How to: Embed video in Canvas using Youtube Arc or Google Drive

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This screen video explains how to embed video into Canvas, using Youtube, Arc and Google Drive.

Its a good idea to embed video in Canvas, rather than upload the videos directly into Canvas. You’ll have a lot more flexibility, as well as access to additional features functionality.

Flexibility and features such arranging videos in a Youtube playlist, sharing videos with people who can’t access Canvas, locating your video among other useful and relevant videos. There are more reasons than these few.

Reasons not to embed include things like wanting to keep everything in the one place, under one copyright regime, so that it can be packaged up neatly and moved, or sold. This is when you’ll want to be sure everything works as it should (less moving parts).

To embed a video in Canvas:

  1. Edit any page, assignment, event or announcement that you want to include the video in.
  2. In the edit toolbar you have the option of clicking the Youtude tool. You’ll be prompted to search for a video on Youtube, or you can paste a Youtube video address (URL) into that search field and it will find it and embed it.
  3. Another option for embedding a video into canvas is to click the ‘V’ icon in the edit toolbar. In this video the ‘V’ icon offers two ways for embedding content: Arc or Google Drive.
  4. For Arc you can upload a video from your computer, or embed one from Youtube. Just paste the Youtube video URL again and Arc will embed it.
  5. For Google Drive, you’ll need to work around the domain restrictions of RMITs Google accounts. Because RMIT restricts access to Google Drive, the files on Your RMIT Google account are only accessible to those with an RMIT account. This can create complications for people needing to see the files, including people with RMIT account! (such as when you’re using multiple Google accounts on the one computer).
  6. The work around is to first upload the file to your personal account (or other Google account outside RMIT).
  7. Change the access to “Anyone can view” then share the file with your RMIT account.
  8. Once your RMIT account has the file in its Drive, you can now proceed with the ‘V’ icon, selecting the file and embedding it in Canvas. Because the file is not restricted in access, people won’t have issues seeing what you’ve embedded.

For more tips and tricks that are out of the ordinary, come and join me in my Canvas space where we can try out and discuss a range of ways to run and manage a course or project using Canvas and connected infrastructures.

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