Approved Academic Tools
Listed by Function
This list presents a curated subset of reviewed learning technology tools, chosen for their enterprise capabilities and widespread adoption. To see a complete list of tools that have been reviewed and results of those reviews, please read Teaching and Learning: Tools and Technology, USask KB article.
All tools listed on this page are approved for use at USask.
shows this tool is integrated with Canvas at USask
indicates a Generative AI tool
| Tool |
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| ALDA |
generating course elements, generating assessment tasks and questions, improving the inclusivity of course materials and activities |
||
| Claude |
generating and revising text, analyzing source materials, creating course elements and assessment tasks, providing formative feedback, and developing interactive content and learning resources |
||
| Google Gemini and Gems |
generating and revising content, brainstorming ideas, summarizing information, and creating customized AI assistants (Gems) |
||
| Google Gemini Notebook |
exploring course materials, summarizing information, generating study resources, and asking questions grounded in uploaded sources |
||
| Lexis+ AI |
college supported |
support law students to quickly find relevant information and draft documents |
|
| Microsoft Copilot |
Generating course elements, generating assessment tasks and questions, generating and revising text, generating images, audio transcription. |
||
| NOLEJ |
rapidly developing learning activities and materials (e.g., practice questions, flashcards, etc.) |
||
| NVivo |
learning qualitative data analysis. |
||
| ResearchRabbit |
find and organize relevant journal articles. |
||
| SMARTIE |
generating course elements, generating assessment tasks and questions, improving the inclusivity of course materials and activities. *see the preferred USask tool ALDA |
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| TrackPoint |
practicing oral presentations, interviews, roleplays, and professional communication skills through AI-powered simulations and personalized feedback. |
|
Tool
|
Icon |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Canvas | fully supported and integrated | quizzes, assignments | |
| Cengage Mindlink | limited support | Humanities/Language student practice and assessment (MindTap) and STEM student practice and assessment (WebAssign) | |
| Claude | limited support | generating and revising text, analyzing source materials, creating course elements and assessment tasks, providing formative feedback, and developing interactive content and learning resources | |
| CrowdMark | limited support | handwritten and/or electronic assessments (assignments and exams) | |
| ExamSoft |
college supported |
question bank creation, support the integrity of digital exams. See Respondus Lockdown Browser (for use in other colleges) | |
| H5P | create and share web-based interactive learning activities | ||
| MATLAB |
Numerical computing, data analysis, visual simulation, algorithm development, and auto-graded coding assignments |
||
| Mentimeter | polling, formative assessment, use Poll Everywhere where applicable | ||
| Mobius | limited support | student practice and assessment | |
| NOLEJ | self-supported, conditions may apply | rapidly developing learning activities and materials (e.g., practice questions, flashcards, etc.) | |
| NVivo | limited support | learning qualitative data analysis | |
| Perusall | self-supported, conditions may apply |
annotating shared documents and peer review of student work |
|
| Poll Everywhere | Fully supported and integrated | student practice, formative assessment, polling | |
| Portfolium | self-supported, conditions may apply | course level assessment, program level evidence of competencies, workspace for reflective learning | |
| fully supported and integrated | Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) "Scantron" exam grading | ||
| limited support | supports the integrity of digital exams | ||
| Riipen | limited support | integrating authentic projects and work experiences into courses | |
| Smartwork 5 | limited support | STEM student practice and assessment | |
| TrackPoint | fully supported | practicing oral presentations, interviews, roleplays, and professional communication skills through AI-powered simulations and personalized feedback. | |
| Twine | self-supported, conditions may apply |
interactive branching scenarios, simulations, case-based learning, and student-created digital projects |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Mentimeter | self-supported, conditions may apply | polling, formative assessment, use Poll Everywhere where applicable | |
| Poll Everywhere | Fully supported and integrated | student practice, formative assessment, polling | |
| Zoom Polling | formative assessment, summative assessment, polling |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Canvas | fully supported and integrated | discussion board using the liking feature | |
| Claude | limited support | generating and revising text, analyzing source materials, creating course elements and assessment tasks, providing formative feedback, and developing interactive content and learning resources | |
