This article shows how to
embed EchoVideo recordings in Canvas using the Rich Content Editor.
It does NOT apply to EchoVideo course/section also known as the
(Active Learning Platform).
Table of Contents
Getting Started
How To Embed
Engagement and Grading
See What's New in EchoVideo accessibility enhancements with Live Captions, Chapters, and more.
Why Embed Media in Canvas?
Embedding media in Canvas using EchoVideo embed tool is a quick process that allows instructors to easily add newly recorded videos or reuse videos. Students can watch them directly within Canvas. You can embed media audio, video, or interactive media in Canvas one at a time or select multiple videos and create a playlist. Media analytics are gathered so you know who is participating or who may be falling behind. Use the Discussion tool to engage students in class material or allow them to ask questions.
Note: The rest of this article walks you through a detailed overview of the various embed options with tips and sample images.
Advantages of Embedding in Canvas
Key Features
- Media can be embedded into Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages, Quizzes, Syllabus.
- Does not require an EchoVideo course.
- Imports easily into future Canvas courses.
- Provides automatic grade book syncing, gathers usage analytics, and student engagement tools (Discussion and Q&A).
- Students can watch embedded videos on any device, computer or mobile. The video player automatically adjusts to screen size for a seamless experience.
For more details, view tips for instructors and students in the sections below:
Embedding videos vs requesting an EchoVideo course
With your EchoVideo account, you are provided two different ways of publishing your videos in Canvas. Transcripts are available for all audio or video files, closed captions can be enabled after your transcript has been edited and 99% accurate. Students can read along as they are play your recording or if applicable a screen reader can read it for them.
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Embedded Videos in Canvas (Quickest no course required)
- Students can always access media as long as your course or Module is published. There is a Discussion panel where students can ask questions and engage in conversation. There is also a Discussion panel to engage students in conversation. Videos can be watched on a computer or a mobile device. You set up automatic points to the Gradebook.
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EchoVideo Course (must request each semester)
- Student access is for the current semester only. A course primarily is used for recording in a classroom provides built-in lecture tools (e.g., Q&A, Discussion, Polling, Confusion flags, etc.) for student engagement. All content is accessed from the EchoVideo link in your Canvas course menu. You can manually push points to the Gradebook.
Faculty Tips and Recommendations
Embedded Media can be Reused. It can be copied for future semester use without breaking links and you can view user-specific analytics in your library and does not take up the Canvas course storage they are stored in EchoVideo. Before publishing be sure to review/edit the video transcript to ensure it meets ADA Compliance for all viewers.
Name Your Recording. The title is displayed at the top of the embedded player or a secure video link. Be sure to edit the video title in your library so it displays a proper name when your students view the video for playback, it also makes it easier to find the video in your library for reuse.
Transcript Missing from Embedded Media? If the EchoVideo media was embedded prior to the transcript panel feature being released, or if it is embedded prior to the media having a transcript applied, it may need to be re-embedded to show the transcript.
Did you know? You can embed polls into a video to check for student understanding.
Engage in Discussion and View Analytics
- The embedded player provides Q&A/Discussion for students or instructors to engage in conversation.
- You can access media analytics for the individual audio or video from the bottom of the video player.
- Alternatively, you can view all Analytics from within the left menu of Canvas, located at bottom of your Canvas course menu.
Student Benefits
- Provides ease of access to your EchoVideo video/audio media as it plays directly on a Canvas. It reduces confusion by keeping students in the same area, or Module, they started in rather than providing links to content (e.g., External Links, Course Links).
- The media player remembers where you left off, video can be resumed or started over.
- The transcript is readable and searchable while watching the video.
- Embedded media can be viewed on a computer or on a mobile device.
Adding Course Content to a Canvas Module
If you have not already added your course content type (e.g., Page, Discussion, Assignment or Quiz) to a Module, these Canvas help guides below will show you the steps. If you are not using Modules. Proceed to the section below, "View instructions: Embedding in Canvas."
