FAQs

Below is an FAQ which includes questions about Zoom, Canvas, Kaltura, Getting Help, and more. Please email us at teaching@rice.edu with any additional questions.

To Get Help

Who to Contact?

By email ticket:

  • For help with Instructional Technology (Canvas, Kaltura, Zoom through Canvas, or other technology in your courses) please email Teaching@rice.edu.
  • For help with hardware or general concerns about technology please email Helpdesk@rice.edu.

By phone:

  • 713-348-4357

Make a 1:1 appointment:

Faculty workshops:

How can I learn about new features or changes in the instructional technology at Rice?

Canvas Support

  • The Support team at Canvas (accessed through the Help button in Canvas) can only help with direct Canvas issues. If you have issues with the Zoom tool, Media Gallery/My Media, or other external tools within Canvas, please contact Rice support.
How can I find out if a tool is having a known issue?

Rice General IT status (Status.rice.edu)

Canvas (https://status.instructure.com)

Zoom (https://status.zoom.us)

Kaltura (https://status.kaltura.com)

Requesting a Tech TA

Tech TAs are trained and assigned to help instructors with technology in their courses. Some are assigned to particular instructors while others are assigned to serve as floaters.

Tech TAs can help with Zoom (including setting up and starting class meetings and moderating the chat during class), basic Canvas tasks (grading not included), and can assist with a variety of other technical tasks.

You can add a Tech TA to your Canvas course through the People tool (search for their Net ID).

To request a Tech TA please fill out the Request Form.

Zoom

Where can I find the system status of Zoom?

Zoom Service Status shows the current status and maintenance periods for all Zoom services.

How do I access my Rice Zoom account?

You can log into your Rice Zoom account at http://riceuniversity.zoom.us/.

Do I need the Zoom app to create and join meetings?

You can create new meetings through your Rice account at riceuniversity.zoom.us, and you can use the Zoom web client to join or start a meeting in a browser. You can visit the Zoom Download Center to find the latest version for your device.

What is the Canvas Zoom tool?

The Canvas Zoom tool allows instructors to schedule class meetings and office hours from within the Canvas course; students can access these from within the course itself.

What is the difference between the Canvas Zoom tool and my Rice Zoom account?

Canvas Zoom Tool

Rice University Zoom account

Create meetings only for the members of a specific course.

The host can create meetings that can be edited and started in their Rice Zoom account.

Polls are added by uploading a CSV template file.

Course members can access cloud recordings.

Create meetings for any purpose, either course or non-course related.

Meetings created here do not automatically populate into the Canvas Zoom tool.

Polls are added through a tool that is accessed through the browser.

Hosts can access both cloud and local recordings.

There are a greater number of Meeting Options, such as Breakout Room pre-assign.

Hosts can access usage and meeting reports.

Users with a webinar license can access webinars.
What do I do if I see this warning/error message when accessing Zoom in Canvas ?

Follow these instructions to set your NetID email address as your primary email in Canvas.

How do I update the Zoom App?

Zoom provides instructions on how to upgrade / update to the latest version of the app on your device.

How do I set up class meetings over Zoom?

To schedule a Zoom meeting, click on Zoom in your course navigation menu. The first time you click on this link, you will have to "authorize" the Zoom app. Class meetings that are held at the same day and time every week can be scheduled as recurring meetings for a set number of weeks.

How do I set up office hours over Zoom?

Office hours can be set up as a recurring or non-recurring meeting as needed in a course Zoom tool. If you do not want all students attending the office hours to join the meeting at the same time, then it is recommended to enable the waiting room in the meeting security settings. If you want to make appointment times for individual students, create a recurring meeting with no fixed time in your Zoom account at riceuniversity.zoom.us, create Appointment Groups in the Canvas calendar, and then paste the meeting link into the details of the appointment group.

How do I import a meeting into a course?

You can import a meeting you've scheduled within your Rice Zoom account into a Canvas course’s Zoom tool.

Can I use the same meeting for multiple courses’ class meetings/office hours?

Yes, you can use the same Zoom class meeting/office hours for multiple courses by providing the meeting link to students in those courses. The same meeting, however, cannot be imported into the Zoom tool of multiple courses.

When does my meeting link expire?

Scheduled meetings can be started at any time before the scheduled time. The links will not expire or become invalid unless it is past the 30-day period for a non-recurring meeting, has not been used for over 365 days for a recurring meeting, or has been deleted from your Zoom account.