| Google Gemini and Gems |
|
fully supported |
generating and revising content, brainstorming ideas, summarizing information, and creating customized AI assistants (Gems). |
| H5P | limited support | create and share web-based interactive learning activities | |
| Lucidchart | limited support | creating digital, visual organizational tools such as flowcharts, diagrams, and mind maps in synchronous or asynchronous learning activities. Can be used individually or for group collaboration. | |
| Lucidspark | limited support | brainstorming, sharing ideas, organizing information, and engaging learners in a digital whiteboard learning environment. Can be used individually or for group collaboration. | |
| Microsoft Copilot | generating and revising text with references included, generating new images, audio transcription of written text, generating questions and assessments to use in teaching, generating course activities. | ||
| Mural | self-supported, conditions may apply | collaborative whiteboarding, mind-mapping | |
| Padlet | self-supported, conditions may apply | collaborative bulletin board with a range of media types, concept mapping | |
| Poll Everywhere | Fully supported and integrated | word clouds, discussion questions | |
| SMARTIE | self-supported, conditions may apply | generating course elements, generating assessment tasks and questions, improving the inclusivity of course materials and activities | |
| XMind | self-supported, conditions may apply | mind-mapping, brainstorming |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Canvas | fully supported and integrated | creating learning modules, pages, assignments, etc. | |
| Claude | limited support | generating and revising text, analyzing source materials, creating course elements and assessment tasks, providing formative feedback, and developing interactive content and learning resources | |
| Genially |
|
self-supported, conditions may apply |
interactive presentations, learning activities, branching scenarios, multimedia resources, quizzes, games, and learner-created digital projects |
| Google Gemini and Gems |
|
fully supported |
generating and revising content, brainstorming ideas, summarizing information, and creating customized AI assistants (Gems) |
| Google Gemini Notebook |
|
fully supported and integrated |
exploring course materials, summarizing information, generating study resources, and asking questions grounded in uploaded sources |
| H5P | limited support | create and share web-based interactive learning activities | |
| Lucidchart | limited support |
creating digital, visual organizational tools such as flowcharts, diagrams, and mind maps in synchronous or asynchronous learning activities. Can be used individually or for group collaboration |
|
| Lucidspark | limited support | brainstorming, sharing ideas, organizing information, and engaging learners in a digital whiteboard learning environment. Can be used individually or for group collaboration. | |
| MATLAB | limited support | numerical computing, data analysis, visual simulation, algorithm development, and auto-graded coding assignments | |
| Microsoft 365 | fully supported and integrated | creating documents and presentations | |
| Microsoft Copilot | generating course elements, generating assessment tasks and questions, generating and revising text, generating images, audio transcription | ||
| NOLEJ | rapidly developing learning activities and materials (e.g., practice questions, flashcards, etc.) | ||
| Panopto | fully supported and integrated | lecture recording, screen capture | |
| Pressbooks | limited support | creating & sharing open textbooks | |
| SMARTIE | self-supported, conditions may apply | generating course elements, generating assessment tasks and questions, improving the inclusivity of course materials and activities | |
| Twine | self-supported, conditions may apply | interactive branching scenarios, simulations, case-based learning, and student-created digital projects | |
| WordPress | self-supported, conditions may apply | blogging, sharing resources | |
| Zoom | fully supported and integrated | synchronous video conferencing, recording, group presentations |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Canvas | fully supported and integrated | creating learning modules, pages, assignments, etc. | |
| Cengage Mindlink | limited support | Humanities/Language student practice and assessment (MindTap) and STEM student practice and assessment (WebAssign) | |
| Google Gemini and Gems |
|
fully supported |
generating and revising content, brainstorming ideas, summarizing information, and creating customized AI assistants (Gems). |
| Google Gemini Notebook |
|
fully supported and integrated |
exploring course materials, summarizing information, generating study resources, and asking questions grounded in uploaded sources. |
| H5P | limited support | create and share web-based interactive learning activities | |
| Lucidchart | limited support | creating digital, visual organizational tools such as flowcharts, diagrams, and mind maps in synchronous or asynchronous learning activities. Can be used individually or for group collaboration. | |
