The University of Pittsburgh Center for Excellence in Digital Education (Pitt EDGE) brings enterprise-wide enabling tools to Pitt online and hybrid programs, driven by school needs
When schools and programs come to Pitt EDGE with tool gaps affecting their online and hybrid learners, that’s not just a support request. It’s a signal. And over the past year, those signals have shaped a series of enterprise-wide investments that now serve the entire University of Pittsburgh community.
“At Pitt EDGE, we’re building the digital ecosystem that will power online learning at the University of Pittsburgh. By responding to the needs of our schools and investing in a modern tool stack, we’re investing in our students, our schools and the future of online and hybrid learning,” said Rae Mancilla, executive director of University Digital Education.
This is the core of how Pitt EDGE works: listening to deans, program directors, faculty and students; translating those needs into coordinated action through the Provost Office and Pitt Digital; and securing platforms that no single school could access on its own. “Pitt Digital's role is to make sure the right tools reach the right people at scale. Our partnership with Pitt EDGE means that when a school identifies a gap, the path from need to solution is clear, coordinated and built to serve the entire University — empowering students, faculty and staff to do their best work,” said Michelle Niedermeyer, executive director, Pitt Digital Enterprise Applications.
Enterprise solutions require enterprise collaboration, and that path runs through centralized offices working in concert with the schools they serve.
Here’s where that work stands today and an open invitation for schools to continue shaping the digital infrastructure.
1. Harmonize: A New Standard for Multimodal Discussion
One of the most exciting recent developments is the procurement of Harmonize, a multimodal community discussion platform that will be available exclusively to Pitt EDGE programs. Harmonize allows students and faculty to engage through video, audio, text, screen recordings and AI-assisted summaries going far beyond the limitations of traditional text-based discussion boards.
This platform did not emerge from a top-down decision. It came from the voices of program directors and faculty who identified a genuine gap in how online learners could connect and engage with course content and one another. Research consistently shows that students who feel a sense of belonging are far more likely to persist, engage deeply and ultimately complete their programs. Pitt EDGE worked closely with those stakeholders throughout the evaluation process, and their needs shaped every aspect of the tool procurement.
School of Education Professor of Practice of Digital Media for Learning Tinukwa Boulder said, “Faculty and staff with diverse expertise attended the vendor-led demonstration of the Harmonize tool. The presentation provided an opportunity to explore specific features and their potential to support student engagement and meaningful instructor presence in online courses.” Boulder continued. “We were looking for features that make it easier for faculty to monitor discussion activities, offer timely qualitative feedback and actively participate in ongoing conversations."
Harmonize is currently available to EDGE partners, with full deployment planned for Fall 2026. Key capabilities include:
- Video, audio, and text-based discussion threads with threaded replies
- AI-generated summaries of discussion activity for faculty review
- Timestamped annotations for feedback on video and audio submissions
- WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance and automatic captioning
- Seamless LTI 1.3 integration with Canvas, including Gradebook support
2. Remote Proctoring: A Collaborative Path to Academic Integrity
Academic integrity in online and hybrid programs requires reliable, flexible proctoring solutions, and Pitt EDGE has been working to identify the right tools for the Pitt community. Through a structured Request for Information (RFI) process led by Pitt Digital, a new remote proctoring platform has been identified: Respondus Monitor.
This fall Respondus Monitor will be available to EDGE programs on a fee-for-use basis and offer Canvas LTI 1.3 integration, secure browser lockdown, identity verification and incident reporting. It supports both high-stakes and low-stakes assessments and is designed to be equitable and accessible, meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards, FERPA compliance and accreditation requirements.
This was not a decision Pitt EDGE made unilaterally. The RFI process incorporated input from partnering schools with distinct and demanding assessment requirements. Faculty, program directors and IT stakeholders all played a role in defining what the university needs from a proctoring solution.
This tool provides:
- Flexible exam windows accommodating diverse student schedules
- Automated and human-review monitoring options
- Transparent AI flagging with context for faculty review
- Student-facing 24/7 support and accessible interfaces
- Multiple testing profiles for different assessment stakes
3. Verbit: Enterprise-Wide Closed Captioning Through the Provost Office
Accessibility is not optional, it is foundational. That principle is now reflected in a significant institutional commitment: the Provost Office is making Verbit, a leading AI-powered closed captioning and transcription service, available university-wide through Single Sign-On (SSO).
Verbit ensures that course videos, recorded lectures and multimedia content meet accessibility compliance standards, including ADA and WCAG requirements. With human-reviewed captions and multilingual support, Verbit gives faculty and instructional designers a reliable, professional-grade tool to ensure every learner has equitable access to course materials.
This enterprise-wide availability is a direct result of centralized coordination. By working through the Provost Office and in consultation with Disability Resources & Services (DRS), rather than requiring individual schools to procure captioning tools independently, the university is now able to offer consistent quality and compliance assurance across all programs, including those delivered through Pitt EDGE.
4. Online Help Desk: 24/7/365 Support for Students, Faculty and Staff
Effective online education requires more than great content and platforms, it requires reliable support when technology doesn't work as expected. In partnership with Pitt Digital, Pitt EDGE has worked to bring a dedicated Online Help Desk to students, faculty and staff enrolled in or supporting online and hybrid programs.
This help desk provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year support because online learners don't follow a 9-to-5 schedule, and neither do their technical challenges. Whether a student needs help accessing course materials at midnight before an exam or a faculty member encounters a Canvas issue while preparing for class, the Online Help Desk is there.
Access the Online Help Desk starting May 6, 2026!
This partnership with Pitt Digital reflects the kind of cross-unit collaboration that makes enterprise solutions possible. A centralized support model serves the entire Pitt online community, rather than requiring each school to independently manage its own technical support infrastructure.
5. A New Process for Raising Needs Across Pitt
Perhaps the most important development is not a platform at all but a new process. Pitt EDGE is committed to being responsive to the evolving need for tools across the university’s online and hybrid programs. To make that commitment concrete, we are establishing a formal process for schools and programs to voice their technology needs and bring them into a coordinated, university-wide conversation.
Details on the new solicitation process will be shared shortly. Schools and programs are encouraged to begin thinking about the platform gaps, accessibility challenges, or engagement limitations that are affecting their online offerings. Pitt EDGE is here to help turn those needs into solutions.
A Shared Commitment to Excellence
The platforms and services described in this update are more than a tool checklist. They represent a model of how the University of Pittsburgh is approaching the challenge of online education at scale: collaboratively, responsively and with a commitment to equity and access for every learner.
“The work Pitt EDGE is doing reflects exactly the kind of partnership we need to move forward in online education. The acquisition of these tools is proof that when we work together across offices, we can deliver solutions that no single school could achieve alone," expressed Anthony Delitto, associate provost for Digital Education.