One of the benefits of Canvas is our ability to integrate tools to extend functionality in new ways. The Courseware Advisory committee leads the exploration and piloting of selected tools or plug-in applications that conform to the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) standard.

Pilots are conducted on a short-term basis to evaluate a learning technology’s ability to meet the instructional needs of faculty and students. Pilots are often limited to a small number of participants and usually require that instructors be willing to evaluate the tool and provide feedback.

Each pilot has different eligibility criteria for participation. Please refer to an individual pilot for more information about the eligibility criteria, or contact your Local Support Provider.

Current Pilots (as of January 2025)

NameCoach

A recording tool in Canvas that provides faculty and students with a way to identify pronouns, phonetically pronounce names, and hear how others’ names should be pronounced. Visit the NameCoach for Instructors page to learn more.

Wooclap

A tool for student engagement through in-class polling and checks for understanding. Wooclap has similar functionality to Poll Everywhere, with the added benefit of integrating with Canvas. User guides are below for those participating in the pilot or interested in learning more about the tool:

Participate in a Pilot

  • Contact your school or center’s LSP to find out if your school is already engaged in a pilot or if there are other eligibility requirements.
  • Consider the risks to decide whether participation is right for you. A pilot may not be extended beyond the evaluation period, and content may need to be moved to a different tool.
  • Subscribe to Canvas Info @ Penn news to learn about pilot progress and findings along the way.