{"id":115,"date":"2026-03-18T19:45:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T19:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/?page_id=115"},"modified":"2026-04-09T13:55:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T13:55:53","slug":"canvas-embed-activity-builder","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/projects\/canvas-embed-activity-builder\/","title":{"rendered":"Canvas Embed Activity Builder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/linearGradient>\n \n \n \n <\/linearGradient>\n <\/defs>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n <\/g>\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Activity Builder<\/text>\n \n Question type<\/text>\n \n Adaptive Quiz<\/text>\n Difficulty mode<\/text>\n \n easy_to_hard<\/text>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Quiz<\/text>\n \n SCORM<\/text>\n \n Video<\/text>\n \n \n Publish →<\/text>\n \n 1. BUILD<\/text>\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n Published Activity<\/text>\n Embed code<\/text>\n \n <iframe src=”https:\/\/\u2026” width=”100%”<\/text>\n height=”600″ allow=”fullscreen”><\/text>\n Launch URL<\/text>\n \n https:\/\/\u2026\/launch\/act_abc123<\/text>\n \n \n Copy<\/text>\n \n \n LTI optional →<\/text>\n 2. PUBLISH<\/text>\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n Canvas LMS<\/text>\n \n \n Modules<\/text>\n \n Pages<\/text>\n \n \n Week 3: Adaptive Practice<\/text>\n \n \n <iframe><\/text>\n Adaptive Quiz<\/text>\n \n Start activity<\/text>\n 3. EMBED IN CANVAS<\/text>\n\n \n Canvas Embed Activity Builder<\/text>\n LTI INTEGRATION & EMBED-FIRST CANVAS TOOLING — IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON<\/text>\n \n BUILD — PUBLISH — EMBED — GRADE<\/text>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n\n \n
\n ← All Projects<\/a>\n EdTech<\/span>\n Canvas LMS<\/span>\n LTI<\/span>\n Proof of Concept<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

Canvas Embed Activity Builder<\/h1>\n

An embed-first PoC for building and delivering interactive activities inside Canvas LMS — LTI integration available as an optional pathway.<\/p>\n\n \n

Deploying new tools inside institutionally managed Canvas environments typically requires a formal LTI integration approval process — a pathway that can be slow, uncertain, and dependent on central ICT decisions. This project explores an alternative: an embed-first authoring platform that allows learning technologists and academics to build interactive activities, publish them to a hosted URL, and embed them in Canvas pages or modules using a standard <iframe><\/code> tag or external link — no LTI registration required.<\/p>\n

The platform supports four activity types: Adaptive Practice Quiz<\/strong>, SCORM Easy Wrapper<\/strong>, Interactive Video Checkpoints<\/strong>, and Branching Scenarios<\/strong>. Each is authored through a consistent build-and-publish flow, producing either an embeddable iframe snippet or a launch URL that can be placed anywhere Canvas accepts external content. Where LTI is<\/em> institutionally enabled, the platform also exposes optional LTI 1.3 deep-link and Assignment and Grade Services (AGS) routes for grade passback and richer Canvas integration.<\/p>\n

The PoC sits within the broader context of Imperial's migration from Insendi to Canvas, where a number of interactive activity types have no direct equivalent in Canvas's native toolset and have historically been handled as placeholder pages. This tool offers a practical path to preserving and improving that interactivity within the existing Canvas environment.<\/p>\n\n \n

Project at a Glance<\/h2>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
Status<\/td>\n Proof of Concept — MVP built and piloted<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Primary Approach<\/td>\n Embed-first — activities delivered via <iframe><\/code> embed or external URL in Canvas pages and modules<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Activity Modules<\/td>\n Adaptive Practice Quiz · SCORM Easy Wrapper · Interactive Video Checkpoints · Branching Scenarios<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
LTI Support<\/td>\n Optional — LTI 1.3 deep-link and AGS grade passback available where institutionally enabled; not required for core embed workflow<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Technology<\/td>\n Node.js · Express · Vercel (serverless deployment) · Canvas API · LTI 1.3<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Scope Control<\/td>\n Modules can be enabled or disabled per Canvas account and sub-account — supports graduated rollout across departments<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Context<\/td>\n Developed alongside Imperial's Insendi → Canvas migration; addresses activity types with no direct Canvas equivalent<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
Intended Users<\/td>\n Learning technologists and academics authoring course content in Canvas<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n\n \n

The Build → Publish → Embed Workflow<\/h2>\n

The core authoring flow is deliberately simple and consistent across all four activity types. A learning technologist or academic logs in, selects an activity type, authors the content through a structured form interface, and publishes. Publishing produces two outputs: an iframe embed snippet<\/strong> ready to paste into a Canvas page's HTML editor, and a launch URL<\/strong> that can be added as an external link in a Canvas module. Either route places the live, interactive activity directly within the student's Canvas experience without leaving the course.<\/p>\n

