University Faculty Training

Overview and summary

This faculty development project began with student feedback asking for more interactive learning in online courses. H5P was already among the university’s options but was not yet integrated into Canvas. As the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT) prepared that integration, faculty needed the knowledge and skills to build H5P activities in their courses. My role was to design and develop that training, including selecting the H5P content types to teach.

The training was accepted by CTLT.

Process

The training was one part of a larger system: H5P’s integration into Canvas, the university’s templates and accessibility standards, CTLT’s faculty development program, and the student feedback that started the request. I designed the training to fit with each of those pieces. The work followed a collaborative, step-by-step process with CTLT and subject matter experts (SMEs), from the initial request through a faculty pilot and release.

  1. Receive the request. CTLT requested faculty training to support H5P in Canvas, in response to student feedback.
  2. Confirm the need. I reviewed the student feedback data and met with the CTLT subject matter expert, Canvas technical staff, faculty, and students to clarify what faculty needed to do differently. Because H5P was new to faculty in Canvas, the gap was knowledge and skill: faculty had not yet used these tools. I used Claude to help organize meeting notes and identify patterns. Following the AI4PI framework from ISPI, I reviewed all output against the original information and kept instructional decisions with me and the stakeholders.
  3. Review existing standards. I gathered branding guidelines, templates, accessibility requirements, and institutional policies so the training would align with university standards.
  4. Conduct a learning analysis and propose the approach. Using Gagné’s categories of learning outcomes, I identified the primary outcome as an intellectual skill: building H5P activities and choosing the right content type for a learning goal. Knowing each content type’s features was a supporting outcome (verbal information). From this analysis, I defined the learning goal and selected eight H5P content types based on how well each supports adult learners: Branching Scenario, Interactive Video, Course Presentation, Interactive Book, Structured Strip, Documentation Tool, Drag the Words, and Find the Hotspot. For example, Branching Scenario supports real-world decision-making, and Structured Strip breaks complex material into manageable steps to reduce cognitive load. I revised the plan based on CTLT and SME feedback.
  5. Confirm approval. Stakeholders approved the approach, content types, scope, timeline, and course structure before development.
  6. Develop, review, and revise. I built the modules in Canvas and worked with Canvas technical staff to make sure everything was set up correctly. I shared drafts with CTLT and SMEs, revising until the training was accepted.
  7. Pilot. Three professors completed the training. Based on their feedback, I removed sidebar options that were rarely used, simplifying navigation.
  8. Release. CTLT presented the training to faculty.

Learning theory

The training treated faculty as adult learners who need practical, immediately useful skills. Following constructivist principles, faculty explored H5P, practiced building activities, and applied the tools in their own Canvas courses. This approach built both foundational knowledge of the content types and the skill to use them.

Learning Management System

The training was built in Canvas, the university’s official LMS, so faculty practiced in the same environment where they teach. My Canvas administrator experience supported course setup and alignment with university templates.

H5P training sample

Because this training is hosted by the University of West Florida, only a limited preview is available. The preview shows the course structure, the module navigation, and examples of the H5P content types faculty learned to build.

Results & Impact

Confirmed: CTLT accepted the training for faculty development.

Reported by CTLT: Faculty responded positively, and H5P is in use in courses today.

Intended impact: More interactive learning activities in Canvas and more opportunities for students to participate actively in their learning.

Performance insight: This project started from a learning need, not just a course request. Student feedback pointed to a performance goal, analysis confirmed a knowledge and skill gap, and the training was tested with a faculty pilot before release. Because the training was designed as part of the larger Canvas integration and the university’s standards, it supported lasting use of H5P, not just a one-time workshop.