Members

Invitees: Randy Ocampo; Lindy Foster; Brian Lindsley; Mike Bailey; Tamara Mitchell; Stefanie Buck; Zach Welhouse; Katherine McAlvage; Tabitha Pitzer; Robin Pappas; Jon Dorbolo; Alex Gitelman; David Goodrum; Tasha Biesinger;  Lyn Riverstone; Raffaele De Amicis; Rene Reitsma; Karen Watte; Michael Jefferis, Kara Witzke, Weiwei Zhang; Raul Burriel

Attendees: Randy Ocampo; Lindy Foster; Mike Bailey; Stefanie Buck; Zach Welhouse; Robin Pappas; David Goodrum; Tasha Biesinger;  Lyn Riverstone; Rene Reitsma; Karen Watte; Michael Jefferis; Weiwei Zhang; Raul Burriel

Minutes/Notes

Lumen integration

Psychology has adopted a Lumen Learning textbook and homework package for PSY 201 and 202, starting F2020. Textbook is based on the OpenStax version. This is noteworthy because:

  • Large enrollment gen-ed course at an R1 university is adopting OER at this scale (i.e., not for a single course)
  • The cost to students will be $25 and includes Waymaker, interactive quizzing/homework platform – well below OSU’s threshold for affordable content ($40)
  • Content is fully integrated with Canvas site via ‘thin common cartridge;’ content resides on Lumen platform and can be updated in Canvas seamlessly
  • Integration planned for end of winter term; accessibility testing not yet conducted

Qualtrics integration

A 3rd party company (Drieam) has developed an integration between Qualtrics and Canvas. Faculty have requested an integration, typically so they can embed surveys in their course sites and give points for completion (Canvas surveys are quite limited and are not truly anonymous)

  • The Drieam integration appears to work well, but it also allows faculty to disable anonymity after results have been submitted; Drieam has indicated willingness to explore preventing de-anonymization, but until then the integration usefulness would be somewhat limited.
  • Drieam integration also requires configuration (and some maintenance) by OSU’s Qualtrics administrator
  • Funding source has not been identified; no plans at this time to move ahead with the integration

Zoom integration

Although no requests to integrate Zoom with Canvas have been received, we have looked at the Zoom integration with Canvas and it’s quite basic – essentially a link in the course site that users can click on to open Zoom.

  • Only Teachers can create a Zoom meeting from Canvas. Students can see and join the meetings set up for the course
  • If Teachers want to use the Zoom meeting for office hours or specific students they have to create and distribute a password
  • The Learn@OregonState task force recommends waiting on the integration until faculty instructions and guidelines for optimal Zoom use in courses are available (task force will help create the materials)

Pronouns in Canvas

In January Instructure released a way for Canvas users to set pronouns in their Canvas settings (by default no pronouns are displayed). The pronouns are visible to other students and to faculty in nearly all of the places a name is displayed (People page; Gradebook; Discussions, etc.).

  • The Canvas pronouns are not the ones entered in Banner; there isn’t currently a way to import Banner pronouns to Canvas
  • Office of Institutional Diversity recommended the list of available pronouns, and approves subsequent additions
  • Rough numbers indicate about 10% of students have enabled pronouns in Canvas.

Cross domain browsing testing and Canvas vanity url 

Chrome is making updates to improve security that restrict web pages opening up when content from one web domain is embedded in another (Safari has been blocking this content for many months; Firefox is next).  This affects content integrated with Canvas.

  • In order to mitigate the issue, OSU will change the Canvas url from oregonstate.instructure.com to canvas.oregonstate.edu. Originally scheduled for Feb. 24; this change was pushed back to ensure OSU single-sign-on will work correctly.
  • The Canvas team will communicate details to Canvas users
  • Many vendors have updated their code to ensure the tools in Canvas will work as the Chrome change rolls out
  • The Threadz discussion board tool has not been updated since it was first released; it will not be supported in OSU Canvas once the URL change is complete

Sylo update

Ecampus is moving ahead with S2020 pilot of CourseLeaf syllabus management tool in three Chemistry courses (the courses most ‘shopped’ by non-degree-seeking students)

  • If spring pilot goes well, additional classes will pilot in summer
  • A major benefit: centrally-managed policy content will always be up-to-date in syllabi
  • Sections of syllabus can be made visible to various user groups (non-enrolled students; enrolled students, etc.)

Canvas “C” sections

Canvas team plans to discontinue automatic generation of combined course sites at the end of spring term 2020 because they are inherently stable and also because we have a better alternative in a tool that allows faculty to merge sections.

  • Lynn brought the recommendation to faculty senate Executive Committee; EC did not see a need to present to full faculty senate. Advisory Committee recommended getting the word out to FS via an announcement by the president, as it would be valuable for faculty to hear about this change. Lynn will follow up with Dwaine Plaza; David Goodrum will loop in UIT leaders.
  • Advisory committee reviewed features that are available to instructors who merge sections.

“Discovery”/ social URL's on Canvas App for PACE Learners

PACE learners cannot use the Canvas mobile app because they don’t have ONID accounts; we currently only have one login option for OSU Canvas users

  • PACE has multiple login options for various email and social providers: Google; Yahoo; Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn
  • Challenge is to create links on the mobile app that are clear to PACE users and that don’t confuse credit-seeking students.

Learning and Instructional Technologies Taskforce

  • OSU’s new CIO, Andrea Ballinger, has identified 10 priority areas that will be part of the IT strategic plan. David Goodrum and Karen Watte are leading a task force to provide recommendations on learning and instructional technologies.
  • Scope includes current and future tech needs for all modes of teaching and learning for the entire OSU community: Extension; classroom-based; hybrid; online; compliance training for staff and volunteers; employee professional development; professional and continuing education
  • The IT strategic plan will align with SP4.0; will be released in June.