Explorance Blue Launches for Fall 2026 Course Evaluations
Beginning in Fall 2026, Explorance Blue is SJSU’s course evaluation platform for administering the Student Opinion of Teaching Effectiveness (SOTE) and Student Opinion of Lab and Activity Teaching Effectiveness (SOLATE) surveys, replacing Anthology Course Evaluations.
The full launch follows a Spring 2026 pilot of Explorance Blue and extensive implementation and testing by Institutional Research & Strategic Analytics (IRSA), in collaboration with Information Technology, the Canvas administration team, faculty governance partners and other campus stakeholders. Feedback and lessons learned during the pilot have helped inform preparations for the universitywide launch.
What do I need to know?
The first Fall 2026 course evaluations launched in Explorance Blue on August 27, 2026. As in previous semesters, course evaluations will continue to be administered on an ongoing basis based on the course end date entered in PeopleSoft and the required evaluation timing outlined in University Policy F12-6.
Explorance Blue introduces new features, including more robust Canvas integration, that make it easier for students to access their SOTE/SOLATE surveys through direct links. Faculty also have new tools to monitor and encourage participation, including real-time response rate monitoring and QR codes that can be shared with students in class.
While the platform has changed, the purpose of course evaluations remains the same. The SOTE and SOLATE survey instruments and the policies governing their use are unchanged. The timing of evaluations and expectations for encouraging student participation also remain consistent. Faculty will continue to receive evaluation results through existing processes and with the same data elements.
What do I need to do?
Faculty should become familiar with the Explorance Blue dashboard and Canvas integration before their course evaluation period begins. Guides and resources are available below to help you get started.
Faculty should also update the SOTE/SOLATE navigation in each of their Canvas courses. Disable the legacy "SOTE/SOLATE (Anthology)" link and enable the new "SOTE/SOLATE (Blue)" link by following the steps in the Explorance Blue Faculty Guide: How to Update SOTE/SOLATE Navigation in Canvas.
How can I access past reports?
Faculty can continue to access reports in Anthology Course Evaluations through October 4, 2026.
After October 4, please contact Faculty Services if you need assistance accessing a historical SOTE/SOLATE report. Faculty Services will coordinate with IRSA as needed to locate archived reports.
IRSA is also exploring options for making historical records from Anthology available in Explorance Blue. Additional information will be shared as this work progresses.
Resources for Faculty and Students
Access Explorance Blue
Faculty Guides
- Update your SOTE/SOLATE Links in Canvas
- How to Find Course Tiles
- How to Monitor Response Rates
- How to Boost Response Rates
Student Guides
Questions
If you have questions about the Explorance Blue launch or SOTE/SOLATE course evaluations, please contact Institutional Research & Strategic Analytics at institutional-research@sjsu.edu.
