Learning Technology Innovation Centre (LTIC)

LT Hub News

Students: Beginning-of-Term Canvas Course Access (2026W1; September 2026)

Please note that by default, your Canvas courses will not appear on your Dashboard for access until the first day of term, September September 8, 2026, and access to courses typically ends eight weeks after the last day of class (approximately December 7, 2026). However, instructors may adjust their courses to open early or close late.

Introducing the new Accessibility Checker within Canvas

On June 30, 2026, we will be enabling the new course Accessibility Checker tool within Canvas, which allows you to build your course while considering different accessibility attributes. The tool works by scanning pages and assignments within your Canvas course, and detecting common accessibility issues including: What do I need to know about this new […]

Threadz and Student Timezones suspended in May 2026

The LT Hub suspended the Threadz and Student Timezones tools on May 5, 2026.

Migrating from ePortfolio to the new Canvas Portfolio Feature

On June 30, 2026, the Canvas ePortfolios feature, currently listed as “ePortfolios (Legacy)” in the Global Navigation, will be discontinued and replaced by the new Canvas Portfolio feature.

UBC Exam Card Scanner: Digitally check-in students during exams

Gone are the days of crossing students’ names off lengthy lists to check them into exams. With LTIC’s new UBC Exam Card Scanner mobile app, instructors and TAs can scan UBC Student cards to quickly and securely check-in students and manage flagged issues
through Canvas.

Enabling a new Differentiation Tags feature within Canvas

On Wednesday January 21, 2026, we will be enabling a new feature on Canvas, called Differentiation Tags.

Kaltura LTI Integration Upgrade for Canvas

The Kaltura LTI integration in Canvas will be upgraded to use LTI 1.3. Originally, we had planned for this to happen on January 19, 2026, however, this upgrade is now delayed until the 2026 Summer Term (May to August 2026).n What do you need to know about this change? nNo downtime is expected, but you […]

Students: Beginning-of-Term Canvas Course Access (2025W2; January 2026)

Please note that by default, your Canvas courses will not appear on your Dashboard for access until the first day of term, Monday January 5, 2026, and access to courses typically ends eight weeks after the last day of class (approximately June 5, 2026). However, instructors may adjust their courses to open early or close late.

Kaltura LTI integration upgrade for Canvas Catalog

On December 5, 2025, between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Pacific, the Kaltura LTI integration in Canvas Catalog will be upgraded to use LTI 1.3.

Recent Zoom upgrade may require re-adding Zoom links to Canvas courses

On August 19, 2025, 10:30 a.m. PST, we upgraded the Zoom integration in Canvas to a new version to improve stability and performance. The upgrade completed successfully; however, certain Zoom settings were reset in Canvas and may require re-adding Zoom to areas of your Canvas course.

Studiosity 2024/25 W2 pilot concluded

During 2024/25 W2 term, the LT Hub piloted Studiosity, a study tool that students can use to improve their writing with the help of AI. Now that the pilot has concluded, Studiosity is no longer available to use at UBC. The LT Hub has elected to continue exploring the AI space rather than commit to a single tool at this time.

Central support for Mattermost ending in May 2025

The LT Hub’s support for the chat tool Mattermost will end on Monday, May 5, 2025. After this date, Mattermost will no longer be available to use with central support at UBC.

Call for summer learning analytics project proposals open now through April 14, 2025

Effective today, the LT Hub is launching a new Learning Analytics Faculty Partnership Program that invites you to request dedicated hours with the LT Hub’s Learning Analytics team to support pedagogical inquiry. Proposals are selected for partnership three times a year, and the current call for summer proposals is open now through April 14, 2025.

Central support for MyLA and OnTask ending in April 2025

The LT Hub’s support for the learning analytics tools My Learning Analytics (MyLA) and OnTask will end on Monday, April 7, 2025. After this date, MyLA and OnTask will no longer be available to use in Canvas.

New interim process in place for how publisher content and tools are included in Canvas

We previously shared the need to change how publisher content and tools are included in Canvas at UBC, and those changes are now underway.

New AI-driven tool for improving student writing available to pilot in 2024/25 W2

We are seeking participants to pilot Studiosity, a study tool that students can use to improve their writing with the help of AI.

The pilot will run in the 2024/25 W2 term, beginning roughly the end of January and concluding at the end of May 2025. During the pilot period, you can request Studiosity student accounts for yourself or for TAs and students in your courses.

Kaltura to be upgraded and unavailable overnight December 21-22, 2024

UBC’s main media platform Kaltura will be upgraded between Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22, 2024. From 10:00 p.m. Saturday to 8:00 a.m. Sunday PST, Kaltura media will largely be inaccessible for viewing or updating, whether you try to access it in Canvas, through the UBC Teaching and Learning Media Portal, or with an embed on another website.

