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How to add external tools and resources to your class

Facilitators can embed external tools such as LTIs and webpages into a course, when and as needed.

Written by Christine Nicholls

Overview of adding external tools as a facilitator

Facilitators can enhance their classes by embedding external tools, webpages, and online meeting spaces to create a more dynamic learning environment.

These tools can be added to the class as a whole (appearing on the left menu).

In addition, facilitators can also add an LTI tool to individual content pages.

Note: The ability for facilitator to add tools to their classes is an optional feature. Account owners can enable this feature in iQualify settings.

Types of tools you can add

Facilitators can add LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) tools or simply add a tool via a URL (webpage).

Here are some examples of the sorts of things you can add.

  • Regular web conferencing (such as Zoom)

  • Calendars to showcase key dates, events, and tutor availability.

  • A shared collage for the class using tools like Padlet.

  • A collaborative mind map for the course using Mindmeister.

  • A YouTube channel for recorded lectures.

  • A subject-specific tool like Geogebra.

How to add an LTI tool to your course

LTIs allow you to integrate external tools directly into your course. You can add an LTI to the left menu or to specific pages, providing learners with seamless access to external applications.

Note: LTI tools are set up by account owners, you'll be able to select from the ones they have made available for your organisation.

How to add an LTI to a content page

Head to the particular content page and select Add LTI next to the page title.

How to add an LTI to the left menu

Select Add to this course from the navigation menu, then choose LTI.

Image of the Class console with the Add to this course menu option highlighted and a cursor hovering over the LTI option

This will open a space to add the following details:

  • Title: The text label for the meeting (shown in the left menu).

  • LTI provider: Choose from the list of LTI tools your account owner has already connected.

  • Launch URL: The link for your LTI tool.

  • Depending upon the tool, they may ask you to provide the Client & Deployment ID.

    • Enter the Client ID provided into the external tool provider portal.

    • Enter the Deployment ID provided into the external tool provider portal.

  • Display method: Select Launch to have your meeting open in a separate window, or toggle to Embed to display it within your course.

  • Add a note: Enter some text to let you learners know more about your web meeting.

Screenshot of adding a meeting to a course by LTI

Save to finish and your learners can then interact with the LTI.

How to add a webpage (or non LTI tool) to your class

From the Class console, select Add to this course on the left menu and choose Webpage.

Image of the Class console with the Add to this course menu option highlighted and a cursor hovering over the Web page  option

This will open a space to add the following details:

  • Title: The text label for the meeting (shown in the left menu).

  • Paste source URL: The link for your online meeting.

  • Display method: Select Launch to have your meeting open in a separate window, or toggle to Embed to display it within your course.

  • Add a note: Enter some text to let you learners know more about your web meeting.

Screenshot of adding a meeting to a course by Webpage

Save to finish. You will now see your meeting title in the left menu (replacing Add to this course).

Depending on whether you have chosen Embed or Launch you will either see Click to open or the web meeting tool embedded in your page.

You will now see your resource title in the Course menu replacing the previous Add to this course icon.

Website permissions

Some websites don't allow embedding. If your embedded page is not displaying, this could be the issue. To check if embedding is disallowed, open your browser console (press F12 in Chrome and select the Console tab).

You're looking for error messages in red, particularly ones that say "Refused to display... because... sameorigin." While error descriptions may vary, if you encounter an error like this, it's likely that embedding is disallowed for that website.

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