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Canvas Setup Guide

Last updated Oct 28, 2025

Canvas Setup Guide

Overview

This guide provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for setting up PrepareBuddy LTI integration in Canvas by Instructure. The setup process takes approximately 5-10 minutes and works for both Cloud and Self-Hosted Canvas installations.

Prerequisites

Before beginning: - Canvas Administrator Access: You must have admin rights to install external tools - PrepareBuddy Credentials: Contact support@preparebuddy.com to obtain your consumer key and shared secret - Institution Information: Have your institution name and technical contact ready

Step 1: Access Developer Keys

  1. Log into Canvas as an administrator
  2. Navigate to Admin → Developer Keys
  3. Click + Developer Key → + LTI Key

Step 2: Configure External Tool

  1. Key Name: Enter "PrepareBuddy LTI Integration"
  2. Owner Email: Enter your email address
  3. Tool Configuration: Select "By URL"
  4. Configuration URL: Enter https://preparebuddy.com/lti/config/
  5. Consumer Key: Enter the key provided by PrepareBuddy (e.g., "preparebuddy_canvas")
  6. Shared Secret: Enter the secret provided by PrepareBuddy

Step 3: Review Configuration

Canvas will automatically load the configuration from our URL and display: - Tool Name: PrepareBuddy - Language Learning Platform - Launch URL: https://preparebuddy.com/lti/launch/ - Domain: preparebuddy.com - Privacy Level: Public - Placements: Course Navigation (enabled)

Step 4: Save and Activate

  1. Click Save to create the developer key
  2. Set the State to ON (toggle switch)
  3. Note the Details ID number for reference

Step 5: Install in Account

  1. Navigate to Admin → Settings
  2. Click the Apps tab
  3. Click + App
  4. Configuration Type: "By Client ID"
  5. Client ID: Use the ID from Step 4
  6. Click Submit

Method 2: Manual Configuration

If automatic configuration doesn't work or you prefer manual setup:

Step 1: Create Developer Key

  1. Navigate to Admin → Developer Keys
  2. Click + Developer Key → + LTI Key
  3. Key Name: "PrepareBuddy LTI Integration"
  4. Owner Email: Your administrator email
  5. Tool Configuration: Select "Manual Entry"

Step 2: Basic Information

  1. Title: PrepareBuddy
  2. Description: Language learning and assessment platform with automatic grade sync
  3. Target Link URI: https://preparebuddy.com/lti/launch/
  4. OpenID Connect Initiation Url: https://preparebuddy.com/lti/launch/
  5. JWK Method: "Public JWK URL"
  6. Public JWK URL: https://preparebuddy.com/lti/jwks/

Step 3: LTI Advantage Services

Enable these services for full functionality: - Names and Role Provisioning Service: Enabled - Assignment and Grade Service: Enabled - Deep Linking: Enabled (optional)

Step 4: Placements

Configure these placements: - Course Navigation: - Enabled: Yes - Text: "PrepareBuddy" - Icon URL: https://preparebuddy.com/static/images/logo.png - Selection Width: 800px - Selection Height: 600px

Step 5: Privacy Level

  • Privacy Level: Public
  • Custom Fields: Add these for better account linking: canvas_user_login_id=$Canvas.user.loginId user_email=$Person.email.primary user_full_name=$Person.name.full

Step 6: Save and Install

  1. Click Save to create the key
  2. Set State to ON
  3. Install in account using Admin → Settings → Apps

Course-Level Setup

After account-level installation, teachers can use PrepareBuddy in their courses:

For Teachers: Adding PrepareBuddy to Course

  1. Course Settings → Navigation
  2. Find "PrepareBuddy" in the list
  3. Drag it to the Enabled section if desired
  4. Click Save

Creating Assignments

Teachers can now create assignments using PrepareBuddy:

  1. Assignments → + Assignment
  2. Assignment Name: Enter descriptive name
  3. Points: Set maximum points (e.g., 100)
  4. Submission Type: "External Tool"
  5. External Tool: Select "PrepareBuddy"
  6. Load This Tool In A New Tab: Recommended for full-screen experience
  7. Save Assignment

Advanced Configuration

Custom Parameters for Enhanced Functionality

Add these custom parameters for better integration:

canvas_course_id=$Canvas.course.id
canvas_assignment_id=$Canvas.assignment.id
canvas_user_id=$Canvas.user.id
canvas_user_login_id=$Canvas.user.loginId
lis_person_contact_email_primary=$Person.email.primary
user_image=$User.image
canvas_membership_roles=$Canvas.membership.roles

Grade Passback Configuration

Ensure these settings for automatic grade sync: - Assignment and Grade Service: Enabled - Privacy Level: Public (required for grade passback) - Accept Scores: Always (in assignment settings)

