Teaching with WeVideo

(Note: Starting May 13, 2026, PlayPosit will transition to WeVideo. Existing interactive videos and Canvas integrations will migrate automatically, and the core workflow and functionality will remain largely unchanged for instructors.)

WeVideo (formerly PlayPosit) is an interactive video platform that layers active learning components onto existing video content. It allows you to add checks for understanding, short quizzes, polls, discussion prompts, and branching pathways so students engage with material rather than passively watching. The tool works with video hosting services that you already use, such as MediaPlus, YouTube, Wistia, and Vimeo.

There are several benefits to using this software.

Why use WeVideo?

WeVideo helps turn video from a passive activity into an active learning experience. Instead of simply assigning a video to watch, you can insert interactive elements that pause the video at instructor-selected moments to check for understanding, ask a short question, or prompt reflection before students continue. Faculty can use WeVideo to:

• Reinforce learning objectives with low-stakes knowledge checks
• Encourage active engagement during asynchronous instruction
• Add accountability to lecture videos and assigned media
• Guide students through branching review or extension pathways
• Collect short written responses and reflections directly within video content
• Sync participation or assessment scores directly to Canvas

Interactive video can be especially useful in flipped, hybrid, and asynchronous courses where instructors want students to actively process material while watching.

What Can WeVideo Do?

WeVideo supports a variety of interaction types that can be embedded directly into videos:

• Multiple choice (auto-graded)
• Check all (auto-graded)
• Fill-in-the-blank (auto-graded)
• Free response
• Poll
• Discussion
• Pause
• Web embed
• PDF annotation
• Reusable saved interactions

Most interaction types can be used for low-stakes formative assessment, engagement, or reflection activities

WeVideo also supports:

• AI-generated interaction suggestions based on video transcripts
• Branching pathways that redirect students based on responses
• Automatic caption generation
• Canvas gradebook sync
• Analytics and learner progress monitoring
• Playlists that organize multiple interactive videos into a structured learning sequence

AI-generated interactions can help instructors create interactive lessons more quickly, though generated content should always be reviewed and edited before publishing.

Basic Workflow

At a high level, creating an interactive video in WeVideo involves three steps:

1. Select your video source. Use a video hosted in MediaPlus, YouTube, Wistia, Vimeo, or another supported platform.
2. Add interactions. Insert questions, polls, discussions, or other interactive elements at specific points in the video. Interactions can be created manually, generated from templates, or suggested using AI.
3. Assign in Canvas. Add the interactive video to Canvas using the PlayPosit LTI 1.3 external tool. The external tool integration within Canvas will still be called PlayPosit for the foreseeable future, but will direct students to the updated WeVideo interface. Grades can sync directly to the Canvas gradebook.

The overall Canvas workflow remains largely unchanged from PlayPosit.

For more detailed instructions, refer to:

• How to Make an Interactive Video
• How do I add Interactivity to my WeVideo project?

Additional Resources

• PlayPosit: Tutorials
• PlayPosit: Navigating PlayPosit
• PlayPosit: Accessibility / Captions in PlayPosit
• PlayPosit: FAQ / Troubleshooting
• PlayPosit: How to Add/Remove Learners
• PlayPosit: Peer Review for Instructors (Using Canvas Groups)
• PlayPosit: Knowledge Base
• ASU Knowledge Base: PlayPosit (Service Now)