess student learning through assignments, quizzes, and discussions. Students can use it to engage in courses and receive feedback about their skill development and learning achievement. There are a variety of extended tools available in Canvas, such as Zoom video conferencing platform, Panopto video recording platform, and so on.

Zoom

Zoom is a video conferencing solution available to UT Austin faculty, staff, and students. Zoom enables people to meet, teach, and collaborate anytime, anywhere. It is integrated with Canvas, which allows instructors to schedule meetings within Canvas. Make sure you sign into your Zoom account with your UT EID before attending a Zoom class meeting.

Panopto

Panopto is a video management platform that is integrated with Canvas. Instructors can upload, record, and edit video content using Panopto, and the videos can be embedded into Canvas pages and posted to Canvas Modules. Panopto allows instructors to create interactive videos by embedding quiz questions in videos. Instructors can also create video assignments and have video based discussions with students. Because Panopto integrates with Zoom and Microsoft Teams, recordings in Zoom and Teams can be uploaded to Canvas automatically if needed.

Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere is a class response system supported by the College of Education at UT Austin. It allows instructors to create interactive polling activities to engage students during their face-to-face and online classes. Students can answer polls using web browsers or mobile devices, and the live display of questions and responses can be shown on the website or as PowerPoint slides, Google slides, or keynote slides. 

Instructors can use the tool to create ice breaking activities, question polls within presentations, or exit surveys.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-powered productivity platform that includes a series of apps like Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Teams), SharePoint, OneDrive, and more. All current UT Austin faculty, staff, and students have free access to a Microsoft 365 account. 

• Microsoft Office Suite – Microsoft Office Suite includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams. Users can use the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps in the suite to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and slides. Outlook is an email and calendar application, and Teams is a communication platform that allows users to have real time text messaging and video conferences if needed.

• SharePoint – Microsoft SharePoint can be used as a secure space to store, organize, share, and access information from any device. It allows users to manage and share their files with members of the organization.

• OneDrive – Microsoft OneDrive is a place for users to create, store, and organize personal files. Content in OneDrive can be shared with others for collaboration. All UT users are provisioned with 2TB OneDrive storage capacity.

Google Workspace for Education

Google Workspace for Education includes a suite of easy-to-use tools that provide support for learning, collaboration, and communication among UT Austin faculty, students, and staff. Some of the widely used apps include the following. 

• Google Drive – Drive can provide encrypted and secure access to your files. All UT faculty, staff, and students have access to 20GB Drive storage space.

• Gmail – UTMail is UT’s Gmail. All UT faculty, staff, and students can apply for a UTMail account. Student accounts have up to 5GB of Google Workspace storage, including email and stored files. Current faculty and staff accounts have up to 20GB of Google Workspace storage, including email and stored files. 

• Google Docs – Google Docs can be used to create, edit, and collaborate on online documents. Multiple users can edit together with secure sharing in real time and from any device.

• Google Sheets – Google Sheets can be used to create and edit online spreadsheets. Spreadsheets can be shared in real time and from any device.

• Google Slides – Google Slides can be used to create online slideshows. Poll Everywhere can be integrated into Google Slides to provide interactive activities. 

• Google Forms – Google Forms can be used to create online forms and surveys with various question types. Analysis results can be shared in real-time and can be viewed from any device.

• Google Calendar – Google Calendar provides a time-management and scheduling platform that allows users to add, edit, and share their calendars with other people and be viewed any time, anywhere.

Flip

Flip is a free video discussion and sharing app that allows instructors to create safe, online groups for students to express their ideas asynchronously in short video clips, texts, or audio messages. Flip is integrated with Canvas and can be used to create Flip assignments. 

Gradescope

Gradescope is an online platform that can be used to create a common grading workflow for existing and newly created paper-based assignments and exams. Instructors can generate rubric items on the go to assign or reduce points when grading student submissions in Gradescope. Gradescope is integrated with Canvas. 

Qualtrics

Qualtrics is a survey tool that is available for use by faculty, staff, and students at UT Austin. It is approved for most classified data, including HIPAA, FERPA, and IRB.