Will students get a notification for meetings and office hours scheduled in the Zoom tool?

Meetings created in the Canvas Zoom tool with a scheduled time will populate into the course calendar and the course summary. Students will receive a notification only if they have their course calendar notifications turned on. We recommend you create an announcement in Canvas for any synchronous course activities.

How do I invite someone else to be a host on a Zoom meeting?

Co-hosts share most of the controls that hosts have, allowing the co-host to manage the administrative side of the meeting, such as managing attendees. The host must assign a co-host during the meeting. Co-hosts cannot start a meeting. If a host needs someone else to start the meeting, they can assign an alternative host.

Alternative hosts share the same controls as co-hosts, but can also start the meeting. Hosts can assign alternative hosts when they schedule a meeting.

Only hosts can create and edit a poll, pre-assign participants to breakout rooms, promote participants to host or co-host, and live stream.

How do I invite guests to a class meeting?

You may invite guests to a Zoom meeting by calendar event or by invitation link, both are available in the meeting settings. Non-Rice guests may not be able to join if you have selected "require authentication to join" in the meeting security settings.

What is the difference between a Zoom meeting and a Zoom webinar?

Meetings are designed to be a collaborative event with all participants being able to screen share, turn on their video and audio, and see who else is in attendance. Webinars are designed so that the host and any designated panelists can share their video, audio and screen. A feature comparison is available here.

When can I use a Zoom Webinar?

Webinars are recommended for classes with 75 or more students.

For online events that are high-profile, include high-profile individuals, address controversial topics, or involve a large audience, using a Zoom webinar is highly recommended over using a Zoom meeting.

How do I ensure meeting privacy and security?

To prepare for secure meetings: keep Zoom updated, use meeting passwords, require attendees to log into a Zoom account, disable "Join before Host", use the Waiting Room, refrain from using a Personal Meeting ID, and set an Alternative host. During meetings, use the Security button to report a user, remove meeting participants, mute attendees, turn off attendee video, lock your meeting, disable private chat, and turn off attendee annotation.

How do I manage breakout rooms?

You can either manually sort students into groups or split the class randomly. As the host, an instructor has the ability to create breakout rooms, assign students, and manage the rooms. The host can switch between rooms at any time, broadcast messages to all the rooms, and end the breakout sessions.

How do I pre-assign breakout Rooms? (very specific .csv file format)

As a meeting host, you can assign your meeting participants into breakout rooms before the meeting through the web portal at riceuniversity.zoom.us. This is done by editing the meeting settings and using either the web tool or CSV file upload to create rooms and add participants. Rice participants must be added with their NetID email address (not vanity addresses), and must be reminded to be logged into the Zoom app with their NetIDs via SSO.

How do I set up self-select breakout rooms? (later versions of Zoom required); profs can also still assign?

If the host has Zoom version 5.3.0 or higher, they will see the option "Let participants choose Room" when launching Breakout Rooms. This allows participants to self-select and join breakout rooms of their choosing from a list of breakout rooms the host has created. They will be able to enter and leave breakout rooms freely. Note: Participants not joined with the desktop or mobile app version 5.3.0 or higher will not be able to self-select a breakout room. The host will need to facilitate moving these participants manually.

How do I create a Poll in Zoom?

You can create a Poll in a Zoom meeting in two ways:

Where can I find reports for meetings and usage?

You can generate meeting reports for registration, polling, and usage (participants and duration) at riceuniversity.zoom.us/account/report.

How do I share my screen? What can I share?

You can click the Share Screen button located in your meeting controls to share the following:

  • Entire desktop, tablet or smartphone screen
  • One or more specific applications
  • A portion of your screen
  • Whiteboard
  • Device audio only
  • Content from a second camera
  • iPhone/iPad screen via cable or AirPlay
  • Slides as a virtual background
How do I allow all students to share their screen?

You can allow all students to share their screen by enabling Screen Share in the Security button.

How do I share a video?

For Zoom 5.4.3 or higher, the recommendation is to share the video clip with the built-in video player from the “Share Screen” option. Click on the “Advanced” tab, and then click on “Video,” and open the video.

Alternatively, you can share a video by sharing your entire desktop or a specific browser or application window by checking the boxes for “Share sound” and “Optimize for video clip” before clicking “Share."

