How to grow your edtech toolbox with the ASSISTments-Canvas integration

As teachers are looking to get the best start with their students this Fall, either back in the classroom or in a remote learning environment, you may be considering how to best integrate all the tools in your edtech toolbox. The move to distance learning has pushed teachers to search for tools that are effective, low cost and that work with their tried and true class routines, so we’ve fast-tracked new ways to make ASSISTments accessible to as many teachers as possible - apart from being free (always!).

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This Fall, teachers and students using Canvas Learning Management System will be able to integrate their accounts with ASSISTments. This release has increased the impact of ASSISTments in classrooms and its accessibility to millions of teachers and students. Canvas LMS joins Google Classroom as an available ASSISTments integration, and represents one of several new LMS integrations set to launch soon.

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If you’re getting started with ASSISTments using your Canvas account, don’t take our word for it. Hear from some ASSISTments teachers on what they’re most excited about.

A growing toolbox‍

In ASSISTments Ambassador Palmina Griffin’s edtech toolbox is ASSISTments, Canvas and Peardeck. She says these platforms “do an amazing job of providing formative assessment in real-time” and being able to integrate them “has allowed me to not only see [student] scrap work in real-time but analyze patterns and trends in student data. It is exciting and valuable to integrate these two platforms together now more than ever.” Palmina has been one of the biggest advocates for getting her district to activate the new Canvas integration with ASSISTments so she can leverage what works best from each tool in her toolbox. 

Emphasis on student progress‍

Lisa Soltani is a longtime ASSISTments teacher who joined one of our webinars for Canvas users this spring. She is excited about how the Canvas integration with ASSISTments will allow students to upload materials to show their work and promote a culture of student progress. “Presenting a clear message to students, complete with a demonstration of how to show work and description of what you will do with it, from the beginning of the school year is critical to culture-setting around students showing work.” In addition to showing examples of correct math techniques, this Canvas teacher was excited to use mistakes to drive classroom discussion.

Opportunities for class discussion‍

Lisa also commented on the unique compatibility between Canvas and ASSISTments to turn mistakes and misconceptions into learning opportunities. In Canvas, teachers can attach a discussion prompt to assignments, allowing students to engage in a discussion about their work with peers and instructors. In her remote classroom, Lisa supplements assignments with a class-wide virtual chat. These combined practices provide students with multiple opportunities to share challenges and seek clarification.

Features for flexible scoring and feedback‍

Here's a general Canvas tip submitted by one of our teachers (Note: this tip is not currently supported by the ASSISTments integration): The Canvas Speedgrader supports flexible scoring and providing feedback. After creating an assignment, teachers can then use the Speedgrader to review individual student submissions, group assignments, leave feedback, and easily assign scores using rubrics or a point scale. This feature allows teachers to approach scoring and feedback flexibly, and at their own pace.

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If you’re a Canvas LMS user, try these classroom approaches and others with your ASSISTments account - and stay tuned to our Professional Learning page and Twitter to sign up for a targeted webinar. Our Fall calendar starting in August is already open for registration.