| Lucidspark | limited support | brainstorming, sharing ideas, organizing information, and engaging learners in a digital whiteboard learning environment. Can be used individually or for group collaboration. | |
| MATLAB | limited support | numerical computing, data analysis, visual simulation, algorithm development, and auto-graded coding assignments | |
| Microsoft 365 | fully supported and integrated | creating documents and presentations | |
| Panopto | fully supported and integrated | lecture recording, screen capture | |
| Perusall | self-supported, conditions may apply | annotating shared documents and peer review of student work | |
| Pressbooks | limited support | creating & sharing open textbooks | |
| Smartwork 5 | limited support | STEM student practice and assessment | |
| Twine | self-supported, conditions may apply | interactive branching scenarios, simulations, case-based learning, and student-created digital projects | |
| WordPress | self-supported, conditions may apply | blogging, sharing resources | |
| Zoom | fully supported and integrated | synchronous video conferencing, breakout rooms |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Canvas | fully supported and integrated | course announcements, creating groups, course calendar, creating course modules, etc. |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Canvas | fully supported and integrated | asynchronous discussion boards | |
| Google Gemini Notebook | fully supported and integrated | exploring course materials, summarizing information, generating study resources, and asking questions grounded in uploaded sources. | |
| Perusall | self-supported, conditions may apply | annotating shared documents and peer review of student work | |
| TrackPoint | fully supported | practicing oral presentations, interviews, roleplays, and professional communication skills through AI-powered simulations and personalized feedback. | |
| Zoom | fully supported and integrated | synchronous online discussions for large groups or small groups (breakout rooms) |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Microsoft 365 | fully supported and integrated | document creation and collaboration | |
| OneDrive | fully supported and integrated | file sharing for collaboration | |
| Perusall | self-supported, conditions may apply | annotating shared documents and peer review of student work |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
| Mahara | fully supported and integrated | |
| Microsoft 365 (OneNote) | fully supported and integrated | |
| Portfolium | fully supported and integrated | |
| WordPress | limited support |
Canvas Portfolio is available within all Canvas courses.
Refer to the ePortfolio Guide for how to pick the right tool for use in your class.
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Canvas | fully supported and integrated | peer review of submitted assessment, discussion boards | |
| Padlet | multimedia collaborative bulletin board with commenting | ||
| Perusall | annotating shared documents and peer review of student work |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| ResearchRabbit | self-supported, conditions may apply | find and organize relevant journal articles |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Claude | limited support |
generating and revising text, analyzing source materials, creating course elements and assessment tasks, providing formative feedback, and developing interactive content and learning resources. |
|
| Genially | self-supported, conditions may apply |
interactive presentations, learning activities, branching scenarios, multimedia resources, quizzes, games, and learner-created digital projects |
|
| Google Gemini and Gems | fully supported |
generating and revising content, brainstorming ideas, summarizing information, and creating customized AI assistants (Gems). |
|
| Google Gemini Notebook | fully supported and integrated |
exploring course materials, summarizing information, generating study resources, and asking questions grounded in uploaded sources. |
|
| Mahara | fully supported and integrated | showcasing evidence of learning across courses and programs | |
| Microsoft 365 | fully supported and integrated | creating reflection notes (OneNote) | |
| Panopto | fully supported and integrated | creating reflection videos | |
| Portfolium | fully supported and integrated | course level assessment, program level evidence of competencies, workspace for reflective learning | |
| TrackPoint | fully supported | practicing oral presentations, interviews, roleplays, and professional communication skills through AI-powered simulations and personalized feedback. | |
| WordPress | limited support | blogging |
|
Tool
|
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Zoom | fully supported and integrated | synchronous lecture or discussions, breakout sessions |
| Tool |
Status |
Support Level |
Can be used for |
| Claude | limited support | generating and revising text, analyzing source materials, creating course elements and assessment tasks, providing formative feedback, and developing interactive content and learning resources | |
| WordPress | limited support | web design |