Changes coming in W2 to how publisher content and tools are included in Canvas

We have been including publisher content and tools in UBC Canvas courses using a tool called Willo Labs. Willo Labs added extra layers of security to keep student information and data from going to publishers. Examples of this type of content/tool include Achieve, WileyPlus, Connect, InQuizitive, MindTap, and Mastering.

However, Willo Labs was abruptly discontinued this month. Now the UBC Bookstore and LT Hub are working on a new way to include publisher content and tools in Canvas courses while still meeting UBC privacy requirements.

New process launched for requesting learning technology at UBC

We are formalizing the process by which learning technology is considered for adoption into the UBC Learning Technology Ecosystem (LTE). As of October 28, 2024, you can request technology for the UBC LTE directly through our LT Hub website.

What to know about working with GenAI at UBC in September 2024

The LT Hub has compiled some common questions and useful resources for working with GenAI at UBC. Although the landscape is rapidly evolving, this summary gives a snapshot of what to know as we begin the 2024/25 academic year.

Zoom video retention policy postponed and recordings to be stored in Kaltura

You were previously informed that the new Zoom video retention policy would come into effect on March 31, 2024. That is no longer the case, as the policy rollout date is being postponed. Zoom videos that are a year older or more will not be deleted on March 31 and links to Zoom videos will continue to work past that date.

To ensure a smooth transition, the postponed policy rollout will also happen with a change in how we store Zoom recordings. Rather than store these videos in the Zoom cloud, videos will instead be stored in Kaltura. Kaltura is the media platform that is built into Canvas and is also accessible through the UBC Teaching & Learning Media Portal.

Turnitin can be used in coordination with Canvas starting April 16

Turnitin is a plagiarism-prevention tool that helps you check the academic integrity of student writing. Starting April 16, 2024, the LT Hub will enable Turnitin’s “Plagiarism Framework” integration with Canvas. The new integration will allow the tools to work together more closely.

Guidance for accommodating temporary or unexpected remote instruction

If you wish to provide an attendance option for students who are unable to travel to a UBC campus, use this quick guide from the LT Hub and UBC IT Audio/Visual (A/V) team to transition to temporary online or hybrid teaching.

Annotation tool to receive support for use outside of Canvas

During the past year, the LT Hub has been piloting the annotation tool Hypothesis. Hypothesis lets teaching teams and students annotate and tag online readings, for their own use or to share their notes with each other. Now that the pilot has concluded, LT Hub Leadership has decided to centrally support use of Hypothesis—outside of Canvas.

Pause on central support for Ally starting in 2024

Ally is a content-checking tool that works in Canvas to help teaching teams improve the accessibility of course content. During the past year, the LT Hub has been centrally supporting and piloting Ally. Now that the pilot has concluded, LT Hub Leadership has decided to pause central support of Ally.

Zoom chats to be removed after 90 days starting March 31, 2024

Starting March 31, 2024, UBC will begin removing chat messages in Zoom after 90 days. This chat retention policy impacts chats exchanged between individuals, in groups, and in channels using the Zoom “Team Chat” feature.

Zoom and Microsoft Teams video retention policy going into effect soon

Starting October 31, 2023 and March 31, 2024 respectively, UBC will begin removing video recordings from Microsoft Teams and Zoom automatically, one year after each video is recorded. This new video retention policy affects all faculty, staff, and student employees who use UBC accounts to record with these tools.

Winter 2023 Update: UBC affirms decision to not enable Turnitin’s AI-detection feature

Plagiarism-prevention tool Turnitin released an AI-detection feature in April that attempts to check for text generated by AI-writing tools, such as ChatGPT. For a number of reasons, UBC will be maintaining its April decision not to enable the Turnitin AI-detection feature, and the university will not centrally install any AI-detection tool at this time.

New support is available for developing learning technologies at UBC

The LT Hub is launching a new initiative to support UBC instructors who develop learning technologies. The Learning Technology Incubator is a way for instructors with funded learning technology projects to collaborate with us and receive dedicated technical and project management support. This additional support can help you focus on bringing your project to life, rather than getting bogged down in administrative details.

Central support for Crowdmark ending in April 2024

The LT Hub’s support for the collaborative grading tool Crowdmark will end on April 30, 2024. Starting in May 2024, Crowdmark will no longer be centrally licensed. This change means that teaching teams will not be able to use Crowdmark as part of Canvas and will not be able to receive LT Hub support. The LT Hub recommends that teaching teams instead use Gradescope, a different collaborative grading tool that we perceive offers more robust functionality.

