PrairieLearn Instructor Guide

PrairieLearn is an online assessment and learning system that allows instructors to create robust educational resources for student learning. PrairieLearn is designed with instructors and large classes in mind and has powerful autograding functionality, a rich library of question types, and intuitive student management controls.
Access Not immediate Instructors can create a PrairieLearn course using the course request form. To enable grade pass-back and roster management, you will need to link your PrairieLearn course to Canvas by contacting LT.hub@ubc.ca.
Cost Partial Faculties/Departments provide funding per student per course. Please contact your Instructional Support Unit to discuss funding availability.
Bandwidth Yes Low demand on internet connections.
Canvas Integration Yes Works in coordination with Canvas.
Privacy Yes Complies with UBC’s privacy requirements.
Similar UBC-Supported Tools Y Gradescope, Canvas, and other tools on campus offer functionality similar to PrairieLearn.

What can I use it for?

You can use PrairieLearn for any class assessment or activity including exams, homework, labs, class demos, or activities. PrairieLearn has powerful question and assessment management features including first-class support for generating randomized assessments:

  • Creating randomized, algorithmic assignments and exams that give each student a unique version
  • Providing immediate feedback to support student learning and multiple attempts with feedback
  • Combining auto-graded questions with manually graded components in a single assessment
  • Giving students opportunities for near unlimited practice material to permit mastery-learning at scale
  • PrairieLearn works seamlessly with the computer-based testing facility (CBTF)

This tool guide was last reviewed in June 2026.

What do I need to use PrairieLearn?

Funding for PrairieLearn

Please note that there is a cost for using PrairieLearn at UBC. The cost is charged per student per course. You can check with your Instructional Support Unit to see if funding is available.

A web browser

PrairieLearn runs in your web browser and supports the latest versions of all modern browsers (e.g., Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari).

A PrairieLearn course

PrairieLearn courses must be requested and created through PrairieLearn. Once the course is created, the LT Hub can link your PrairieLearn course to Canvas.

How do I use PrairieLearn?

To get started with PrairieLearn, you should request a course on PrairieLearn and then email LT.hub@ubc.ca to link it to your Canvas course. Students can then begin registering for your PrairieLearn course through Canvas.

Click any accordion bar below for instructions and tips for using PrairieLearn.

Expand All

> Request a PrairieLearn course

Request a PrairieLearn course

  1. Visit PrairieLearn and click University of British Columbia to login with your UBC CWL.
  2. In the menu bar, click your name and select Course Requests.
  3. Fill out the information under "Request a course."
    1. Please note that only official course instructors can create PrairieLearn courses.
  4. Click Submit request.
    1. Please note that this process will usually be approved within a day or two. If it takes any longer, you can contact support@prairielearn.com.

Screenshot of PrairieLearn containing the following text: 'us.prairielearn.com' (the current URL in the browser's address bar); 'PrairieLearn' (a linked heading); 'Sign in with Google' (a control); 'Sign in with Microsoft' (a control); 'Institution sign-on' (a text element); 'Bucknell University (bucknell.edu)' (a control); 'California State University, Long Beach (csulb.edu)' (a control); 'El Camino College (elcamino.edu)' (a control); 'lowa State University (iastate.edu)' (a control); 'Oklahoma State University (okstate.edu)' (a control); 'Princeton University (princeton.edu)' (a control); 'University of British Columbia (ubc.ca)' (a control - highlighted); 'University of California, Berkeley (berkeley.edu)' (a control); 'University of California Davis (ucdavis.edu)' (a control); 'University of California San Diego (ucsd.edu)' (a control); 'University of California, Santa Barbara (ucsb.edu)' (a control); 'Inivarcitv of Illinnie Irhana-Champaign (UIUC)' (a control).
Screenshot of PrairieLearn containing the following text: 'us.prairielearn.com' (the current URL in the browser's address bar); 'Firas Moosvi' (a control in the 'expanded' state); 'Course Requests', 'Settings', and 'Log out' (controls grouped together in a popover, anchored to the 'Firas Moosvi' control); 'Linked Lists' (a control); 'Testability' (a control).

> Link a Canvas course to a PrairieLearn course

Link a Canvas course to a PrairieLearn course

To connect your Canvas course to your PrairieLearn course, you will need to contact LT.hub@ubc.ca to enable the integration. To complete the integration process, please ensure that your Canvas course and your PrairieLearn course have been created.

> Set up your PrairieLearn course

Set up your PrairieLearn course

For detailed instructions and screenshots on how to get started with PrairieLearn, please refer to the PrairieLearn Getting Started guide.

> What types of questions can I create on PrairieLearn?

What types of questions can I create on PrairieLearn?

PrairieLearn questions use one or more “elements” to build the question and define its type (e.g., multiple choice, numeric input, or code). You may find the full list of elements in the PrairieLearn Elements guide.

Where can I get more support with PrairieLearn?

There is a vibrant and bustling community of PrairieLearn users on Slack that are keen to help everyone that is new to PrairieLearn. Please feel free to join the official PrairieLearn Slack team.

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