Embed Media in Canvas with EchoVideo
Automatic Grading of Student Participation
In a Canvas Assignment, if you set it with points, a column is created in the gradebook. If you also set up automatic gradebook syncing in EchoVideo, another column in the gradebook is created automatically. To avoid having two columns in your Canvas Gradebook. Create an Assignment as normal, set it as "Not Graded," set Submission Type as "No Submission" and add a Due Date. This ensures it shows up in the students as a "To Do" item and will not add a column to your Gradebook in Canvas. Explore setting up automatic gradebook syncing in EchoVideo.
There are two ways you can embed your media in Canvas using the embed media tool. The media window will allow you either embed a video or a link to your video.
View Instructions: Embedding a Video in Canvas
- In Canvas, create or edit an existing content type (e.g., Announcement, Assignment, Discussion, Page, Quizzes, or Syllabus) which features the Rich Content Editor (RCE). The RCE provides a toolbar with options for adding and formatting text, inserting images, adding tables, and more.
- In the content window, place your cursor where you would like to embed your media or a secure link.
- Open the app menu. Look for the Apps (plug icon) and click "View All."
- Click EchoVideo Deep Link Embeds. This tool will allow you to use the automatic gradebook syncing and works with Folders coming soon to EchoVideo. Important Note: don't select Echo360 in the list this is sunsetting soon.
- Now you will see a menu of options to select from. In the window pop up, click Launch Media Picker.
- Find your media: By default, you will see the most recent content on the right side of the window. Instructors will also see media they own and any media they have "Post" permissions to via a Collection. On the left side, you can filter in several ways to find your media in the Search box type a keyword in, or select the from various Filter options. You can embed audio, video, and interactive media (video with embedded polls) into Canvas. Once you've selected your media, click "Next" (bottom of the window).
- Selecting your media: You can search by keyword or choose other Filter Options, (see image above). After you have located the media, you want to embed. Click the name to select it. Click "Next".
Please Note: If you select multiple videos, you will be creating a Playlist instead of embedding a single video.
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Select your Embed options: The media you select shows as a thumbnail with the embedding options* to choose from, (see sample image below). *Embed Options: Choose a Size (640x420 default), Start At (allows the embedded video to start at a specific time instead of the beginning), Autoplay (will enable Automute), *Discussions (allows students to ask questions, comment, endorse others, and upload a content).
When you are finished adjusting your embed options, click "Embed" (bottom-right of the window).
*What are Discussions? (enable or disable)
Discussions are enabled by default, allowing students to ask Questions (publicly or anonymously) or participate in a Discussion with their classmates. Discussions are time stamped. Using Discussions helps students that are afraid of asking a question or participate, they can ask questions or comment without others knowing. Only the instructor can see anonymous posts. Explore more about viewing and monitoring Discussions.
- Adding more embedded content: Repeat steps 1-8 above. Once you are done embedding your media. Click Save or Save & Publish as appropriate on your Canvas content type.
You can embed a link to the media instead of embedding it, click the Link slider button to enable it. Refer to the section below, "Embed a Secure Video Link".
Embed a Secure Video Link
You can embed a video link instead of embedding a video. The name of your video will be seen when you use the link option.
Follow the same steps when embedding a video.
- In the Canvas content window, place your cursor where you would like to embed your secure link.
- Look for the Apps (plug icon) and click "View All" or select "EchoVideo Deep Link Embeds."
- Select your video that you want to embed.
- In the Embed options window, toggle on the Link option as shown in the image below.
- Click Embed (bottom-right) of the window.
- Once the content type is published, a link to the video with the name will display. When students and others enrolled in your Canvas course click the link, a new browser tab will automatically open. From there they can interact with the video (e.g, watch, answer polls, participate in Discussion, ask questions, follow along with the transcript or Closed Captions, and more).
