Frequently asked questions

Does CourseKit replace a Quality Matters review?

No. CourseKit is a pre-review aid. It reads your Canvas export, shows what it found for each standard, and tells you what to fix before a human review. It does not perform, replace, or substitute for a Quality Matters peer review, which requires trained human reviewers.

Are the results certified or official?

No. CourseKit does not issue or imply any certification, including QM, WCAG, ADA, FERPA, or institutional approval. Results show what CourseKit found in your export. They are not a pass or fail and not a QM score. See the compliance status note for the full list.

Is my course or student data sent anywhere?

No. Course content, question banks, document scans, pasted objectives, and pasted syllabus notes are processed in your browser; nothing is uploaded or stored on a server; files and results stay in tab memory until you reset, close, or reload the tab. The app loads no third-party analytics or tracking. More detail is on the privacy page.

Can I upload student data? Is it FERPA-safe?

Files are processed in your browser, but browser-first processing is not the same as institutional approval. Do not upload FERPA-covered or otherwise sensitive student records unless your institution has approved that use. Institutional teams can review CourseKit under their own policies on the Trust & Institutional Review page.

What does each tool actually check, and not check?

• Course Analyzer reads a Canvas course export (the .imscc file). Its QM Evidence tab shows what it found for each of the 44 QM 7th-Edition standards, an estimate of the points that evidence covers, and which Essential standards to start with, its Accessibility tab lists issues in the course pages and files, its Alignment Map tab creates a draft map you complete, and its Course Structure tab shows the modules and graded work. It checks structure it can see in the export, plus a Simple Syllabus export you add, which it reads as the course syllabus. It cannot judge alignment quality, or read content held in other external syllabus tools, LTIs, linked documents, media platforms, or unpublished materials.
• Measurable Objectives Checker reviews pasted objective text for vague verbs, suggests measurable verbs that fit what each objective is reaching for, and names the Bloom's level its leading verb usually signals. It does not judge course alignment or objective quality by itself.
• Alt-Scan checks Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and PDF files in your browser, up to 20 at a time. In Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files it lists every image and whether it has alt text, and points out Office's automatic alt text and placeholders such as a file name. It also checks that Word files use headings in order and that every slide has a title. In a PDF it checks whether the file is tagged, reads the alt text of tagged figures on the first 25 pages, and finds pages with no text (usually scanned images) on up to 250 pages. It cannot see the pictures in an untagged PDF, judge whether alt text describes an image well, or check captions, reading order, or color contrast. Very large files get a partial check, and the results say what was not checked.
• Question Bank Formatter (formerly the Respondus Formatter) cleans and converts a question bank into a QTI .zip that Canvas imports as a quiz, Respondus Standard Format, or Akindi import formats. Always confirm the import in Canvas, Respondus, or Akindi before assigning to students.

Does CourseKit give my course a QM score?

No. It gives an estimate from the evidence it found. For each of the 44 standards it says whether it found the evidence in your export (Detected, Partly detected, or Not found) or whether the standard needs a person to judge it. The QM Evidence tab then adds up the rubric points of the Detected standards and shows them against what a course needs: 86 of 101 points and all 22 Essential standards. Partly detected earns no points there, because QM gives no partial credit. Human judgment standards show as points that could still count, never as earned. Only a QM review decides whether a standard is met and whether a course meets the bar.

Where did the QM readiness check and CAM generator go?

They are now part of the Course Analyzer. Use the QM Evidence and Alignment Map tabs. Old tool links redirect to the Course Analyzer.

How accurate is it? Can I trust the results?

CourseKit is built to be accurate about what it can see in an export and honest about what it cannot. Each result says what it found and where, so you can check it. When a standard needs a person to judge it, the row says Human judgment and shows what CourseKit found instead of guessing. Confirm results in Canvas before you submit a course for review.

What do Detected, Partly detected, Not found, and Human judgment mean?

• Detected: CourseKit found what the standard asks for in content learners can reach.
• Partly detected: it found some of it, or found it where it does not fully count, such as only in the syllabus text you added or on a page no module links to. The row says what is missing.
• Not found: nothing in the export, or in the syllabus you added, shows the standard is met.
• Human judgment: the standard asks for a judgment only a person can make, such as whether activities fit the objectives. The row shows what CourseKit found to help you decide.

How do I get my Simple Syllabus PDF?

Open your course in Canvas and select Simple Syllabus in the course menu. Open this term's syllabus and use its print or PDF option to save it as a PDF. Then add that file in Step 2 of the Course Analyzer, or with Add your syllabus on the results page.

Is CourseKit affiliated with Quality Matters, Canvas, or any university?

No. CourseKit is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Quality Matters / MarylandOnline, Instructure (Canvas), or any institution. References to those names are descriptive only. See About for who builds it.

How do I get help or report a problem?

Email victoriglesiascs@gmail.com. For accessibility feedback specifically, see the accessibility statement.