An app is a computer program that performs a special function. The apps included in this module all run on the internet rather than on your computer. They are external to Canvas, but instructors can add them to Modules, Course Navigation, the Rich Content Editor, and Assignments in Canvas.

As the tutorial page included below explains, apps or desktop applications are software but this terminology has changed as the format and use of these tools has changed.

LMS have begun allowing use of particular apps within the structure of their LMS and Canvas is at the forefront of this move. External Apps (also referred to as LTIs) add functionality to a Canvas course. For example, an instructor may want to include a study aid such as flashcards to help students recall terminology. Or they may want to allow students to share information from their Google Drive accounts with the instructor or other students.

Instructors can add external apps in their courses to create additional learning paths for students. They are integrated into the Canvas courses and help to support many of the tasks listed in the box to the right.

Not all apps you may be interested in using are integrated into Canvas directly but many can be included and references in the course material as it is presented in Canvas. If you would like to be able to use a particular application in Canvas but find that there isn't an LTI/external app created to integrate that app, speak to the Distance Ed team about other possibilities for integration. There are many ways to do this!

The tutorial and video below provides some basic information on apps and offers some examples of ones you may be familiar with.

When would I use an app?

To offer students a tool that does not exist in the LMS you are using.
To enhance or add engagement to lesson content.
To demonstrate to students how to create tools of their own for study or skill implementation.
To model how to create valuable material that can be reused.
To assist in handling homework/test/lesson oversight required for student's demonstrated success in completing the course.