Last updated on 9 September 2026
Almost every teacher uses a Canvas course to support his or her teaching. Several external educational applications and tools have been added, for more functionality. Most of these are integrated into Canvas.
- Annotate PRO: online feedback library
- MS Copilot: VU licensed AI chatbot
- FeedbackFruits
- Assignment Review: teacher feedback for assignments
- Automated Feedback: automatic feedback on writing for spelling, grammar, structure, indexing and referencing
- Comprehension of Document: assignments to support comprehension of texts
- Discussion on Work: peer and teacher feedback during assignments
- Group Formation Tool: create groups based on preferences or characteristics
- Group Member Evaluation: peer feedback for collaboration assignments
- Interactive Document: interactive document assignments
- Interactive Video: interactive video assignments
- Peer Review: peer feedback for assignments
- Self-Assessment of Skills: reviewing own skills
- Self-Assessment of Work: reviewing own assignments
- Skill Review: teacher feedback for skills
- Google Apps for Education: online collaboration
- Gradeloader: Easily import and export in Canvas.
- Kdenlive: advanced video editing software
- Mentimeter: online voting
- Padlet: online canvas and brainstorming
- Panopto: video in education
- Perusall: interactive document assignments
The VU license for Perusall will expire on 31 August 2026. For more information and migration support, please go to Phasing out Perusall at VU Amsterdam. - Similarity: the new application for plagiarism detection.
- Smart Search Canvas: searchfunctionality to find published content in Canvas. Canvas Smart Search searches through: pages, announcements, discussion prompts and assignment descriptions. It does not find files, unpublished content or other materials you do not have access to.
- VU Reading Lists: create and share literature reading lists
- MS Teams for education: videoconferencing and collaboration platform
- Wikiwijs: online open textbook development and publication (more info at Educational Resources & Copyright)
- Writefull: Word/Overleaf add-in to support academic writing
To browse and filter all tools based on, for example, application or ease of use, you can use the VU Education Lab Knowledgebase.
Before implementing tools and educational applications VU-wide, they are tested on a small scale.
These teaching tools are under development:
- Xerte: online environment for creating and sharing courseware
- EasyGenerator: online environment for creating and sharing courseware
- H5P: online environment for creating and sharing courseware
- Various AI chatbot apps
For more information about these apps, please contact the VU Education Lab or the Copyright Information Point (CIP)of the University Library.