Customer Guide

FairMark AI Cloud Guide

Everything you need to connect FairMark to your LMS, create assignments, and run AI-assisted grading — all managed by us, no server setup required.

Overview

FairMark AI is a cloud-hosted service. You connect your LMS (Canvas, Moodle, or Blackboard) to our servers via the LTI 1.3 standard — a secure, single-sign-on protocol built into every major LMS. Once connected, instructors launch FairMark directly from inside their course.

1. Your LMS Admin registers FairMark

Takes 5–10 minutes. One-time setup per institution.

2. Instructor adds FairMark to a course assignment

Select FairMark as the submission tool in any assignment.

3. Students submit — AI evaluates automatically

FairMark fetches submissions and returns a score + evidence within seconds.

4. Instructor reviews, edits, and approves

You stay in control — the final grade only posts when you approve it.

Cloud customers: You don't need to install or host anything. FairMark runs on our servers at fairmarkai.com. Your LMS admin just needs to register the tool once using the URLs below.

Onboarding Process

After your subscription or trial is approved, you'll receive a welcome email with your institution's credentials. Here's what to expect:

  1. Request access via the Request a Demo form on the home page. Include your LMS type and approximate student count.
  2. We'll reply within one business day with your Client ID and confirm your institution is registered on our server.
  3. Your LMS admin completes the one-time LTI tool registration (see the relevant setup section below).
  4. We verify the connection and send a confirmation — you're ready to create assignments.
Your institution's Client ID is issued by your LMS during the tool registration. Send it to us at [email protected] so we can activate your account.

Your FairMark LTI URLs

Use these URLs in all LMS registration steps below. They are the same for all institutions.

SettingURL
OIDC Login URLhttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/login
Launch / Redirect URLhttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/launch
JWKS (Public Key) URLhttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/jwks
Deep Linking URLhttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/launch
Target Link URIhttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/launch

Canvas LTI Setup

Canvas · Admin required

This setup is performed once by a Canvas Administrator. Instructors do not need to repeat these steps.

Step 1 — Create a Developer Key

  1. Log in to Canvas as an administrator and go to Admin → Developer Keys.
  2. Click + Developer Key → choose + LTI Key.
  3. Set the Key Name to FairMark AI.
  4. Under Method, select Enter URL and paste:
    https://fairmarkai.com/lti/jwks
  5. Fill in the redirect URIs field with:
    https://fairmarkai.com/lti/launch

Step 2 — Configure LTI Settings

  1. Under LTI Advantage Services, enable all of the following:
    • Can create and view assignment data in the gradebook
    • Can view submission data for assignments
    • Can create and update submission results
    • Can retrieve user data associated with the context
  2. Under Additional Settings, set Privacy Level to Public.
  3. Add the Placements: Assignment Selection and Link Selection.
  4. Click Save.

Step 3 — Enable and Deploy the Key

  1. Back on the Developer Keys list, find FairMark AI and toggle its state to ON.
  2. Note the numeric Client ID shown in the Details column (e.g. 170000000000042).
  3. Go to Admin → Settings → Apps → View App Configurations → + App.
  4. Set Configuration Type to By Client ID and paste your Client ID.
  5. Click Submit, then Install.
Send your Client ID and your Canvas instance URL (e.g. canvas.youruniversity.edu) to [email protected]. We'll complete the registration on our end within one business day.

Step 4 — Add FairMark to a Course

  1. Inside a course, go to Settings → Apps → + App.
  2. Select By Client ID, enter the FairMark Client ID, and install.
  3. FairMark will now appear as an option when creating assignments (External Tool).

Moodle LTI Setup

Moodle · Site Admin required

Step 1 — Register FairMark as an External Tool

  1. Log in as a Moodle administrator and go to Site Administration → Plugins → Activity Modules → External Tool → Manage Tools.
  2. Click Configure a tool manually.
  3. Fill in the fields:
    FieldValue
    Tool nameFairMark AI
    Tool URLhttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/launch
    LTI versionLTI 1.3
    Public key typeKeyset URL
    Public keysethttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/jwks
    Initiate login URLhttps://fairmarkai.com/lti/login
    Redirection URI(s)https://fairmarkai.com/lti/launch
  4. Under Services, enable IMS LTI Assignment and Grade Services and IMS LTI Names and Role Provisioning.
  5. Set Default launch container to New window or Existing window.
  6. Click Save changes.