Can I use a whiteboard/share handwriting over Zoom?

The whiteboard feature will allow you to share a whiteboard that you and other participants (if allowed) can annotate on.

Can I broadcast my screen share or white board from a second device?

It is often preferable to screen broadcast, by logging into Zoom a second time on a tablet (Zoom note) to use the whiteboard or share the screen, while interacting with participants on your first device. In this case you should use do not disturb mode on the tablet and be especially careful when typing in passwords.

How can I improve my audio?

High-fidelity music mode and stereo audio can be used in performing arts and music courses where rich, professional-grade sound over Zoom is required, with the caveat that it requires more CPU and greater bandwidth. You can disable "Automatically adjust microphone volume" and increase/decrease input volume if there are audio issues. Click "Test Mic" to test your microphone. You can also change the "Suppress background noise" setting.

Can I use a document camera during a Zoom meeting?

You can either share a document camera using the desktop app, share an iPhone/iPad device with screen mirroring or using a wired connection, or screen broadcast from a 2nd device.

How do I record a Zoom class meeting? Should I use Local or Cloud recording?

A host can click on the Record icon at the bottom of the window during a meeting or set the meeting to record automatically in the meeting settings. Cloud recording is recommended over Local recording as it can be accessed by the host from any device after the meeting and be shared with students in the course more easily.

Are there guidelines for making recordings of class sessions?

Rice University has guidelines for recording academic class meetings with Zoom.

When do course recordings get deleted?

For all academic class recordings, these will be automatically deleted 60 days after the end of each semester. If an instructor wishes to maintain the recording longer, they need to download it onto university approved devices, networks or platforms, and must do so in accordance with FERPA guidelines.

Does FERPA apply to class Zoom meetings?

If students are seen, heard or named in a recording, then that recording can only be viewed by the instructor and members of that particular course section during the respective semester, unless students have signed releases. If instructors need to archive a course recording for their own future reference they may download them and save them to their Rice Box or Rice Google Drive accounts and not share them with others. The Office of the Registrar has provided further FERPA and Lecture Capture and Audio/Video Recording FAQs.

Can I/when would I use Zoom to pre-record a lecture?

You can use a Zoom meeting to create a lecture recording of just the instructor presenting on camera and screen sharing. This recording can be shared with students for teaching strategies such as flipped classroom and asynchronous learning for students in different time zones.

How do find, share, and download recordings?

All meeting recordings can be found at riceuniversity.zoom.us/recording; recordings scheduled through the Canvas Zoom tool can be found in the Cloud Recordings tab of the tool of that respective course.

Recordings scheduled through the Canvas Zoom tool can be viewed by students in a particular course once the recordings are published. A sharing link may also be obtained from the Cloud Recording tab.

All meeting recordings can be shared by obtaining a link through riceuniversity.zoom.us/recording by clicking on the Share button.

The host may download a meeting at riceuniversity.zoom.us/recording via the More menu next to the meeting title.

How do I enable live transcript or closed captions? How do I retrieve audio and chat transcripts?

Live transcripts done through automatic speech recognition (ASR) are now available in Zoom! If you are the meeting or webinar host, when you click the “Live Transcript” button, you can “Enable Auto-Transcription."

Closed caption allows you or another meeting attendee, assigned by the host, to add closed captioning in a meeting. In a webinar, closed captioning can be typed by the host, co-host, or a panelist assigned by the host.

Audio transcription automatically transcribes the audio of a meeting or webinar that you record to the cloud. After this transcript is processed, it appears as a separate VTT file in the list of recorded meetings. In addition, you have the option to display the transcript text within the video itself, similar to a closed caption display. This feature must be enabled in the host’s settings before a meeting takes place; this transcript cannot be generated by Zoom from the recording after the fact.

You can save in-meeting chats to your computer or the Zoom Cloud either manually or automatically; meetings that are recorded will have the chat file available along with the recording.

How do I edit the recording?

You can set the playback range for a cloud recording at riceuniversity.zoom.us/recording. This will allow you to pick the point where the playback starts and ends, effectively “trimming” the recording from the perspective of a viewer. However, this does not alter the original file, and if downloaded, it will revert back to the original length.

Can I undelete recordings?

Zoom allows you to recover a recording within 30 days of deletion. If you delete the recording from the trash, or if the recording is in the trash for 30 days, it will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Canvas

Where can I find the system status of Canvas?

