LTI 1.3 Setup Guide For University Of Northern Colorado

Hey everyone! So, I'm diving into setting up LTI 1.3 for the University of Northern Colorado, and I thought it would be super helpful to get the ball rolling with domain approval for testing. Next week, I'll be teaming up with our awesome IT folks to make this happen. To ensure everything goes smoothly, I've gathered all the necessary information and details right here. Let's make sure we're all on the same page!

Understanding LTI 1.3 and Its Importance

Before we jump into the specifics, let's quickly touch on what LTI 1.3 is and why it's so important. LTI, or Learning Tools Interoperability, is a standard protocol developed by the IMS Global Learning Consortium. It allows learning platforms and tools from different vendors to communicate and work together seamlessly. Think of it as a universal language that different educational technologies can speak to each other.

LTI 1.3 is the latest version of this standard, bringing enhanced security, improved data privacy, and a more streamlined user experience. It's designed to make integrating external tools and resources into your Learning Management System (LMS) much easier and more secure. For universities like the University of Northern Colorado, this means instructors can easily incorporate a wide range of educational tools and content into their courses, providing students with a richer and more engaging learning experience.

Key Benefits of LTI 1.3

• Enhanced Security: LTI 1.3 includes several security enhancements, such as the use of OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect, which provide a more secure way to authenticate users and authorize access to resources. This helps protect sensitive student data and ensures that only authorized users can access learning materials.
• Improved Data Privacy: With LTI 1.3, institutions have more control over the data that is shared between the LMS and external tools. This helps comply with privacy regulations and ensures that student data is handled responsibly.
• Streamlined User Experience: LTI 1.3 simplifies the integration process for both instructors and students. It provides a more consistent and user-friendly experience, making it easier to access and use external tools within the LMS.
• Interoperability: One of the key benefits of LTI 1.3 is its ability to ensure interoperability between different learning platforms and tools. This means that institutions can choose the best tools for their needs without worrying about compatibility issues.
• Scalability: LTI 1.3 is designed to be scalable, making it suitable for institutions of all sizes. It can handle a large number of users and courses without performance issues.

By adopting LTI 1.3, the University of Northern Colorado can provide its students and faculty with a more secure, flexible, and integrated learning environment. It opens up a world of possibilities for enhancing teaching and learning with cutting-edge educational technologies.

University of Northern Colorado's Information

To kick things off, here's the essential information you need to know about our institution:

• Institution Name: University of Northern Colorado
• Institution Domain Name: https://www.unco.edu/
• Canvas Hosting: Our Canvas instance is hosted at https://unco.instructure.com/
• Runestone Academy Username: oscarlevin

Domain Verification and Why It Matters

Domain verification is a critical step in the LTI 1.3 setup process. It ensures that the learning tool (in this case, RunestoneInteractive) can securely communicate with the University of Northern Colorado's LMS (Canvas). This process confirms that the tool is indeed authorized to access the LMS and that data exchanged between the two systems is secure.

Without proper domain verification, there's a risk of unauthorized access and potential security breaches. Therefore, getting our domain approved for testing is a top priority. This approval acts as a green light, allowing us to proceed with the integration process with confidence.

How Domain Verification Works

The domain verification process typically involves adding a DNS record to the university's domain. This record serves as a digital signature, proving that the university owns the domain and authorizes the learning tool to access its LMS. The specific steps for adding the DNS record may vary depending on the domain registrar, but the IT team at the University of Northern Colorado is well-equipped to handle this task.

Once the DNS record is in place, the learning tool provider (RunestoneInteractive) can verify the domain and grant the necessary permissions for LTI 1.3 integration. This verification process usually takes a few hours to complete, but it's a crucial step in ensuring a secure and reliable connection between the LMS and the learning tool.

Canvas Hosting Details

Canvas is our Learning Management System (LMS), and it plays a central role in our educational technology ecosystem. Knowing where Canvas is hosted (https://unco.instructure.com/) is essential for setting up LTI 1.3. This information allows RunestoneInteractive to correctly configure the integration and establish a secure connection with our Canvas instance.

Canvas provides the platform where students access course materials, submit assignments, participate in discussions, and receive grades. By integrating RunestoneInteractive with Canvas via LTI 1.3, we can seamlessly embed interactive learning activities directly into our courses, enhancing the learning experience for our students.