Step 2 — Get the Client ID

  1. After saving, Moodle generates a Client ID. Find it by clicking the tool name in the Manage Tools list.
  2. Also note the Platform ID (your Moodle site URL) and Deployment ID.
  3. Send these details to [email protected] to activate your account.

Step 3 — Add to a Course

  1. In your course, click Add an activity or resource.
  2. Choose External Tool.
  3. Select FairMark AI from the preconfigured tools list.
  4. Set a name and save. FairMark launches directly from the activity.

Blackboard LTI Setup

Blackboard Ultra / Learn · Admin required

Step 1 — Register the LTI Tool

  1. Log in to Blackboard as a System Administrator.
  2. Go to System Admin → Integrations → LTI Tool Providers → Register LTI 1.3/Advantage Tool.
  3. Enter the Client ID — Blackboard will reach out to our JWKS URL automatically. If prompted for a manual URL, use https://fairmarkai.com/lti/jwks.
  4. Blackboard will display an Application ID and Deployment ID — note both.

Step 2 — Approve and Deploy

  1. In the tool registration, set Status to Approved.
  2. Enable User Fields to Send: Name, Email, Role in Course.
  3. Under Deployment, select System to deploy to all courses (or select specific courses).
  4. Click Submit.

Step 3 — Send Details to FairMark

  1. Email us the Application ID, Deployment ID, and your Blackboard instance URL.
  2. We'll activate your account and confirm within one business day.

Step 4 — Add to a Course

  1. In a course, click + to add content, then choose LTI Link.
  2. Select FairMark AI from the list and configure the link name.
  3. FairMark is now accessible from that content area.

Creating an Assignment

Once FairMark is registered in your LMS, instructors can create a FairMark-linked assignment from within any course.

In Canvas

  1. Go to your course → Assignments → + Assignment.
  2. Set the assignment name, due date, and total points.
  3. Under Submission Type, choose External Tool.
  4. Click Find and select FairMark AI.
  5. Check Load This Tool In A New Tab (recommended).
  6. Save the assignment. FairMark will automatically detect the assignment ID.

In Moodle

  1. In your course, click Add an activity or resource → External Tool.
  2. Select FairMark AI as the preconfigured tool.
  3. Set a name (e.g. "Essay — Week 3") and configure grade settings.
  4. Under Grade, set Maximum grade to your total points (e.g. 100).
  5. Save and return to course.

In Blackboard

  1. In a course content area, click Build Content → LTI Link.
  2. Give the link a name and select FairMark AI.
  3. Enable Grade column creation and set the point total.
  4. Click Submit.

Setting Up Your Rubric

FairMark evaluates submissions against a rubric that you provide. The rubric can be a simple checklist or a detailed multi-criteria scoring guide.

  1. After the assignment is created, click the FairMark link inside your course as an instructor. FairMark launches in a panel.
  2. Click Configure Assignment (or the settings icon).
  3. Paste or type your rubric criteria. Each criterion should include a description and the maximum points.
  4. Optionally upload course materials (lecture notes, textbook excerpts) — FairMark uses these to ground AI evaluation in your specific content.
  5. Set the AI evaluation mode: Standard (score + evidence) or Detailed (score + evidence + integrity flag).
  6. Click Save Configuration. The assignment is now ready to receive submissions.
Tip: The more specific your rubric criteria, the more accurate the AI evaluation. Include specific expectations, key concepts, and examples of excellent vs. poor responses.

AI Evaluation Workflow

FairMark uses a two-stage AI pipeline to evaluate each submission:

Stage 1 — Evidence Pass

AI reads the submission and extracts specific evidence for each rubric criterion. No score yet — just what the student actually wrote.

Stage 2 — Scoring Pass

AI uses the extracted evidence to assign a score per criterion, with justification. The total score and a summary are produced.

