ITS Teaching & Learning Group

The ITS Teaching & Learning team provides a world-class academic technology environment to the University of Michigan community.

The team's many activities include developing and implementing systems for learning management and collaboration, developing applications that can be integrated with learning management systems and other technology, and collaborating on education technology efforts with other units on campus and elsewhere. We also regularly engage with U-M faculty and students to gather feedback that influences the services and support we provide. You can reach our team at [email protected].

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Canvas
Canvas is a cloud-based learning management system used by most U-M instructors and students to facilitate teaching, learning and collaboration. External applications, including Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) applications, can be integrated within Canvas courses to support and enhance teaching and learning activities both online and in the classroom. To learn more visit the Canvas page.

Media Streaming & Content Management

MiVideo
Powered by Kaltura, MiVideo is U-M's cloud-based media streaming and content management service used by faculty, students and staff to organize, catalog, share, search and publish multimedia content.

Academic Technology & Instructional Support

ITS Teaching & Learning offers instructional support, such as training, on-demand resources, and consultation services in the following areas:

  • Academic technology support
  • Generative AI - teaching and learning implications
  • Integrations with learning systems (e.g. Canvas)
  • Using learning tools to enhance student engagement and learning assessment
  • Evaluating and piloting Canvas External Tools
  • Using video for instruction and learning activities (e.g. MiVideo)

To request a consultation, send an email to [email protected] or fill out our consultation intake form. Visit the Academic Technology@Michigan site for academic technology support across U-M's campus.

Standards & Integrations

  • Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI)
    LTI is a standard for integrating applications with learning management systems, such as Canvas, in such a way that supports single sign-on and preserves the learning context and user roles within both systems. ITS Teaching & Learning develops LTI tools (also known as Canvas External Tools) to work with Canvas and other technologies. Visit the Canvas External Tools Site for training materials related to LTIs. ​The following LTI tools and integrations are currently available in Canvas:
  • NameCoach
    NameCoach is a web-based tool that allows users to record, listen and learn names. NameCoach Recorder allows users to record their name and NameCoach Roster allows students and instructors to listen and learn the names of others in a class (the service is integrated into Canvas). It promotes campus diversity, equity, and inclusion & fosters a more inclusive learning environment.
  • Student Success Viewer
    Student Success Viewer is a replacement for the retired Student Explorer. Student Success Viewer is an early warning system that helps academic advisors identify at-risk students using Learning Management System (LMS) data from Unizin Data Platform (UDP). It presents actionable intelligence to academic advisors using data about students' current term grades, activity, and assignments.
  • Perusall
    Perusall is a social annotation tool that integrates within Canvas via LTI assignments. It enables students and instructors to collaboratively annotate PDFs, images, documents, videos, podcasts or digital textbooks.
  • IMS Caliper
    ITS Teaching & Learning is collaborating on the development of the Caliper Analytics standard. With Caliper, analytic events can be pulled out of various entities, such as Canvas and LTI integrations, and deposited into a single repository for comparison and reporting purposes. Integrations that the team is currently working on include Caliper integration with GradeCraft and with the School of Engineering's CAEN Lecture Recording.

Partnerships & Collaborations

ITS Teaching & Learning actively collaborates on education technology efforts with many other units, both on and off campus, including the following:

Other Services & Projects

  • My Learning Analytics
    My Learning Analytics (MyLA) provides students with information about their engagement with course materials and resources, assignments, and grades in a Canvas course.
  • LinkedIn Learning
    LinkedIn Learning is a leading online-learning platform that helps anyone learn business, software, technology, and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals. Access over 15,000 engaging, top-quality, on-demand courses taught by recognized industry experts. Complement your current curriculum and integrate offerings into Canvas and Blackboard courses.
  • Remote Office Hours Queue
    Remote Office Hours Queue is a virtual queueing tool that allows meeting hosts to manage queues of attendees waiting to meet with them for private one-on-one meetings in person or over Zoom videoconferencing.
  • Teaching Evaluations
    Teaching Evaluations allow anonymous evaluation of courses by students. Evaluation questionnaires are provided to students on a scheduled basis. The results are collected and reported to the appropriate departments or units.
  • ECAR Survey
    The EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR) survey is administered annually to freshmen and seniors at the U-M and at universities and colleges around the country. The aim is to provide an innovative look at student use of technology that administrators and faculty can utilize to plan and prioritize technical infrastructure and services. As technology use is ever-evolving, the ECAR survey is an important tool in keeping all levels of University IT well-informed of current usage and habits and on the cutting edge of needs and services. The survey also ensures that the student body’s voice is well-represented in IT-related decisions. The survey is sent to 25% of freshmen and senior undergraduate classes and in 2017, it will also include responses from U-M faculty to help broaden the scope.
  • Zoom for Teaching
    Faculty can use Zoom to host a lecture or have an interactive discussion.
  • Data Concierge
    The Teaching & Learning Data Concierge service provides a single point of coordination to facilitate faculty, staff, and researcher requests for learning data. We can assist with data request reviews and approvals through the U-M data governance process and help with data collection, use, and integration. Contact us if you have learning data questions in order to fill out the Data Concierge contact form.
  • International Access to U-M IT Resources
    The International Access to U-M IT Resources page summarizes the cloud-based U-M resources that may not be available from outside the U.S.

Consortium Memberships

Teaching and Learning manages the membership to the following consortiums. As members, faculty and staff on all U-M campuses have access to consortium research, articles, webinars, and discounted pricing.

  • 1EdTech is a united community committed to achieving an open, trusted, and innovative education technology ecosystem that serves the lifelong needs of every learner across K-12, higher education, and edtech suppliers.

  • Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is a leader in digital learning professional development, provides free events and webinars, publications including the peer-reviewed Online Learning Journal, faculty playbooks, and discounted pricing on additional resources.

Additional Information