Finished Video or Link is Embedded
If you selected Autoplay (video will Automute) or Start At configurations for the video, those are enabled for the viewer.
Once the individual video(s) are embedded as video player or a link. Users enrolled in your Canvas course can interact with the embedded video.
After a video(s) is embedded, students can play back and watch the video right on the Canvas content type. Users can access the Discussion panel (bottom-left) and the media Analytics (bottom-right) as shown in the sample image below.
Instructors can also access all media Analytics in the Canvas menu, click "EchoVideo Course Analytics." This shows instructors an overview of all media that they have embedded in Canvas and media that has been published to a EchoVideo course.
Create Playlists
Instructors can now create Playlists when they multi-select EchoVideo content (video and audio). You can enforce the order of the selected videos, prevent users from viewing the next video before watching the previous one, and can choose for the next video to autoplay. Article: Creating a Playlist - (support.echo360.com).
First release features
- Playlists cannot be edited once they have been saved.
- Only audio and video content can be embedded. Note: Embedding presentations and spherical videos will be part of the easy embed tool in 2025.
- No Analytics for the playlist yet, however, Analytics for individual media is gathered and can be viewed.
Viewing Media in a Playlist
The Playlist will show the first video of your Playlist by default. To view the Playlist, viewers need to click the menu (left of the video player), see sample image below.
Note: We recommend to view the Playlist in a new browser window, click Expand button (bottom-right of the new player.) Note: Any configurations you selected for "Autoplay" or "Start At" for your Playlist will be applied.
Create New, Upload, and Manage Embedded Media
The EchoVideo embed tool also provides options to create new media and upload media to your Library. You can embed a video after creation or uploading it, if a video has not finished processing you will see a place holder titled "Not Yet Ready." At any time you can remove an embedded video and replace it.
Create New Media
Creating new videos is very simple when your inside of Canvas. Record with either Universal Capture (software installed on your computer) or Browser Capture, it works online in your web browser (Chrome, MS Edge, or Firefox), on any computer including Chromebooks and Netbooks).
Automatic Speech Recognition is enabled for all videos since Fall 2023. If you need transcripts for older content please fill out our Transcript Request form.
Upload Existing Media
You can upload a audio or video file from your computer then embed it in Canvas, all in one single process without having to log into your Library. Start by clicking Upload Media, see sample image below. Media will upload and show a placeholder rather than the video. Explore more in this FAQ content not ready,.
Remove an Embedded Video or Link
To remove embedded video(s) or links to them that are old or no longer needed from a content type in Canvas (e.g., Page, Assignment, Discussion, or Announcement), please follow these quick steps:
- Edit the Page, Assignment, Discussion, etc. as you normally would.
- To remove the video there are two methods based on if you embedded the video player or a video link.
- Embedded a video with text underneath: Put your cursor directly to the left of line before the embedded video, and press backspace on your keyboard. Now you should see your cursor blinking at bottom right corner of the embedded video, again press backspace on your keyboard. The video is removed. Repeat the steps as needed.
- Embedded link to your video: Click within the link you want to remove then select "Remove Link." The link to the video is removed. Alternatively, you can also highlight the link then press Backspace on your keyboard.
Access and View Media Analytics in EchoVideo
You can access media analytics from different locations (see screenshots below) in EchoVideo. For specific media, you can access the video Analytics (chart icon, bottom-right) directly from the embedded video itself. To view a consolidated overview of all video views for all media published click the Analytics tab (top menu) next to the blue Create button.
How does EchoVideo Track Video Views?
EchoVideo tracks ALL usage (video views) regardless of how it was captured Live Stream or recorded. The data includes student names, how long they watched a video, average % viewed, the number of times viewed, including the first viewed and last viewed Date.
How does Video Analytics work?
EchoVideo analytics shows who has watched or interacted with the content. The video views are updated hourly.
- Embedded video player: Click the chart icon (bottom-right), to quickly see video views in your library (sample image below). Note: The mini player doesn't have the Analytics icon or the Expand button shown below.
