Using Kialo with Canvas


There are three recommended ways to use Kialo with Canvas:


1. Use LTI

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

Capability to seamlessly sync and use your Canvas groups with Kialo is currently in development, expected to release in November 2024.


2. Link to an Instant Access Kialo discussion

This makes it very easy to have a quick discussion with your students.


3. Link to a standard Kialo discussion

This offers 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 LTI

Teachers: Using Kialo on Canvas

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


  1. In your course, open the Assignments section then click + Assignment.
  2. Enter a name for the assignment and adjust the grading settings if applicable.
  3. For Submission Type, select External Tool. Next, click the Find button and select Kialo Discussion.
  4. Select a Kialo discussion or create a New one.
  5. Choose your Small Group Mode setting, then click Save.
    a. If you want all of your students to work in the same discussion, select No Groups.
    b. If you want your students to work in separate copies of the discussion, select the appropriate option. It’s quickest to pick Automatically assign to groups and enter the number of groups they should be split up into.
  6. Click Select, then the appropriate Save button.

Done! When students click the link they will automatically have the correct permissions in the discussion and be assigned to their relevant group if appropriate.

note
Note:

Kialo discussions can also be added to Canvas courses as an External Tool instead of an Assignment, however the Grading feature only works if Kialo is added as an Assignment.

Admins: Setting up Kialo on Canvas

There are multiple methods outlined below to set up Kialo on Canvas. If you are not using Canvas Cloud, use the Dynamic Registration method if available; otherwise use Manual Registration.


  1. First, navigate to Admin > {Name of your site} > Developer Keys and open the Inherited tab. For the key Kialo, ensure the State is toggled ON.

  2. Navigate to Admin > {Name of your site} > Settings > Apps > View App Configurations and click + App.

  3. For Configuration Type, select By Client ID, then enter Kialo’s ID: 170000000001894

  4. Click Submit.

Done! Kialo Edu should now appear in the External Apps list.

  1. Navigate to Admin > {Name of your site} > Developer Keys. Click + Developer Key and select + LTI Registration.

  2. In the Register App window, enter: https://www.kialo-edu.com/lti/dynreg
    Then click Continue.

  3. For Kialo Discussion Settings:

    In Permissions, check ‘Can create and update submission results for assignments associated with the tool‘
    For User data shared with this tool, select All user data.
    For Placements, enable Link selection and Assignment selection.

  4. Click Enable & Close.

Done! Kialo should now appear in the Developer keys list in the Account section.

  1. Navigate to Admin > {Name of your site} > Developer Keys. Click + Developer Key and select + LTI Key.
  2. Enter the following:

    In Key Settings:
    Key Name: Kialo Edu
    Redirect URIs: https://www.kialo-edu.com/lti/launch

    In Configure:
    Method: Manual Entry
    Title: Kialo EduDescription: Kialo Edu
    Target Link URI: https://www.kialo-edu.com
    OpenID Connect Initiation Url: https://www.kialo-edu.com/lti/start
    JWK Method: Public JWK URL
    Public JWK URL: https://www.kialo-edu.com/lti/jwks.json
    For LTI Advantage Services: Enable required LTI services

    Check the following:
    ‘Can create and view assignment data in the gradebook associated with the tool.’
    ‘Can view assignment data in the gradebook associated with the tool.’
    ‘Can view submission data for assignments associated with the tool.’
    ‘Can create and update submission results for assignments associated with the tool.’
    ‘Can view Progress records associated with the context the tool is installed in.’
    ‘Can retrieve user data associated with the context the tool is installed in.’
    ‘Can lookup Account information.’

    In Additional Settings:
    Set Privacy Level: Public
    For Custom fields, enter: kialoGroupId=$Canvas.course.sectionIds kialoGroupName=$com.instructure.User.sectionNames

    In Placements:
    Remove the Account Navigation entry
    Add an entry for Link Selection
    Add Assignment Selection
    Select Message Type: LtiDeepLinkingRequest
  3. Save the key. It should now be listed under Developer Keys. Toggle the State of the Kialo key to On.
  4. Copy the ID of the Kialo Edu key listed under Details (e.g. “10000000000001”). This is the Client ID you will need in a moment.
  5. Navigate to Admin > {Name of your site} > Settings > Apps and click + App.
  6. For Configuration Type, select By Client ID and enter the Client ID copied earlier. Finally, click Submit.

Kialo Edu should now appear in the External Apps list.



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. 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.

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