Tools and Technology

There are many tools and technologies already approved for use at the GSB to support teaching and learning. If you would like to suggest something that is not currently not available, please contact the Teaching and Learning Hub. Note that you should allow at least one full quarter for the adoption process prior to the intended use of the new technology.

Tools Available to GSB Faculty

Below is a partial list of the teaching and learning technologies that are supported by the Teaching and Learning Hub (TLHub) or other groups at Stanford. See here for all the tools available to GSB faculty.

Canvas Primary learning management system for GSB and Stanford University

Atomic Assessments Authoring tool to embed assessments, media and interactive questions into Canvas

DesignPLUS Course design toolset to create custom course menus and page templates for Canvas

NovoEd Learning management system primarily used by Executive Education and LEAD

seatGEN (integrated with Canvas) Seating chart tool that can generate profile cards to get to know your students better and learn to pronounce their names

Ed Discussion (integrated with Canvas) Q&A-style discussion tool that enables students to answer each other’s questions and allows teaching teams to designate a best answer or add answers themselves

Poll Everywhere (can be integrated with Canvas, PowerPoint, Google Slides) Polling system with templates for student engagement and ice-breakers

Slack (can be integrated with Canvas) Robust collaboration and discussion tool

Qualtrics Survey tool with many different question types and reporting options

Kaltura (integrated with Canvas) GSB’s video and media hosting platform; also known as GSB Media

PlayPosit (integrated with Canvas) Interactive video platform, with annotation, quizzing and peer review features

GoReact (integrated with Canvas) Online video feedback platform

Adoption Process for New Technologies

The TLHub relies on a standardized, four-phase process for the evaluation and onboarding of new technologies for teaching and learning. This process ensures that technologies meet strict University and Federal standards for data security and privacy, and that the technology can be fully evaluated and implemented into your course.

Prior to entering the adoption process, technology exploration and implementation requests are prioritized based on the following criteria:

Impact

Ability of the tool to be used broadly and benefit the maximum number of faculty, students, and courses

Alignment

Alignment with the mission and goals of the GSB

Staff Availability

Priority of existing commitments and projects

Four-Phase Adoption Process

The phases begin with research and testing followed by a limited pilot, usually within a small number of courses. Next, the pilot is evaluated, and, following a positive evaluation, offered for GSB-wide adoption.

Below are the detailed steps within each phase of the process. The Learning Design and Technology team within the TLHub guides the technology through this process in partnership with others as noted. The Steering Committee is our Educational Technology Steering Committee, an advisory committee composed of leaders from the GSB and across Stanford.

Before a tool can be accepted for pilot use, it must be reviewed, tested, and vetted.

  • Test platform, including a functional comparison with existing technologies at the GSB and Stanford-wide
  • Present a proposal for use of tool to Steering Committee for approval, in partnership with faculty
  • Perform a data security and privacy compliance review in partnership with DS and vendor (expect that this process could take 4-6 weeks)
  • Review the tool’s accessibility in partnership with Stanford Office of Digital Accessibility (allow about 2 weeks)
  • Enter into a contract with vendor (allow about 30 days)
  • Identify a funding source (typically course funds for pilot)
  • Train/onboard the Faculty Support Team (FST)

A technology is in pilot when it is being used within a single course or subset of GSB courses and has not yet been adopted.

  • Integrate with Canvas course site if applicable
  • Support teaching team and students in pilot phase (provided by TLHub staff rather than FST during pilot)
  • Collect stakeholder feedback

The Steering Committee will review feedback gathered during the pilot phase and make a decision on its continued use.

  • Present pilot feedback from all stakeholders to Steering Committee
  • Decide to extend pilot, adopt tool, or end support based on feedback and evaluation (Steering Committee)

Adoption of a platform is when it becomes widely available and supported across GSB.

  • Transition tool’s primary support to FST
  • Manage integration administration tasks on an ongoing basis
  • Adjust funding source (e.g. TLHub, DS), if the tool will be broadly adopted

New Technology Requests

Please allow at least one full quarter for the onboarding process prior to the intended use of a new technology. To request a new technology for teaching and learning, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our team.

Contact us