Set up Automatic Gradebook Syncing in EchoVideo
This section assumes you have already embedded your videos into an Assignment using the embed tool "EchoVideo Deep Link Embeds." Ensure to set the points to "0," set Submission Type as "No Submission, and set the Display Grade as "Not Graded." This means you won't have two columns created in the Gradebook.
Gradebook syncing from EchoVideo to Canvas will automatically occur once you set up at least one metric to sync data to the Gradebook. Within the EchoVideo Course Analytics in Canvas click the Gradebook tab to in the left menu. Explore how to export student grades automatically from EchoVideo to Canvas.
The automatic gradebook syncing will only work for embedded content that was added with the embed tool EchoVideo Deep Link Embeds. If you have been embedding content using the legacy embed tool echo360 and receive the error message "It looks like you have no content available for gradebook syncing," you will need to remove the embedded video(s) from where they are embedded and re-embed them using the embed tool "EchoVideo Deep Link Embeds."
Engage Students and Monitor Discussion in the Embedded Player
The videos or interactive media can be embedded in any content type in Canvas. The Embedded media player features a Discussion panel where you can get your students to engage in the lecture topic.
- Click in the Add a comment text box to start a discussion, a comment can be referenced at a specific location in the media.
- Students can post anonymously when they are apprehensive to ask a question. Instructors will always see who made the post. Click the three ellipses then click Reveal Name.
- Instructors can also remove a post as neccessary. A sample could be maybe it doesn't apply to the lesson.
- Comments can be endorsed using the thumbs up icon and replies to the topic can be done by clicking the chat bubble icon .
- Instructors can remove individual comments or an entire discussion.
Sample of Discussion panel
Instructor and student will see all comments in the Discussion, any comments that are timestamped will show along with who made the comment. If the comment was posted anonymously, others in class cannot see who made the comment. Only the instructor can see the anonymous post.
For more details, see Monitoring Discussion and Viewing and Participating in Discussion.
Embed a Video with Polling Questions (post to Canvas or an EchoVideo course)
Check for student understanding and embed polls in your video, polls can be created new or reused. You can see poll responses in your Library or download the data. Videos with polls (known as interactive media) can be embedded in Canvas or published to an EchoVideo course. You can also set up gradebook syncing. Explore this help article on embedded polling in EchoVideo.
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Frequently Asked Questions on Embedding Media
Below is a list of frequently asked questions on embedding your videos, click the question to view the answer.
The video placeholder says Not Yet Ready
instead of showing my embedded video
When you embed media that has not finished processing on the EchoVideo server, you will see a preview placeholder "Not Yet Ready," see sample image below. Once your video has finished processing in your library, the embedded video will appear. As a reminder, anytime that you create new recordings or upload media (audio, video, PowerPoint) you will receive an email letting you know the media is available in your Library.
I'm recording personal lectures and not recording in a classroom; can I embed the new videos I've recorded?
Yes, record your videos as you normally would with either Universal Capture Software or Browser Capture.
Do I need an EchoVideo course if I am only recording lectures on my computer?
It depends if you are using the Active Learning tools you will need an EchoVideo course. If you are simply recording videos on your computer, SVSU ITS recommends embedding your videos.
I'm reusing videos from a previous semester, will videos import to other Canvas courses?
Yes, if you used the media embed button all videos will be imported to other Canvas courses.
I've uploaded videos made outside of EchoVideo, can I embed them in Canvas?
Yes, any videos that are in your personal Library can be embedded in Canvas.
Can I embed videos that have been shared with me by another instructor?
Yes, if videos have been shared with you by other instructors and you have permission, you can embed those videos in Canvas. You don't need to be the owner of them.
I have shared videos with another instructor using EchoVideo Collections, can they embed the videos to use in their classes?
Yes, if you have given them Post permission. If you are new to Collections, it is a feature that allows instructors to share media from within their library.
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