You can find the system status for Canvas at http://status.instructure.com.

How do I get an outside tool into Canvas?

There is an LTI approval process for all tool requests for addition to Canvas. The approval process for each tool will include reviews for Functionality, Accessibility, Security, FERPA, Legal, Cost, as well as other factors. This can take several months. You can begin a request using the LTI Approval Form. Find more information at the Canvas LTI Approval Process page.

How do I publish my course?

In order for students to access your course in Canvas, it must be published. Publish your course by clicking on the Publish button at the top right of the Home page or on the course card on the dashboard. You may publish and unpublish the course until students submit anything to the course.

How can I request a course merge or course split?

To request a course merge or split, please email helpdesk@rice.edu with the course name(s) and number(s) along with the section(s) affected.

How do I copy a course from a previous semester?

You can copy entire courses or select specific content from old courses to import into new courses.

  1. When in the new course, go to Settings, and choose Import Course Content from the right-hand side bar.
  2. Choose Copy a Canvas Course in the first drop-down menu then search for the course you want to copy from.
  3. Choose All Content or Select Specific Content as appropriate.
  4. Click “Import Content.” (This will then allow you to choose the content you want.)
What course Settings can I change/customize?

Instructors can

  • add an image to the course card on the dashboard.
  • change the start and end dates of the course and decide how/when to restrict that content for students.
  • change the default language for the course
  • Enable the grading scheme for the whole course

Under More Options Instructors can

  • Change a few global discussion options
  • Hide totals in the grades summary from students
  • Hide sections in the People tool
  • Disable comments on announcements
How do I add a Syllabus to my Canvas course?

There are four main ways to add your syllabus to Canvas.

  1. Link your pdf version of the syllabus in the tool. (easily printable)
  2. Copy or type your syllabus in the tool. (easily accessible)
  3. Do both of the above.
  4. Use pages and place the syllabus there (you may then link it to a module if you are using modules). You can place the syllabus page at the top of the module and make it required to move to the 2nd module.

For 1, 2, or 3 follow the instructions below.

Click on the EDIT button at the top right of the syllabus tool page.

  1. Linking pdf syllabus to the page.

    While the editing window is open, you can create your syllabus or copy and paste from your favorite word processor. Depending on the word processor, some of the formatting may not transfer. Also, you might see some formatting tags. Look carefully to catch any pasting errors.

  2. Creating/Inserting content

    First, place the cursor in the editing window. On the far right there is a pane which will allow you to inset links, files, or images. Choose the "Files" tab. Click "Upload a new file", browse file, select file, and upload file. You should see a link showing up in your syllabus edit window.

One consequence of having a large syllabus page is that students will not see the upcoming assignments which are located at the bottom of the syllabus page. This list gets generated automatically according to the dates designated by the instructor.

I don’t see my course on my Dashboard. What do I do?

If you are faculty/staff, and are the instructor of the course, please click the Courses tab on the Global Navigation bar (far left side). Scroll down to all courses. This list contains all courses you are enrolled in. You should find your course here. Click the star on the left to add the course to your dashboard.

If you are a student, and have been registered for the course for more than 24 hours, please click the Courses tab on the Global Navigation bar (far left side). Scroll down to all courses. This list contains all courses you are enrolled in. You should find your course here. Click the star on the left to add the course to your dashboard. If you still do not see the course you are looking for, your instructor has not yet published the course. Contact your instructor to fix this issue.

Can I hide tools on the Course Navigation Bar?

You can hide tools from students; however, this will not remove them from the instructor’s page. To hide tools from students go to Settings and then the Navigation tab. You can drag and drop the tools into the order you prefer. You can move the tools you want to hide to the bottom of the page.

My students say they cannot see/find the course.

Your course is likely not published. Look at the top right corner of the home page- it should say Published. If it does not, click Publish. If it does, check to make sure your content within the course is published.

How do students get added and or removed from a Canvas course?

Students are added to Canvas courses 12-24 hours after they register on Esther.

Students are removed from Canvas 3 days after they drop the course on Esther.

How can I add users to my course?

As the instructor of a course you can add Rice users as TAs, Tech TAs, and other instructors to your open courses using the People tool. In the top right, you will find a +People button. After you click this select NetID, type the user’s Net ID (one per line), select role, select section (if needed), then click Next button at the bottom. You will arrive at a window indicating the users were found. Click ADD at the bottom to complete.