Migration of videos to the Kaltura cloud is complete

UBC has successfully moved all Kaltura videos hosted at UBC into the Kaltura cloud. Thank you for your patience as the LT Hub video team migrated nearly 180,000 Kaltura videos during the month of April.

The team has also been running scripts to automatically update Kaltura videos embedded normally in Canvas courses (e.g., videos displayed in a Canvas module or page), so that they point to the videos’ new location in the cloud. This updating process will continue during the next several weeks, as we continue to identify the different ways that Kaltura videos have been embedded in courses.

Now we need your help in the final part of the process.

Improvement to how iClicker Cloud works with Canvas coming for July 2023

iClicker Cloud is an online student response system that allows you to pose questions during a class session that students answer using their computer or mobile device. On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, the LT Hub will improve how iClicker Cloud and Canvas work together by switching to a new integration.

Once you enable the new “Roster & Grade Sync” integration in an iClicker Cloud course, it will automatically add students enrolled in your Canvas course to your iClicker Cloud course. With this automation, you will no longer need students to manually join each iClicker Cloud course. Students will instead be ready to participate in iClicker-based course activities immediately after they log in to iClicker Cloud.

UBC not enabling Turnitin’s AI-detection feature

Turnitin is a plagiarism-prevention tool that helps check the originality of student writing. Today Turnitin is releasing a new AI-detection feature that attempts to check for text generated by AI-writing tools, such as ChatGPT. For a number of reasons, UBC has decided not to enable the new feature in Turnitin at this time.

Migration of videos to the Kaltura cloud is underway

UBC has begun moving Kaltura videos hosted at UBC into the Kaltura cloud, as part of Kaltura’s roadmap to improve the sustainability of the platform.

The migration will have minimal impact on courses this term. However, we strongly recommend not changing your Kaltura videos or metadata during the month of April, to avoid losing work. And if you want to save Kaltura video analytics or the previous answers that students gave to Kaltura video quizzes, you will need to download this data before April 30.

Changes coming to Kaltura starting on April 1, 2023

Kaltura is UBC’s primary platform for capturing, managing, and sharing academic videos. Starting on Saturday, April 1, 2023, UBC will begin moving Kaltura videos hosted at UBC into the Kaltura cloud, to create a better video experience for you and your students.

During the current academic term, the migration will only affect when you can change your Kaltura videos. But after May 1, it will also change where your Kaltura videos are linked from and it will reset some data tied to Kaltura videos, including analytics, comments, and previous answers that students gave to quizzes.

Zoom and Microsoft Teams video retention policy announced

Starting in October 2023 and March 2024 respectively, UBC will begin removing video recordings from Microsoft Teams and Zoom automatically, one year after each video is recorded. This new video retention policy will affect all faculty, staff, and student employees who use UBC accounts to record with these tools.

Support changes coming for edX Edge in 2023

The LT Hub’s support for the learning platform edX Edge will change after April 2023. Starting in May, our support will be limited to the initial step of creating courses.

Potential change to your name in Canvas and other services coming July 27

We are simplifying and streamlining how learning technology systems at UBC determine what name to display for you.

New UBC-developed resource: Intro to online teaching

The Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology has released a new self-paced course for online teaching, designed for instructors who are new to the online environment.

Funding changes for Crowdmark, Gradescope in 2022

With the return to in-person teaching, the collaborative online grading tools Crowdmark and Gradescope will cease to be centrally funded after 2021 Winter Term 2.

UBC renews plagiarism-prevention tool Turnitin

UBC will continue to support Turnitin as its primary plagiarism-prevention tool, following the final recommendations of the Plagiarism Tools Working Group.

Changes to iClicker—end of UBC support for Classic and student remotes

UBC is no longer offering central support for iClicker Classic and the associated student remotes (or ‘clickers’). This change does not impact iClicker Cloud.

Collaborate Ultra access turned off June 30

As part of UBC’s move away from Collaborate Ultra, your access to Collaborate Ultra recordings in Canvas will be turned off on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. This removal is in preparation for UBC’s access to Collaborate Ultra and all stored recordings officially ending on July 31, 2021.

Recommendation against using Zoom with LockDown Browser for invigilation

Based on recent technical issues, we now recommend against using Zoom and LockDown Browser together for invigilation.

Microsoft Teams personal chats removed after 90 days

Starting April 30, 2021, UBC will adopt a schedule of removing instant chat messages in Microsoft Teams after 90 days.

UBC Senate motions on use of remote proctoring software

The motions, effective immediately, restrict the use of automated remote invigilation tools like Proctorio that use algorithmic analysis of data recorded during invigilation at UBC on both campuses, except where accreditation bodies explicitly require remote proctoring software.