Instructor Review

The instructor sees both the evidence and the score — with full context to agree, partially adjust, or override each criterion.

Grade Passback

Once approved, the final score is sent back to the LMS gradebook automatically via AGS.

Triggering an evaluation

FairMark evaluates submissions automatically once a student submits. Instructors can also manually trigger a re-evaluation for any submission from the roster view.

Important: AI evaluations are suggestions only. Students never see the AI result — they only see the grade and feedback after the instructor has reviewed and approved it.

Instructor Review

Launch FairMark from within your course assignment to access the instructor dashboard.

Roster view

The roster shows all students with their submission status, AI-suggested score, and any integrity flags. Click a student row to open their detailed evaluation.

Reviewing a single submission

  1. Click the student's name to open their evaluation panel.
  2. Read the Evidence panel — it shows exactly what the AI found for each criterion.
  3. Review the AI Suggested Score per criterion. You'll see a score and a 1–2 sentence justification.
  4. Choose one of three responses per criterion: Agree · Partially Agree · Disagree.
  5. If you disagree, enter your corrected score and an optional note.
  6. Add an optional Instructor Note that will be shown to the student.
  7. Click Approve & Post Grade to finalize and post to the gradebook.
You can re-open and revise an approved evaluation at any time before the course ends. The updated grade will be re-posted to the gradebook.

Integrity flags

If the AI detects signs of academic dishonesty (unusually formal language inconsistent with prior submissions, verbatim matching with known sources, or structural anomalies), a flag is shown on the roster. This is advisory only — the instructor makes all decisions.

Grade Passback

When you click Approve & Post Grade, FairMark sends the final score back to your LMS gradebook using the LTI Assignment and Grade Services (AGS) protocol. This happens automatically — no copy-pasting required.

LMSWhere grade appearsStudent visibility
CanvasSpeedGrader → GradebookVisible immediately after posting
MoodleGradebook → Grade itemDepends on course grade visibility settings
BlackboardFull Grade CentreVisible after instructor posts grades
PDF Audit Report: Every approved evaluation generates a downloadable PDF that includes the rubric, AI evidence, scores, and any instructor edits — useful for grade appeals or accreditation records.

Student View

Students never interact with FairMark directly. Their experience is entirely within the LMS:

  • Students submit their work through the normal LMS assignment submission interface.
  • After the instructor approves the evaluation, the grade appears in the gradebook and the feedback comment is visible in the submission.
  • The feedback shows the rubric score breakdown and the instructor's final comment — but never reveals the AI involvement unless the instructor chooses to mention it.
  • If a student launches the FairMark external tool link directly, they see a read-only Result View showing their approved score and feedback.
The AI evaluation and audit trail are only visible to instructors and administrators — students see only the approved result.

FAQ

Do I need IT involvement to set up FairMark?

Yes — the initial LTI registration requires a Canvas/Moodle/Blackboard administrator. This is a one-time setup that typically takes 10 minutes. After that, individual instructors can create assignments independently.

Can I use my own AI model or API key?

Cloud customers use our managed infrastructure. If you need a custom model configuration or want to use your own OpenAI API key, ask about our Enterprise plan.

How long does an AI evaluation take?

Typically 20–60 seconds per submission, depending on submission length. All evaluations run asynchronously — instructors see results appear in the roster as they complete.

What file types can students submit?

FairMark currently supports PDF, DOCX, and plain text submissions. For file-based LMS assignments, the file is fetched automatically. For online text submissions, it's captured directly.

Is the AI evaluation stored?

Yes — every stage of the evaluation (evidence, scores, instructor edits) is stored in an immutable audit log. You can export a full PDF audit report at any time.

What happens if a student resubmits?

FairMark detects resubmissions. A new AI evaluation is automatically queued. The previous evaluation is preserved in the audit log.

Contact Support

For setup help, technical issues, or billing questions, reach us at:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Include your institution name, LMS type, and a brief description of the issue.
  • Response time: within one business day.
For new account requests or to send us your Client ID after LMS setup, email the same address with subject line "FairMark Onboarding — [Institution Name]".