Canvas Guides

What are Collaborations?

Collaborations allow multiple users to work together on the same document at the same time. Collaborative documents are saved in real-time, meaning a change made by any of its users is immediately visible to everyone.

Depending on your institution and course settings, you can collaborate using Google Docs, Google Assignments, Google Drive files, and Microsoft Office files.

00:10: You can use collaborations to. Copy and paste notes that 00:14: everyone can access share bullet point lists, or agendas for upcoming 00:18: synchronous class or group time or meetings create a text-based 00:22: whiteboard that everyone in the classroom can see and refer to later assigned 00:27: student groups, a collaborative assignment as a graded. 00:29: Assignment instructor feature 00:33: All canvas courses support Google Docs as the default. 00:36: Collaborations tool collaborations that leverage Google Docs 00:40: require that all participating students have created and linked their Google account 00:44: to their personal settings. Google Docs allows you to add up to 00:48: 50 users per collaboration and all users can view and edit a 00:52: document at the same time. However, Google collaborations 00:56: has a limit as to the number of users who can access a collaboration at any time. 01:01: Collaborations also supports the Google assignments LTI 1.3, 01:06: which is enabled in a course, as an external app. 01:09: Google collaborations. Not only allow users to create Google Docs, but 01:13: they can also create other Google workspace files. 01:17: In order to use collaborations canvas admins, need to enable the Google 01:21: assignments LTI 1.3 integration and configure it with the 01:25: necessary credentials. 01:28: You can also create collaborations through the Google apps LTI, which 01:32: is enabled in a course as an external app. 01:35: Google Drive. Collaborations allow you to collaborate on Google, spreadsheets 01:39: and Google presentations. The Google apps integration requires 01:43: enabling the external collaborations tool account feature option. 01:48: However, enabling this feature changes, the collaborations interface 01:52: and removes any existing Google Docs collaborations. 01:57: When the Microsoft Office 365, LTI is enabled in 02:01: a course, as an external app. You can collaborate using a Microsoft Word, Excel, 02:05: or PowerPoint file.

When would I use Collaborations?

You can use Collaborations to:

Copy and paste notes that everyone can access.
Share bullet-point lists or agendas for upcoming synchronous class or group time or meetings.
Create a text-based whiteboard that everyone in the classroom can see and refer to later.
Assign student groups a collaborative assignment as a graded assignment (instructor feature).

View Google Docs Collaborations

All Canvas courses support Google Docs as the default collaborations tool. Collaborations that leverage Google Docs require that all participating students have created and linked their Google account to their personal Settings.

Google Docs allows you to add up to 50 users per collaboration, and all users can view and edit a document at the same time. However, Google collaborations has a limit as to the number of users who can access a collaboration at any time.

Learn how to create a Google Docs collaboration as an instructor and create a Google Docs collaboration as a student.

View Google Assignments LTI 1.3 Collaborations

Collaborations also supports the Google Assignments LTI 1.3, which is enabled in a course as an external app. Google collaborations not only allow users to create Google Docs, but they can also create other Google Workspace files.

In order to use collaborations, Canvas admins need to enable the Google Assignments LTI 1.3 integration and configure it with the necessary credentials.

Learn how to create a Google Assignments LTI 1.3 collaboration as an instructor and create a Google Assignments LTI 1.3 collaboration as a student.

View Google Drive Collaborations

You can also create collaborations through the Google Apps LTI, which is enabled in a course as an external app. Google Drive collaborations allow you to collaborate on Google Spreadsheets and Google Presentations.

The Google Apps integration requires enabling the External Collaborations Tool account feature option. However, enabling this feature changes the Collaborations interface and removes any existing Google Docs collaborations.

Learn how to create a Google Drive collaboration as an instructor and create a Google Drive collaboration as a student.

View Microsoft Office Collaborations

When the Microsoft Office 365 LTI is enabled in a course as an external app, you can collaborate using a Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file.

Learn how to create a Microsoft LTI collaboration as an instructor and create a Microsoft LTI collaboration as a student.