iPeer: Getting Started
Getting Started with iPeer
iPeer is a web application that delivers peer evaluations and allows instructors to review and release student comments and scoring. Instructors can analyze evaluation results and provide students with grades and feedback for their group performance. Though it is not directly integrated within Canvas, groups built within Canvas can be imported into iPeer for peer evaluation of group members, and grades can be pushed to your Canvas gradebook.
The following types of evaluations can be used:
- Simple Evaluations: students evaluate group members by distributing an instructor-set number of points (e.g., 100) among the members.
- Rubrics Evaluations: students evaluate group members based on specific criteria established by the instructor (similar to a multiple-choice questionnaire).
- Mixed Evaluations: students evaluate group members using a combination of the Simple and Rubrics evaluations.
Creating an iPeer Course - Video Instructions
Request an iPeer Course and Account
- UBC Okanagan instructors can email their request for an iPeer account to ctl.helpdesk@ubc.ca. Otherwise, fill in an iPeer account request form to the Learning Technology Hub. This is typically processed in 2 to 3 business days. Note: You may already have access to iPeer from when you used it in Connect.
- Once your account has been processed, in your web browser, open ipeer.elearning.ubc.ca . This is also the web link to insert in your Canvas course for your students to access iPeer.
- Log in with your CWL id and password you use for Canvas.
Create Course in iPeer
When you log in to iPeer, it opens in the Home tab which lists your courses under My Courses. If your course does NOT list under My Courses, you will need to create it. Only an instructor in the Canvas course can perform the steps in this section.
- Log in to iPeer and click the Courses tab.
- On the right side of the Courses page, click + Add Course Based on Canvas.

- In the drop-down list that appears, click the course to add. (If the instructor does not see the course listed, CTL will need to check Canvas LTPS enrolments, and add the course).
- Click Next.
- The Add Course form page opens. Edit the name and title to make it unique to the section, year and term (for example add “2020W1”). Ensure that both the instructor and TA are listed as Instructors. (CTL may need to add the TAs as instructors).
- When finished, click Save.
- The course will now be listed in the iPeer Courses tab list of courses. It can be searched by course or creator.
- Check that the TA can indeed see the iPeer course and its menus.
Import Users from Canvas
- Click on the iPeer Home tab.
- In the list under My Courses, click the course name.
- The iPeer course menu page opens. At bottom right, click Import Users from Canvas.

- The Import Users from Canvas form page opens. Check that the correct Canvas course and iPeer course are listed, and when ready, click Import.

- The course is now available for the instructor to import groups from Canvas (see next tab).
Import Canvas Groups to iPeer
Groups that have been set up within Canvas can be directly imported into iPeer using the steps in this section. You can use the same groups for different iPeer events as long as the membership in the groups does not change between iPeer events. Do not delete Canvas groups after an iPeer event. If you want to change group membership, create new groups with new names, and push those to iPeer as follows.
- Once you have created your groups and added students to them in Canvas, log in to iPeer.
- At top of the page, click Courses.
- Click your course name.
- At the bottom right of the page under Canvas, click Import Groups from Canvas. Note: Only Canvas Teachers can import users and groups from Canvas.

- A popup window will appear listing the available groups in Canvas. If you get an error message instead, check whether you are instructor/teacher in the Canvas course, and whether the groups are already imported.
- To the right of Canvas Group set, click the drop-down menu and select the group set you want to import.
- Click Import. A popup message will appear indicating the import is complete.

To learn more about iPeer, contact ctl.helpdesk@ubc.ca.
Updated May 2021