If you need to add a non-Rice user to your course, email teaching@rice.edu for assistance.

If you need to add a user in the student role, email teaching@rice.edu for assistance.

How can students be assigned to work together?

You can create groups in Canvas and create Group assignments and discussions. Groups in Canvas will have their own workspace which includes areas for Files, Discussions, and more. For details about groups in Canvas see Using Groups in Canvas

A student could upload media (video/images), but now they cannot. What is happening?

The most likely reason for this issue is that the student’s account storage is full. Have them go to Account-->Files and check to see if their storage is full. If so, have them delete some files until there is space. If not, please have them email helpdesk@rice.edu for assistance.

How do I know if my students have access to a file, module, quiz, or other content?

You can use the Student View feature to see what your students can see. This feature can be accessed on the upper right side of the Home page (a spectacles icon) and the Settings page.

Students can’t see something in my course - how can I fix that?

First, check the Student View.

  • If you can see the item in the Student View,
    • Ask the student to try a different browser and/or clear the cache of the current browser
    • If that does not resolve the issue, have them email helpdesk@rice.edu for assistance.
  • If you cannot see the item in the Student View, there are two possible likely options for this issue.
    • The Course/File/Assignment/Quiz/Module is not published. Be sure there is a green check next to the item.
    • The Course/File/Assignment/Quiz/Module is not available. The availability date may be set incorrectly. On the edit page of each item you can see the availability dates at the bottom of the page. Check to be sure these are set correctly.
I get an error that I have exceeded my course storage. How do I increase my course storage?

If you are adding media content to your course, consider using the Media Gallery which doesn’t count against your course size and has unlimited storage.

Items that count against your course storage limit:

  • All of the content that the instructor has uploaded to the course
  • Also includes all of the student submissions, or documents uploaded in discussions, etc.

You can request a course storage increase by emailing teaching@rice.edu

How do I add content including Files, Pages, and Modules?

Content can be added to these tools by going to the tool on the course navigation bar, clicking on the tool of your choice, and then clicking Edit at the top right of the page that appears. For details about how to do this see How to use the Files tool, What is the Pages tool, and What is the Modules tool.

What is our video management system and how do I use it?

The video management system here at Rice is called Kaltura. It can be used through two tools in your Canvas course: My Media and Media Gallery.

If you do not see these tools in your course, please check under Settings-->Navigation to see if they are hidden. If they are not, your course may be in a group that does not use Kaltura (For instance, the Jones School does not use Kaltura. Please email your helpdesk for assistance with Panopto.)

What is the Resource List button on my course navigation menu?

This tool is a place to add readings for students from the Fondren Library. The library manages this tool. You can contact them by emailing reserves@rice.edu.

How can I message my students?

On the Global Navigation bar, click on Inbox. Here you can sort by course, message everyone in a course, message everyone in a certain role in a course (all students, all TAs etc), or message a specific person or group of people.

Will students get a notification about an announcement/ inbox message etc?

Inbox messages are not email; they stay within Canvas. However, if a student has their notifications for inbox messages turned on they will receive an email notifying them to the new message.

How do I change the notifications I get from Canvas?

All users can change their notifications at the account and course levels. The account level can be changed by going to Account (on the global navigation bar)-->Notifications.

Course level notifications can be changed by going to View Course Notifications on the right hand side of the Home page in the course.

Should I use the assignment tool or the quizzes tool?

This depends on what you are intending to do with the assessment.

If you want to allow students a window in which to take the assessment, but want them to adhere to a strict time limit, you will want to use Quizzes.

If you want students to upload an assessment to you that you can annotate and grade in Canvas you will want to use Assignments. (You can also give a time window in Assignments). For consultation on which tool will be best for you please email teaching@rice.edu.

How do I create a quiz?
  1. Go to the Quizzes tool on the Course Navigation Bar
  2. Click +Quiz
  3. Decide on the settings you need
  4. Create questions (be sure to click Update Question each time before moving on to the next)
  5. You can choose a File Upload question to have students download a file, take the assessment, and then re-upload to you

More information on quizzes

How do I add more time or attempts for students?
  1. Go to the quiz edit page
  2. Click Moderate this Quiz
  3. Use the settings option to add more attempts or more time
Can I change a quiz after students have taken it?

Yes, however, do so with caution. Canvas will also ask you to manually re-grade those quizzes that have already been submitted. This can be done in the Speedgrader.