Security Settings

For production environments: - Require HTTPS: Yes - Domain Whitelist: preparebuddy.com - IP Whitelist: Contact PrepareBuddy support for current IP ranges

Testing Your Setup

Create Test Course

  1. Create a test course or use Canvas's "Sandbox Course"
  2. Enroll a test student account
  3. Add yourself as an instructor

Test Assignment Creation

  1. Create a new assignment using External Tool
  2. Select PrepareBuddy as the tool
  3. Set points to 100 for testing
  4. Save and publish the assignment

Test Student Experience

  1. Access Canvas as the test student
  2. Click on the PrepareBuddy assignment
  3. Verify automatic login to PrepareBuddy
  4. Complete a short quiz or assessment
  5. Check that grade appears in Canvas gradebook within 1 minute

Expected Results

✅ Student launches PrepareBuddy without additional login
✅ Student sees their Canvas email address in PrepareBuddy
✅ Quiz completion automatically sends grade to Canvas
✅ Grade appears with correct point value and timestamp

Canvas-Specific Features

Deep Linking (Optional)

If enabled, teachers can: - Select specific PrepareBuddy content when creating assignments - Link directly to particular tests or assessments - Customize the student experience per assignment

Canvas Analytics Integration

PrepareBuddy usage appears in: - Canvas Analytics: Shows assignment engagement - Course Statistics: Tracks external tool usage - Student Activity: Displays time spent on assignments

Mobile App Compatibility

The integration works with: - Canvas Student App: iOS and Android versions - Canvas Teacher App: For monitoring grades and student activity - Mobile Web Browser: Full functionality on mobile devices

Common Canvas-Specific Issues

"Developer Key Not Working"

Cause: Canvas cached the old configuration Solution: 1. Turn developer key OFF 2. Wait 5 minutes 3. Turn developer key ON 4. Clear browser cache

"Course Navigation Not Appearing"

Cause: Navigation not enabled at course level Solution: 1. Course Settings → Navigation 2. Find PrepareBuddy in disabled list 3. Drag to enabled section 4. Save changes

"Assignment Won't Save with External Tool"

Cause: Tool not properly installed or configured Solution: 1. Verify tool appears in External Tools list 2. Check developer key is ON 3. Ensure tool is installed at account level

"Grades Syncing with Wrong Value"

Cause: Canvas scaling issues or multiple attempts Solution: 1. Check assignment point value matches expected scale 2. Review Canvas's multiple attempt policy 3. Verify grade passback settings

Canvas Cloud vs. Self-Hosted

Canvas Cloud (Instructure-Hosted)

  • Automatic Updates: Configuration updates automatically
  • Standard URLs: Use standard PrepareBuddy URLs
  • Support: Canvas support available for LTI issues

Self-Hosted Canvas

  • Custom URLs: May need custom configuration URLs
  • Manual Updates: Must manually update configurations
  • Additional Security: May have additional firewall/security requirements

Contact PrepareBuddy support if you have a self-hosted Canvas installation for customized setup instructions.

Maintenance and Updates

Regular Checks

  • Monthly: Verify tool is still accessible and functioning
  • After Canvas Updates: Test integration after Canvas releases
  • Semester Start: Verify new courses can access PrepareBuddy

Monitoring

  • Canvas Analytics: Monitor usage and success rates
  • Error Logs: Check Canvas error logs for LTI-related issues
  • User Feedback: Collect feedback from teachers and students

Updates

  • Automatic: Configuration updates happen automatically via our config URL
  • Manual: We'll notify you of any required manual updates
  • Backward Compatibility: We maintain compatibility with older Canvas versions

Support and Resources

Canvas-Specific Support

  • Canvas Community: Search for "PrepareBuddy" or "LTI integration"
  • Canvas Guides: Official Canvas documentation for external tools
  • Instructure Support: Contact Canvas support for platform-specific issues

PrepareBuddy Support

  • Email: support@preparebuddy.com
  • Phone: 1-800-PREPARE (1-800-773-7273)
  • Live Chat: Available at preparebuddy.com during business hours

Documentation

  • Canvas Admin Guide: guides.instructure.com/m/4214/l/1009814
  • LTI Integration: guides.instructure.com/m/4214/l/74769
  • External Tools: guides.instructure.com/m/4214/l/74475

Success Stories

"Canvas integration with PrepareBuddy was seamless. The automatic configuration saved us hours of setup time."
- IT Director, University of Texas

"Our faculty love how easy it is to create PrepareBuddy assignments directly in Canvas. Grade sync is flawless."
- Academic Technology Manager, Boston University

"Students don't even realize they're using a different platform - it's completely seamless from their perspective."
- Instructional Designer, Arizona State University

With proper setup, PrepareBuddy integrates seamlessly with Canvas, providing a smooth experience for administrators, teachers, and students alike.

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canvas setup step-by-step instructure
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