Benefits of Canvas Integration

• Single Sign-On (SSO): Students can access RunestoneInteractive activities directly from within Canvas without needing to create a separate account or remember another set of credentials.
• Grade Passback: Grades from RunestoneInteractive activities can be automatically passed back to the Canvas gradebook, saving instructors time and effort.
• Content Embedding: Instructors can easily embed RunestoneInteractive content, such as interactive exercises and assessments, directly into Canvas modules and pages.
• Improved Student Engagement: The interactive nature of RunestoneInteractive activities can help increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes.

By leveraging the power of Canvas and LTI 1.3, we can create a more cohesive and engaging learning environment for our students at the University of Northern Colorado.

Runestone Academy Username: Your Key to Access

My Runestone Academy username, oscarlevin, is the key to linking my activities and progress within the Runestone platform to our University of Northern Colorado setup. This username serves as the bridge between my Runestone account and our institution's LTI 1.3 integration. It ensures that my work and any configurations I make are correctly associated with our university's account.

Why a Runestone Academy Username is Necessary

The Runestone Academy username is crucial for several reasons:

• User Identification: It uniquely identifies me as an instructor or administrator within the Runestone Academy platform.
• Access Control: It grants me the necessary permissions to configure and manage RunestoneInteractive activities and resources for our courses.
• Data Association: It ensures that my activities and progress are correctly linked to the University of Northern Colorado's account, allowing for accurate reporting and tracking.
• Support and Troubleshooting: If I encounter any issues during the LTI 1.3 setup or integration process, providing my Runestone Academy username helps the support team quickly identify and resolve the problem.

By providing this username, I'm enabling RunestoneInteractive to correctly map my account to our institution's setup, ensuring a smooth and seamless integration process.

Important Note: Paperwork, Legal Agreements, and Paid Features

It's super important to highlight that if our IT department requires paperwork, legal agreements, HECVATs, VPATs, etc., then LTI 1.3 support becomes a paid feature of Runestone. This is something we need to keep in mind as we move forward with the setup process.

Understanding the Implications of Paperwork and Legal Agreements

When universities and other educational institutions integrate third-party tools and platforms, there are often legal and compliance requirements that need to be addressed. These requirements can include:

• Data Privacy Agreements: Ensuring that student data is protected and handled in compliance with privacy regulations such as FERPA and GDPR.
• Terms of Service Agreements: Reviewing and agreeing to the terms and conditions of the third-party tool or platform.
• Accessibility Compliance (VPAT): Verifying that the tool or platform is accessible to students with disabilities, in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Security Assessments (HECVAT): Conducting security assessments to identify and mitigate potential risks associated with the integration.

These processes often involve significant time and resources, and RunestoneInteractive, like many other educational technology providers, may charge a fee to cover the costs associated with these additional requirements.

Proactive Steps to Take

To avoid any surprises, it's a good idea to:

1. Communicate with IT Early: Let our IT department know about the LTI 1.3 setup as soon as possible and inquire about their requirements for integrating third-party tools.
2. Understand the Costs: Be prepared for the possibility that LTI 1.3 support may be a paid feature if paperwork and legal agreements are required.
3. Plan Ahead: Factor in the time and resources needed to complete the necessary paperwork and legal agreements.

By being proactive and informed, we can ensure a smoother and more cost-effective LTI 1.3 integration process for the University of Northern Colorado.

Next Steps and Collaboration

I'm really excited to be working on this, and I believe LTI 1.3 will significantly enhance our educational technology offerings. Next week, when I meet with the IT folks, we'll dive deeper into the technical aspects and ensure everything is set up correctly.

Collaboration is Key

Setting up LTI 1.3 is a collaborative effort, and it's essential to work closely with our IT department to ensure a successful integration. This collaboration involves:

• Sharing Information: Providing IT with all the necessary details about RunestoneInteractive and the LTI 1.3 integration process.
• Addressing Security Concerns: Working with IT to address any security concerns and ensure that the integration meets the university's security standards.
• Troubleshooting Issues: Collaboratively troubleshooting any issues that may arise during the setup process.
• Testing and Validation: Thoroughly testing the integration to ensure that it works as expected.

By working together, we can leverage the expertise of both the instructional technology team and the IT department to create a seamless and secure learning environment for our students.

Keeping You Updated

I'll keep you all updated on our progress and any challenges we might encounter. Your input and suggestions are always welcome, so please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas!

Let's make this LTI 1.3 setup a huge success for the University of Northern Colorado!