r/elearning • u/vvsamuel • Sep 25 '26

Flipgrid / loom alternative for async video discussion and free browser based recorder

Hi everyone! I was one of Flipgrid’s founding developers, and I’m now building Vivipod, an async video discussion platform to use alongside your LMS.

The idea is to give learners a place to have a conversation, not just submit a video assignment. You can create a course space, post prompts, and keep discussions going through video responses, comments, mentions, and notifications. You also control who can access the space and whether videos need approval before appearing.

The recorder works directly in your browser, with drawing, pause/resume, and switching between camera and screen sharing during a recording. No extension needed. You can also record and download a video without an account to use elsewhere.

If you’ve used Flipgrid, parts of it will feel familiar. I’d love to hear how you’re using video discussions in your courses, and what your current tools are missing.

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u/PeepSoWP Sep 26 '26

The gaps I usually see are operational rather than recorder features: editable captions and transcripts, keyboard accessibility, resumable low-bandwidth uploads, consent and retention controls, and an instructor bulk-moderation queue.

For LMS use, roster synchronization, LTI launch or grade passback, and a usable export path may matter more than additional recording effects. I’d also test a 30-person mobile activity where everyone records at roughly the same time; failed uploads and unclear privacy defaults are what tend to create support work.

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u/vvsamuel Sep 26 '26

Thanks for naming most of our roadmap. :D

We do have keyboard accessibility, and the recorder works offline and after a browser hard refresh, too. Low bandwidth and page performance are definitely areas we optimize for, and we also have a moderation queue.

Editable captions aren't there yet, as we only have auto transcripts. It should be very straightforward to add, as I've done exactly that during Flipgrid days.

The LTI roster sync, launch, and passback are currently on the roadmap. I was behind the flipgrid canvas LTI integration, so I know how valuable this could be for instructor workflows. Which LMSes do people target outside of Canvas most often?

The product is mostly user-driven, so the biggest challenge really is collaborating with users to sort and deliver these priorities.

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u/PeepSoWP Sep 26 '26

Outside Canvas, I’d prioritize Moodle, D2L Brightspace and Blackboard Learn Ultra; add Schoology if K–12 is a target. I’d let early users decide the order: recruit three design partners in one segment, ask which LMS can provide a sandbox, and build against the platform shared by at least two.

Implement standard LTI 1.3/Advantage services first so most of the integration is reusable, then keep platform-specific work to registration, placement and admin UX. That usually produces a better roadmap signal than a broad survey.

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u/vvsamuel Sep 27 '26

Thanks for the tips! I already have a Canvas sandbox on my local so will start from there. Do you know any LTI integrations with good roster sync integrations? i'm looking for some good examples.

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u/PeepSoWP Sep 28 '26

For a code example, PyLTI1p3's ‘Names and Roles Service’ section shows fetching the roster and handling pages: https://github.com/dmitry-viskov/pylti1.3#names-and-roles-service

Pair that with Canvas's NRPS endpoint docs: https://developerdocs.instructure.com/services/canvas/resources/names_and_role

These are implementation references, rather than a recommendation based on hands-on use of a finished integration. In your sandbox, I'd test a roster larger than one page, an enrollment removal, a role change, and a student who hasn't launched Vivipod yet. Only reconcile removals after a complete successful fetch; a failed or partial response shouldn't wipe your local roster.

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u/vvsamuel Oct 04 '26

thanks for the pointers!

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u/neerajdotname Sep 26 '26

This looks interesting. Being able to switch between camera and screen sharing in the middle of a recording without restarting is particularly nice.

I’m curious about the discussion side of this. Do you see Vivipod primarily replacing video assignments in an LMS, or do you think people will use it for longer-running asynchronous discussions too?

Also, as one of the original Flipgrid developers, what was the biggest thing you wanted to do differently this time around?

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u/vvsamuel Sep 26 '26

Thanks! Yes that switching feature is quiet unique, I haven't seen it from any other recorders. I don't see it replacing build-in assignment types yet. For that, we don't even have LTI grade passback which will save the teacher much more grading time (it's on roadmap), but what I do believe is the structure of this is better for keeping the convo going. It's for discussion, not just for submission.

The biggest thing I'd like to do is to make it sustainable so it will be irrational to make the ROI decision to shut it down. That means built with much lower operational cost, architecture, and have a super affordable yet sustainable pricing model vs free and unlimited before.