How do I set or change the due date on a quiz, assignment or discussion?

At the bottom of the edit page in each tool there is an Assign To box. This will allow you to choose who to assign the assessment to (everyone, by section, or individual), add a due date, and add availability dates.

How do I make an assessment available only during a specific window?

At the bottom of the edit page in each tool there is an Assign To box. The Available From date is the date/time at which the assessment will be visible in its entirety to students. The Available Until date/time marks when the assessment will be closed to student access and submission.

I have a student who needs a different due or availability date. How do I set this up?

At the bottom of the edit page in each tool there is an Assign To box. Click Add at the bottom of that box. Type the name of the student(s) who need different dates. Add the different dates/times.

What are your recommendations for collaboration between students?

For synchronous collaboration Google Drive / Docs Sharing is our main recommendation. However, students in China are unable to access these.

  • You can set a page in Canvas so that students can edit it as well.
  • Groups in Canvas are a great way to give students a space in which to share files, have discussions, and more.
  • Discussions in Canvas can also be used to share ideas among students.
  • For more information on the above options see Student Interactions.

Please email teaching@rice.edu if you would like to discuss options.

How do I grade an assignment or quiz in Canvas?

In Canvas you will use Speedgrader to grade both assignments and quizzes. You can get to the Speedgrader on the edit page of the assessments or from the assignment settings in the gradebook. There you can annotate assignments, give feedback on quizzes, add grades, and give general comments. Please see Using the Gradebook for details.

How do I weigh my grades in the gradebook?

Weighted grading is set up in the Assignments tool. Create new assignment groups for each of your grading categories (quizzes, exams, homework etc). On the top right, click the settings menu and choose Assignments Group Weight. Add the weights for each group

How do I keep students from seeing their grades until I am ready to release them?

Set the Grade Posting Policy to Manual (The default is Automatic so be sure to make this change early on).

You can make this change at the course level or at the assignment level.

  • For the course level, click the settings cog on the right hand side of the gradebook tool. Choose Grade Posting Policy and choose Manual and save.
  • For the assignment level, click the settings for the assignment in the gradebook (three vertical dots next to assignment name). The last option is the Grade Posting Policy.

See Using the Gradebook for details on posting grades.

Kaltura

What is Kaltura?

Kaltura is a cloud-based video management system that is integrated into Canvas courses as an LTI (learning tool interoperability). In Canvas, Kaltura services are accessed through the Media Gallery and My Media in the course navigation links toolbar.

What’s the difference between “My Media” and “Media Gallery”?

My Media will display all the videos that you have ownership or editing rights over. Therefore, the My Media link is unique to every user who accesses it; each user will see their personalized My Media page in every course where it is enabled.

The Media Gallery is unique to each course; i.e. every course has a Media Gallery that any user in that course can view. To make a video that is in your own My Media viewable to course users, you can publish it to the Media Gallery.

How long are videos stored in Kaltura?

This video system is a teaching and learning tool, and it isn't a permanent archive. Videos will automatically be deleted after a few years of non-use. However, we are working on an alert feature so that users can take action to avoid this deletion process.

What are the guidelines for using Kaltura?

Rice University has guidelines for Kaltura usage and content.

Where can I find the system status of Kaltura?

Kaltura System Status (https://status.kaltura.com/) shows the current status and maintenance periods for Kaltura services.

I’m getting an error, “Your browser is blocking third-party cookies which are required to view and manage videos in Kaltura.” What do I do?

You need to enable these cookies in order to access Kaltura videos. Instructions are available in the Knowledge Base on how to allow 3rd-party cookies in a variety of browsers.

How can I tell whether students have watched videos?

You can view analytics for your videos in the Media Gallery. Metrics provided include number of plays, number of unique viewers, number of minutes viewed, average completion rate, average drop off rate, and individual user engagement.

What kind of videos can I upload to Kaltura?

You can upload videos from your device, Youtube videos and in-video quizzes to My Media or Media Gallery, and Kaltura desktop captures to My Media only.

Click + Add New in My Media or Media Gallery to see the list of options for adding media.

How do I add Fondren Library media or DVDs I own to Kaltura?

Please contact teaching@rice.edu for any digitization needs.

How do I add Zoom videos to Kaltura, and what are the advantages of doing that?

