Using Kialo with Blackboard

There are three recommended ways to use Kialo with Blackboard:

1. Use LTI

LTI is the best way to use Kialo with Blackboard, but a Blackboard admin has to set it up. Students will be automatically signed in and will have the same name in Kialo as in Blackboard. Grades you give in Kialo will be synced back to Blackboard (ETA July 2024) and students will automatically have the Writer role in your Kialo discussions, improving security as you don’t need to use sharing links.

2. Use a Link to an Instant Access Kialo discussion

Very easy to have a quick discussion with your students.

3. Use a Link to a standard Kialo discussion

Improved security over using an Instant Access discussion, however you need to enter the email addresses of students once and they will have to log in or register themselves.

1. Use Kialo via LTI

Teachers: Using Kialo on Blackboard

Once Kialo has been added as a tool to Blackboard by an admin (see below), to add it to your course:

1. Open the Content section.
2. Click Build Content, select Kialo Discussion, then click Continue.
3. In the popup, select a discussion or create a new one.

Admins: Setting up Kialo on Blackboard

1. Open the Administrator Panel.
2. In the Integrations section, click LTI Tool Providers, then select Register LTI 1.3 Tool.
3. Enter the Client ID for Kialo: 7939bd58-59af-4022-9876-69816b1e5303 and click Submit.
4. In Institution Policies (screenshot):
   
   Check all options for User Fields to Send:
   Role in Course
   Name
   Email Address
   
   Allow grade service access: Yes
   Allow Membership Service Access: Yes
   
   
5. Click Submit.

Kialo should now appear as a tool in the Build Content section. If it doesn’t, open the Administrator Panel, in Tools and Utilities select Tools, ensure the Availability of Kialo Discussion is ON, and apply the changes to New and existing courses.

2. Link to an Instant Access Kialo discussion

Use this if you do not want your students to create Kialo accounts. 

1. In Kialo, enter your discussion and click the Share button.
2. Enable Instant Access (don’t require Kialo accounts). 
3. Copy the link and use it in your course.

3. Use a Link to a standard Kialo discussion

Use this if you want to ensure students can’t share the discussion outside of the classroom but can’t use LTI.

1. In Kialo, enter your discussion, click the Share button, then click Invite Users.
2. Enter or select the email addresses of the students you want in the discussion.
3. Click Next, then Invite.
4. Copy the link of the discussion and use it in your course. Students will have to log in, or register for Kialo if they do not have an account with the email address you used.