Canvas@Illinois , Setting up iClicker Cloud

Integrating iClicker Cloud with Canvas

Overview

iClicker Cloud is an app that is installed and on the computer you use to teach during class.

Run the app during class to record attendance and/or conduct polls or quizzes. It is a small toolbar (see below) that appears on top of any other open applications while presenting the computer on the classroom display.

After class, you can access your data from any web browser. To use Cloud, you must have an iClicker instructor account and a course at iclicker.com; you can then link your Canvas course with your Cloud course. There is an optional mobile app for instructors to use as a way to control Cloud from your phone so that you can use the tool while away from the computer.

• View details on how to use Cloud. This discusses how to use the app while teaching.
• View documentation for students. This shows students how to create iClicker accounts, enroll in the Cloud course, and link those two accounts.
• View pricing for students. Pricing and subscription options vary based on whether the course is attendance-only or will conduct polls and/or quizzes. Students may only use remotes in courses that use polls/quizzes, not in attendance-only courses.

A. Install the Software

• You only need to install the application on the computer you use to teach during class. You can access your class polling results and data from any device through iclicker.com
• If you teach in a general assignment classroom, Technology Services should already have iClicker Cloud installed. If not, you can request it using the ICS Software Request form. They will also deliver a base station to a classroom if any of your students use remotes. For College or Departmental classrooms, please contact the appropriate IT support team for your location.
• If you use your own computer to teach, download the application from iclicker.com. There are versions for Mac and Windows. There is an option if you are not an administrator in Windows.
• Mac users will likely need to adjust their Privacy and Security settings to grant iClicker Screen Recording and Accessibility access there.

B. Create an iClicker Instructor Account

• Go to  iclicker.com and press the Create an Account button.
• Be sure to use your netid@illinois.edu email address.

C. Create an iClicker Cloud Course and/or Manage Course Settings

• View more details in the article “Manage iClicker Course Settings.”
• Sign in to iclicker.com, create a course and enter the course information.
• Some of these instructions apply when you create a new Cloud course, but you can also go to your course later and press the Settings button in the left-hand menu to manage options you don’t see when creating it. You can integrate to Canvas after you create the course.
• Course Type
  • iClicker Pro: this integrates into Canvas and includes polls, quizzes, assignments and attendance. Students must purchase either an app subscription or a remote.
  • iClicker Pulse: this only takes attendance using the Student App (not with remotes) and doesn’t integrate into Canvas. Students must purchase a subscription for the app.
• Course Information
  • Course Discipline: Choose the most appropriate option or “Other.” This field is not really used for anything.
  • Course Name: this is what your students will see as the name of the course. We recommend including the rubric (such as “CITL 101”) and the topic if you would like.
  • Start and end date: We recommend the end date be 1-2 weeks after the term.
  • Students will find your course in the app by typing the course name exactly as you enter it or by searching the app for your name unless you choose the option that requires an invitation to join.
  • Enrollment: Most students will end up being automatically enrolled if you sync your roster to Canvas, but some students may need to manually join. Choose whether you would like the students to be able to find your course by searching for it in the mobile app or their iClicker Student account or you will share a join link for them to use.
  • Course ID: this is not used for anything.
  • Term: This is useful when you look in your course archive.
  • Class Times: Selecting your meeting times can be useful for students to ensure that they sign up for the correct course (if there are other sections meeting at different times).
  • Auto-Run: If you take attendance, this is useful, and you should also set the Class Times.
• At this point you can finish creating the course. Then you can go to your Cloud course and press the Settings button to finalize options and to integrate with Canvas.
• Course Settings: The settings below are divided into their corresponding tabs.
  • Course Details: The information in this tab is covered in the instructions above.
  • Devices: Choose what students can use – iClicker remotes, the Student App or both. For students to use remotes, you will also need a USB base station receiver. These are installed in most Technology-Enhanced Classrooms, but you can check the building list to see if your room has one. You can request a base station for a classroom from Technology Services or contact citl-info@illinois.edu if you would like your own base.
    • Monitor Student Focus: We recommend leaving it off as some instructors had issues with it, but if turned on, this option alerts students if they exit the iClicker app on their device.
    • iClicker Remote Settings: This only appears if you allow remotes. You only need to adjust this if you have problems in class with extra responses from other students in nearby classrooms.
  • Attendance: Attendance and its settings are optional and only apply to attendance. Attendance grades do not sync to Canvas, unlike the Polling and Quizzing scores.
    • Take Attendance: turning this on automatically runs the attendance tool.
    • Alerts: this will alert you if students have missed X class sessions.
    • Late Attendance: You can automatically reduce any attendance grades
    • Location: This setting requires students to be within a certain range of the base station. Some instructors have reported issues (Troubleshooting Tips).
    • iClicker Remote Attendance: You should enable this if you track attendance.
  • Polling (View more information.)
    • Capturing My Screen: applies to the desktop Cloud app (not the web browser version) and determines any desktop that’s recorded in your session data.
    • Sharing: Select if and when the question images and poll results are shared with Student app users. If you share the images, those students can see questions on their phones without being present in the room.
    • Scoring: Select how your course is scored by using participation or performance points. Participation is all or nothing. With Performance your students can accumulate points each time they answer and/or answer correctly.
    • Short Answer Question: choose if answers are case sensitive.
    • Toolbar: choose how you want the timer to work.
  • Quizzing; This tab is only needed if you conduct self-paced quizzes with iClicker. Your students answer multiple questions all at once.
  • Integrations: See below for full instructions on this step which will integrate your iClicker Cloud course with your Canvas course and connect your rosters.