Zoom course meeting recordings may be added to the Media Gallery for students who were unable to join. This would have the additional benefit of allowing comments and closed captions (if those were not enabled for the recording), as well as analytics for views.

Note: If students are seen, heard or named in a recording, then that recording can only be viewed by the instructor and members of that particular course section during the respective semester, unless students have signed releases.

How do I add YouTube videos to Kaltura, and what are the advantages of doing that?

You can add YouTube videos that are publicly visible to Kaltura with the +Add Media button. This will enable you to create Kaltura Video Quizzes, access student viewing analytics, and list the videos amongst non-YouTube videos in the Media Gallery or a Playlist.

As with embedding a YouTube video directly in Canvas, if the video is removed from YouTube, it will also become unavailable in Kaltura.

In countries or regions where YouTube is blocked, YouTube videos added to Kaltura will also be unavailable.

How do I embed questions within a video? When should/shouldn’t it be used?

You can embed questions within a video by creating a Video Quiz.

In-Video Quizzing is not accessible to all users and should only be used for low-stakes assignments that have little or no impact on the final grade (i.e. not a test or exam grade). It is a useful tool to add a check for understanding into a lecture or other instructional video, as it can provide a question-by-question and per user analytics. A version of the video without a quiz should also be provided for students who may have accessibility issues.

How do I edit a video?

Kaltura Editor is a "lite" media editor that allows trimming and chopping of a video. Other features include adding hotspots, chapters and slides using the timeline.

How can I create videos to add to Kaltura?

Kaltura Personal Capture is a desktop and video recording tool that allows you to pre-record videos for asynchronous teaching and learning. You can record content that is on your screen (e.g., PowerPoint slides or screen annotations) and/or webcam video. These videos can be accessed from your Canvas course from the “My Media” link in your course navigation menu, and can be Published to a course Media Gallery.

Alternatives to Kaltura Capture:

  • Zoom: You can use a Zoom meeting to create a lecture recording of just the instructor presenting on camera and screen sharing.
  • Native apps: QuickTime on macOS, Game Bar on Windows 10, Screen Record on Android, Screen Recording on iOS
  • 3rd party apps: Camtasia, Adobe Captivate, Screencastify, Screencast-O-Matic
What devices can I use Kaltura Capture on?

Kaltura Capture can be used on computers running Windows and MacOS.

I’m having trouble with recording using Kaltura Capture for the first time, and I’m using a Mac with macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or above. What Mac security settings need to be enabled?

You may need to allow Kaltura Capture to record your screen for macOS and set other macOS security settings.

How do I determine which version of Kaltura Capture I have installed, what is the latest version, and how do I upgrade my version?

You can check which version you have by launching the application on your device from your program folder and clicking on the Information tab on the Kaltura Capture window. Kaltura Capture Release Notes will have the latest version listed. If you do not have the latest version, you can manually update by accessing the feature from the + Add New button in My Media.

Where can I add Kaltura videos for students to view in Canvas?
How can students share videos with other students in the class?

Students can upload videos to their My Media and take one of the following actions:

What are the settings to create a Canvas Assignment which accepts Kaltura media submissions? How can students submit media assignments?

The instructor can set up an Assignment with Online Submission Type and Text entry selected. These instructions for submission can be provided to students: Incorporating Kaltura Media into Assignments and Discussions

How do I organize my media in playlists?

You can create, manage and edit playlists in the Media Gallery.

Playlists are a useful way to organize videos by topic or unit, or to create collections of lectures and student submissions that are meant to be shared with the class.

How do I copy a Media Gallery from my previous Canvas course to my current course? When should this be avoided?

You can import a course Media Gallery into another course, if you are in the Teacher role in both courses.

Due to FERPA considerations, this should not be done if a Media Gallery contains submissions of student work or lecture recordings where students are seen, heard or named (these recordings can only be viewed by the instructor and members of that particular course section during the respective semester, unless students have signed releases).

How do I download a My Media video?

You can enable downloading of a media entry through its settings.

Classroom Info

How do I use the technology in my classroom?

Information about the system/equipment available in OTR classrooms for Dual Delivery and Recording can be found on the KB article titled Dual Delivery and Recording Equipment in OTR Classrooms.

Find Your Classroom: Here you can find information and instructions on individual OTR classrooms.

For information on creating and sharing a Zoom recording from within Canvas, please click here: Recording a Class with Zoom for viewing later