New Top Hat enterprise license, learning analytics opportunities, and more.

Fri August 19, 2022

Over the last few years, more and more instructors at UW-Madison have come to know the benefits of the learning technologies in the Learn@UW suite. We are passionate about the ways academic technology can supplement and shape the classroom experience, whether you’re remote, hybrid, or in-person, and are so excited to welcome you back for another great semester.

Below are updates about these and other Learn@UW tools, details on upcoming training, reminders for the semester, and additional resources to help you plan and execute the top curriculum for which we’re celebrated. 

Please contact the DoIT Help Desk for technical assistance or to schedule a consultation with the Learn@UW–Madison team.

Trainings in August & September

Over two dozen virtual training sessions are offered from August 22 – September 2 to anyone interested in learning about the Learn@UW suite of learning technologies. Sessions are delivered via Zoom and the link to the Zoom room is included in the registration confirmation email. 

Tool Updates

Top Hat: Enterprise License is Here for Fall

The university procured a three-year enterprise license for Top Hat that went into effect this summer. 

Although Top Hat has been part of the Learn@UW suite since 2016, the cost for using the tool was historically covered by students who purchased individual subscriptions. This new license will allow all UW-Madison students to use the tool without purchasing subscriptions. 

In addition to the enterprise license, a new version of the Top Hat/Canvas integration has been put in place. The new integration, based on the IMS Learning Tools Interoperability® (LTI®) 1.3 specification, uses an improved security model and will enable syncing of rosters from Canvas to Top Hat as well as deep linking to assignments and syncing of grades from Top Hat to Canvas. 

Please refer to the KB article “Top Hat – Overview (UW-Madison)” to get started. Instructors and students can get support directly from Top Hat by contacting their Success Center, or by phone at (888) 663-5491.

Canvas: Recording Name Pronunciation

Did you know you and your students can use the Namecoach integration in Canvas to record your name pronunciation? Individuals enrolled in the same Canvas courses can listen to those recordings in order to pronounce names properly. 

The addition of NameCoach closely follows the introduction of the pronoun feature in Canvas. These new features are part of a broader, ongoing initiative focused on furthering inclusive practices and creating a welcoming environment for all.

Engage: Ordering Period For Spring 2023

Using Engage saves students money because it provides integrated access to publisher eTexts via Canvas, as well as access to other publisher-provided tools and resources. When obtaining their course materials through Engage, students are offered significantly lower prices for eTexts (typically 40% to 80% off list print prices) and for DLTs (generally around 25% off list print prices). 

To use Engage materials in your spring course, you or your department’s course coordinator will need to place an order prior to the start of the semester. You can even place a content request for material you are unable to currently find in Engage and it can be added for you. 

Mark your calendars! 

  • The Engage ordering period for the Spring 2023 semester is October 19 through November 28. 
  • Place your order here once the ordering period opens. 
  • This link also includes instructions for placing a “content request” for a material not currently offered in Engage.

Engage: Changes to eReader

The Engage eText tool is now powered by a different eReader platform called RedShelf. Instructors and students will still access Engage through Canvas but will notice an improved user experience and new features, along with improved accessibility.

For more information see:

UDOIT: Checking Your Canvas Course for Accessibility

Making your Canvas course accessible is critical for removing barriers to learning for all of your students. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a tool that could scan your Canvas course and help you fix them? Well, there is! UDOIT quickly scans your Canvas course, provides easy-to-interpret suggestions to improve the accessibility of the course, and can automatically repair many common accessibility issues. To get started, check out the KB article on the UDOIT Accessibility Checker.

LEAD: About LEAD; Changes For Fall

The Learner Engagement Analytics Dashboard (LEAD) is a course-level dashboard that instructors use to learn more about how their students are engaging with their course. LEAD aggregates data from Canvas and Kaltura to provide a unique view of student activity. Principal, supervisory and auxiliary instructors teaching for-credit courses can view LEAD’s three visualizations and use numerous filters to help answer questions they may have, and to see patterns of student behavior in their course. 

Announcements for fall semester: 

  • New! All semesters will be accessible from one link. Choose which semester you’re interested in, then look at the data for your course from one location: go.wisc.edu/lead.
  • Take the Intro to Learning Analytics 30-minute workshop, in addition to an Exploration of the Learner Engagement Analytics Dashboard (30 minutes). Check the Academic Technology Events page for more information. 
  • Engage eText data will not be included in LEAD for fall; this is due to a change in the Unizin Engage eReader which is now powered by RedShelf. Work will be done in the future to incorporate those analytics back into LEAD.  

As a reminder, please review the Learning Analytics Guiding Principles and share the Teaching & Learning Data Transparency Statement with your students should you decide to use learning analytics in your teaching practice. For more about learning analytics and upcoming events, please join the UW-Madison Learning Analytics MS Team. 

Syllabus Reminders

Using the University Syllabus Template

The university provides a customizable syllabus template in Microsoft Word that can be modified for your use and uploaded to your Canvas course. To access the template, visit the updated Course Syllabi page, which also provides an overview of key syllabi components and related resources. You can also now find and more easily reference institutional-level statements for use in syllabi in Guide. Additionally, if you plan to use Honorlock or Engage in your course, you’ll need to include language in your syllabus about those tools. Refer to the next two items below for language to include. 

Note Usage of Honorlock in Syllabus

Honorlock, an automated proctoring service, is available for all UW–Madison credit-based courses and the university provides resources and use case scenarios. 

If you decide to use Honorlock or other proctoring services in your course, this should be stated explicitly in the syllabus. The use of Honorlock for proctoring is considered a condition of enrollment for all students that register for the course.

Therefore, if using proctoring in your course, the following should be included in the syllabus:

  • A statement that proctoring (remotely or in-person) will be required, and what proctoring service will be used.
  • Clearly stated consequences for failing to use the required proctoring service (e.g., zero on exams, quizzes, etc.).

Include Engage eText Information in Syllabi 

Instructors using Engage in their course should provide information in their syllabus around the following:

  • How students will be automatically charged through the tuition billing process.
  • How and when to opt-out. 
  • How the tool is intended to be used in the course.
  • What accessibility barriers exist with the Engage eReader and how accommodations can be used to mitigate them.

Please review these preparation guides for Engage eTexts and publisher DLTs, including the sample syllabi language.