D. Integrations: Sync your iClicker Cloud Course to Canvas

• This is the final tab in your Cloud course Settings. Integrating your Cloud and Canvas courses links the rosters and enables you to sync grades from the iClicker into Canvas. It also determines whether you import a single total column or individual grade columns for each class session.
• Sign into iclicker.com and open your course and click the Settings button in the left-hand menu. 
  
• Press the Integrations tab on the upper right side, and then press the blue Connect to Canvas button in the top right corner.

• In this window press Go to Canvas.

• Press Authorize when prompted.

• Scroll through the list and select the course you want to sync to. If it’s not published, press the button in the top right corner to show only unpublished courses. Then press Next.

• On the next page, select all rosters that apply, and then press Connect.

• On the next page press Sync Roster Now.

• You should see a screen that your roster has synced; however, you also will see a list of students who have not yet signed up for your course at iclicker.com.

• On the next page, select whether you want to sync an overall total score or individual columns for each iClicker session. Choose to “receive a score of 0 in the Canvas gradebook” so that students will get a 0 for that day instead of a blank score. Press Save in the top right corner.

• Press the Gradebook button in the left-hand menu. Then press the Sync Grades button on the right when you are ready. Any students who are in both Canvas and Cloud should then have a green dot beside their name in the gradebook column called Grade Sync.

E. Regularly Re-Sync your iClicker Cloud Gradebook to Canvas

• Until all of your students have enrolled in your iClicker Cloud course and have registered any physical remotes, you will need to continue syncing your roster every time you want to sync grades. Then sync all class sessions to Canvas, at least for the first few weeks. Press the People button on the left and then the Sync Roster button on the right.
  
• To sync scores, click on the Gradebook button in the left-hand menu. Then click the Sync Grades button on the right when you are ready. Any students who are in both Canvas and Cloud should then have a green dot beside their name in the gradebook column called Grade Sync. Cloud only sends the sessions you select into Canvas and does not retroactively import grades into Canvas for students who registered their remotes after you last synced. So you need to repeat this process for the older sessions, too. You also can only sync 5 sessions at a time, so you may need to repeat this process several times to sync all the sessions.

F. Using the Cloud Desktop App and the Cloud Mobile Instructor App

You can install the iClicker Cloud instructor mobile app on an Apple iOS or Android device. It replaces the blue instructor remotes you may have used before. You must launch the desktop application first and start a session before you can use it. You can start and stop questions, share and hide results, view responses and attendance, advance and retreat PowerPoint slides, and more. Details.

Help

For more information, please Contact CITL.