The Adaptive Quiz module supports two difficulty modes: easy_to_hard<\/code> for progressive challenge sequencing, and missed_topic_retry<\/code> for targeted remediation of weaker areas. Attempt data — including responses, timestamps, and completion status — is captured and exportable as CSV for manual grade workflows, with LTI-based automatic grade passback available as an optional extension.<\/p>\n

For institutions or departments where Canvas LTI tool approval is<\/em> available, the same platform exposes a full LTI 1.3 pathway: deep-link content selection, launch session management, and AGS score submission. This means the PoC can operate in both constrained and fully integrated Canvas environments using a single codebase and deployment.<\/p>\n\n \n

Why Embed-First?<\/h2>\n

LTI integration with Canvas requires institutional approval, which at a large research university typically means navigation through ICT governance, security review, and procurement — a process that can take months and may not be guaranteed. The embed-first approach offers a practical starting point that works alongside existing institutional processes: Canvas has always permitted embedding external content via iframe, and any published URL can be linked from a module. There is nothing to approve and nothing to install.<\/p>\n

This matters particularly in the context of Imperial's Insendi to Canvas migration, where a number of activity types that were native to Insendi — interactive tables, branching scenarios, adaptive quizzes, SCORM content — have no built-in Canvas equivalent and are being migrated as static placeholder pages. The Canvas Embed Activity Builder offers a route to restoring that interactivity for programmes that need it, on a timeline that suits the course team.<\/p>\n\n \n

\n

“Works even when additional Canvas tools are not approved — one deployment unit for ICT-controlled environments, one consistent authoring flow for learning technologists and academics.”<\/p>\n <\/blockquote>\n\n \n

Pilot Findings & Next Iterations<\/h2>\n

An initial pilot with learning technologists and academics validated the core embed-first flow across quiz creation, publishing, and Canvas embedding. Attempt payload capture (responses, timestamps, completion) and CSV export for grade workflows were confirmed functional.<\/p>\n

Three priority improvements captured from pilot feedback:<\/p>\n

\n
\n 1<\/span>\n

Replace raw JSON-only question authoring with a guided question form wizard<\/strong> — reducing friction for non-technical users.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n 2<\/span>\n

Add a visible “Preview as student”<\/strong> step before publish, so authors can confirm the activity experience before embedding.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n 3<\/span>\n

Add inline validation<\/strong> for question bank fields — clearer error messages for missing prompt, options, or correct answer selection.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

\n

Try the App<\/h2>\n

The pilot build is live and accessible below. It takes around two minutes to create an activity and generate an embed code ready to drop into a Canvas page or module.<\/p>\n Open Canvas Embed Activity Builder →<\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

How to Use It<\/h2>\n

The interface follows the same three-step build → publish → embed flow described above:<\/p>\n\n

\n
\n
01<\/div>\n

Choose activity type<\/h3>\n

Select from Interactive Video Checkpoints<\/strong>, Branching Scenarios<\/strong>, or SCORM Wrapper<\/strong>. Interactive video and branching are the recommended starting points.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n
02<\/div>\n

Create & publish<\/h3>\n

Give your activity a title and description, add any module JSON settings, then hit Create<\/strong> followed by Publish<\/strong>. The activity gets a permanent URL on the Vercel deployment.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n
03<\/div>\n

Copy into Canvas<\/h3>\n

Copy the generated iframe embed code<\/strong> and paste it into a Canvas page in HTML view, or use the Launch URL<\/strong> as a module item link. No additional setup required.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

\n Note:<\/strong> Grade passback to the Canvas gradebook is not active in iframe-only mode. For gradebook integration, the LTI pathway is available as an advanced option within the app.\n <\/div>\n\n\n

Potential Next Steps<\/h2>\n

The most immediate development priorities are the three pilot improvements above. Beyond those, key directions include persistent data storage for production use (the current MVP uses ephemeral in-memory storage suitable for testing), a broader pilot with programme teams ahead of the Insendi migration deadline, and formal evaluation of the LTI grade passback pathway for departments where it can be enabled.<\/p>\n

Longer-term, there is potential to evolve this into a shared institutional tool — a lightweight activity authoring layer that sits alongside Canvas rather than within it, accessible to any programme team that needs richer interactivity than Canvas natively provides without the overhead of a full LTI procurement process.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Activity Builder Question type Adaptive Quiz Difficulty mode easy_to_hard Quiz SCORM Video Publish → 1. BUILD Published Activity Embed code <iframe src=”https:\/\/\u2026” width=”100%” height=”600″ allow=”fullscreen”> Launch URL https:\/\/\u2026\/launch\/act_abc123 Copy LTI […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"parent":7,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-115","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":257,"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/115\/revisions\/257"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medlearn.imperial.ac.uk\/innovation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}