Improve Learning Technologies

Accomplishments

Redesigned Canvas Discussions features, such as sorting replies, a split-screen viewer, role labels, and “@ mentions,” improve discussion organization and engagement, making it easier for students and instructors to navigate and participate in conversations.
Implemented AI Tools in Carmen:
- Summarizes discussion threads and answers specific questions, helping instructors quickly review key points and gain insights without needing to read every comment.
- Implemented smart search to return relevant course content based on keyword searches, saving time and helping students and instructors find the information they need more efficiently.
Enhanced the manage participants features allow instructors to bulk add, remove, and reactivate students, edit roles, and export rosters. These improvements simplify course management, save time, and provide greater flexibility for handling enrollment and class organization.
Improved Canvas rubric functionality for creating, editing, and reorganizing rubrics, with new grading layouts in SpeedGrader, enhances grading consistency and allows for more customized feedback.
Integrated CarmenBooks through RedShelf, allowing students to access digital textbooks via the CarmenBooks icon in Canvas. This integration offers a streamlined and centralized way to access course materials, ensuring students have easy and consistent access to resources.

Upgraded the Mediasite integration allows video uploads, embedding, browser-based recording feature, and automated scripting directly within Canvas. These enhancements make it easier for instructors to record audio, video and screen content conveniently from a web browser, with no need for hardware or additional software. Automated scripting is also enabled by default for all recordings.

New Zoom AI Tools added during Autum Semester include meeting summaries emailed to participants and Smart Recordings with chapter markers, summaries, and action items. These tools streamline collaboration, help participants catch up on missed meetings, and make it easier to revisit key information from recorded sessions.