Current developments and projects |EdTech

The accessibility statement was updated to reflect current testing and audits.

Differentiation Tags is a new Canvas feature enabling tutors to create custom, hidden student groupings within a course for organisational and instructional purposes. The team is responsible for monitoring and testing this functionality against defined release thresholds before full deployment.

Project Manager: Bethan Reid

Discussion Checkpoints is a new Canvas feature allowing tutors to set multiple due dates for graded discussions, supporting different stages of the discussion process such as initial posts and follow-up replies. The team is responsible for monitoring and testing this functionality against defined release thresholds before full deployment.

Project Manager: Bethan Reid

The new Rubric Criteria Builder is a streamlined Canvas tool enabling tutors to create and manage rubrics with features such as drag-and-drop functionality, rating order customisation, and draft-saving capabilities. The team is responsible for monitoring and testing this functionality against defined release thresholds before full deployment.

Project Manager: Bethan Reid

The new Canvas Portfolio is a modern replacement for Classic ePortfolios, enabling students and tutors to collect, reflect on, and showcase learning evidence with features including skill tagging, multimedia embedding, and collaborative tools. The team is responsible for monitoring and testing this functionality against defined release thresholds before full deployment, ahead of the retirement of the legacy version on 30 June 2026. Moving to New Online Portfolio System

Project Manager: Jim Turner

New Quizzes is a modern Canvas quiz engine set to replace the existing Classic Quizzes tool, with a planned full switchover in Summer 2027. The team is responsible for monitoring feature parity, testing functionality, and managing the transition to ensure staff are fully supported ahead of the migration.

Project Manager: Nick Adamson

LearnWise is an AI chatbot system being piloted in a number of Canvas Courses. The project is aimed at to providing 24/7 support for students, handling routine enquiries around course content, deadlines, and module information while freeing academic staff for higher-value activities. The team is involved in the technical integration, quality assurance, user acceptance testing, and evaluation of the system's impact on student experience and staff efficiency. We're testing a smart assistant to help you study

Project Manager: Nick Adamson

Impact by Instructure is a digital adoption platform being implemented within LJMU's Canvas VLE to provide in-context support, guidance, and analytics for both staff and students. The team is involved in delivering targeted campaigns, evaluating tool effectiveness through iterative testing, and using data-driven insights to improve technology adoption and the overall digital learning experience.

Project Manager: Bethan Reid

Ally is a cloud-based accessibility software solution being integrated with LJMU's Canvas VLE to improve equal access to digital content, with a particular focus on supporting students with disabilities and developing staff understanding of digital accessibility. The team is involved in implementation, conducting institutional accessibility audits, enabling alternative content formats for students, and supporting staff adoption through training, guidance, and ongoing monitoring. Ally for Canvas | Staff guide

Project Manager: Bethan Reid

The Canvas Consistency Project is a three-year initiative aimed at enhancing the consistency of the student digital learning experience by developing guidelines, standards, and templates for course design and navigation across LJMU's Canvas VLE. The team is involved in collaborating with staff, students, and programme teams to identify inconsistencies, develop best practice frameworks rooted in Universal Design for Learning principles, and monitor the effectiveness of implemented changes. The design and implementation of a Canvas course template across an entire school

Project Manager: Nick Adamson

This project involves a systematic review of existing survey data and NSS responses to build a comprehensive understanding of the student digital learning experience at LJMU. The team is responsible for analysing current data, identifying gaps in data collection, and developing actionable recommendations to inform improvements to the digital learning experience.

Project Manager: Jim Turner

This multi-institution pedagogical research project, led by the University of Kent, aims to develop an evidence-based toolkit to help academic staff design and implement inclusive group work assessments that foster belonging and fairness for all students. LJMU is a participating institution, contributing insights to shape inclusive group work practices in higher education. Enhancing Belonging and Inclusivity through Group Work Assessment: A Practical Toolkit for Educators

Project Manager: Jim Turner

This internal project involves a systematic review of all Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) integrations connected to Canvas, with the aim of identifying and removing inactive or redundant tools. The review will improve platform security, streamline data reporting, and increase overall operational efficiency.

Project Manager: Kaylie Fortune

This internal project involves the identification and deletion of unused non-course entries within Canvas to reduce platform clutter and mitigate potential security risks. The work will improve operational efficiency and contribute to a cleaner, more manageable Canvas environment.

Project Manager: Kaylie Fortune