Educational Initiatives and Innovation

Canvas is the University’s official learning management system (LMS), and a course shell is automatically created for every course. Canvas provides an accessible 24/7 digital environment for students to access course information for face-to-face, hybrid and fully online courses. Instructors can use Canvas to organize and deliver accessible course content, post announcements, share resources, lecture notes or presentation slides, assign and collect work, create quizzes or exams, facilitate discussions, share grading information and communicate directly with students.

Learn more about Canvas Training and Support.  

Note: Whether you’re using a PC or Mac, Firefox and Chrome are the preferred browsers for working in Canvas. Using alternative browsers can sometimes limit Canvas’s functionality. 

Gradescope streamlines and standardizes grading for paper-based and digital assignments, allowing instructors to manage rubrics efficiently and provide actionable feedback. The tool is integrated into Canvas and supports diverse submissions, including scans of handwritten work and programming files, and offers AI-assisted grouping to enhance grading speed and consistency.

Learn more about how to use Gradescope for assessments and grading.

Microsoft Education allows for direct access to OneDrive files from Canvas while also expanding integration with Microsoft services such as Teams Meetings with access from course navigation. 

The following guides may be helpful:

• How do I view my Microsoft Education files in Canvas?
• How do I create a hyperlink from Microsoft Education in the Rich Content Editor?
• How do I create a cloud assignment with a Microsoft Education file?
• How do I submit a Microsoft Education file as an assignment submission using Assignment Enhancement…
• How do I create a Microsoft Education collaboration as a student?

Microsoft OneDrive is a secure, cloud-based storage platform included in the University of Montana’s Microsoft 365 license. It allows faculty, staff and students to store, access, and share files from any device with internet access. OneDrive is fully integrated with Office 365 tools including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. OneDrive can be used to upload and organize course materials, share documents, presentations and multimedia content directly within Canvas, and collaborate in real time on shared files.

Learn more about how to use Microsoft OneDrive to share and collaborate.

The University currently supports both Microsoft Teams for messaging and video conferencing and Zoom for video conferencing. These tools work to foster real-time interaction, teamwork, and streamlined productivity for faculty, staff, and students. Microsoft Teams is included as part of the University’s Microsoft contract and is the recommended tool.

Learn more about setting up and using Microsoft Teams and Zoom for video conferencing. 

Panopto is the University of Montana’s official tool for creating, storing, and sharing video and audio content. Integrated with Canvas, Panopto supports creating, storing, streaming and managing video and audio content. Panopto automatically generates captions for all recordings, improving accessibility.

Learn more by accessing the UM Solution Center Overview of Panopto or enrolling in the self-paced course Getting Started with Panopto.

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library has two recording studios available for use. The studios include the One Button Studio, Vodcast Station, Lightboard Studio and Podcast Studio.

Learn more on the library’s Recording Studios webpage.

The Mansfield Library has two Microsoft HoloLens 2 units for exploration and collaboration. These headsets showcase the AR/MX world of immersive technology. Unlike Virtual Reality, this technology aims to add digital elements to the existing world instead of creating a different world.

Learn more on the library’s Augmented / Mixed Reality webpage.

OER are educational materials that have open and flexible licenses, are customizable, and free to access online.

Check out the Mansfield Library Guide to OER for more information about OER, OER repositories, and resources including free OER webinars.