Canvas: Creating Video Assignments for Instructors

Summary

Best practices for instructors to setting up assignments or a discussion that requires students to record and share a video. ITS recommends that all users faculty and students record with SVSU tools it ensures consistency for all courses.

Body

To ensure consistency across all classes and for students to receive full IT Support, please discourage students from using non SVSU apps (e.g. YouTube, TikTok, etc.) for video submissions. 

Instructors: Use this guide to help you identify the tool you will have students use for video assignments. Then, configure the assignments and discussions to allow for specific settings student video and media submissions. If you landed on this page and are new to creating assignments or discussions in Canvas, click the links to the articles below.

EchoVideo
(screen capture)

GoReact
(performance and skills)

Microsoft ClipChamp
(video stories)

Microsoft Teams
(online meetings)

Students can: Record presentation slides, biographies with a webcam (optional). Record or upload existing videos. EchoVideo is the go to tool for recording individual videos on any device including the Echo360 mobile app. Students can easily create a video and submit within an Assignment or Discussion.

Students can:  Record performances, practice their skills, oral presentations, group activities, and  receive time-stamped feedback, includes AI insights for coaching. They can record and submit their individual or group video within the Canvas Assignment using GoReact.

Students can: Record or upload a video and add text, visual elements or audio effects, and more. Best for storytelling or enhancing a video. Videos can be recorded in the web app while online at a computer. 

Students can: Meet online to collaborate with specific people or entire class, share files, whiteboard, screen share, role play, and record all meeting activity. The recording stores on the meeting organizer's OneDrive, the link to the recorded meeting can be shared in Canvas.
Set up an EchoVideo Assignment
Set up a GoReact Assignment
Enhance Videos with Clipchamp
Set up Teams Meetings

Option 1: Create a Canvas Assignment for Media Submissions

  1. Within the Canvas Assignment settings, set the Submission Type to Online. check the appropriate box for student submissions:  

Option 2: Create a Canvas Discussion for Media Submissions

Use a Discussion if you want students to view and respond to each discussion post watch and post an embedded recording. 

  1. Create and set up your Discussion.
  2. Include instructions and expectations.
  3. Students can respond to a discussion as normal.
  4. Students can record presentation slides and embed their video.

Helpful tip: Using EchoVideo is easiest, as its right in Canvas's Rich Content Editor. To record and embed with EchoVideo, click the plug icon (Apps) and choose EchoVideo Deep Link Embeds. 

Share this article with students: Submitting Video Assignments as a Student in your assignment instructions. 

Upload/Media tool in Canvas (limitations and common issues)

Common issues with the Canvas Upload/Media tool:

  • Audio recording: Speaking time should be ~ 1-5 minutes for best experience.
  • Microphone and camera permissions: If you are unable to record with your microphone or camera make sure permissions are enabled in your browser.
  • Supported browser(s): Must use a supported browser, Chrome or Firefox (latest version), when using the upload/media tool. Note: Safari it doesn't function well.
  • Out of date browser: Google Chrome and Firefox must be the latest two versions. Check your browser version to see if its up-to-date.
  • File size: The video file is too large, the video cannot be any larger than 500 MB.
  • Network: The user has poor or no Internet connection.
  • Media upload not supported: The file format of your video is not supported. View the supported file formats for media uploads.
  • Upload being blocked: There may be ad blockers and/or browser extensions that could prevent the media from being uploaded.

Details

Details

Article ID: 139357
Created
Thu 11/11/21 9:51 AM
Modified
Wed 9/30/26 9:50 PM

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