Find answers to common D2L questions below. Find more answers to common questions in the technology
.
Overview
How do I find my course?
Log in to D2L (https://d2l.depaul.edu) using BlueKey credentials. Your courses will be listed in the My Courses widget. For more information on viewing your courses, visit our
detailed guide on searching for your course in D2L.
Why can’t I find an older course of mine?
Per DePaul University’s Records Retention Schedule, Information Services/Center for Teaching and Learning retains online instructor materials for a minimum of five years from the end of the course. Materials may be available after that five-year period, but instructors should not depend on such availability.
Please note that the records and retention policy was updated during Autumn Quarter of the 2016-2017 academic year. Prior to the update, instructor materials were only retained for a two-year period. This means that courses in D2L prior to the 2015-2016 academic year have been deleted from the system and are no longer retrievable.
The university always sends out an email to faculty to give advance notice before older course sites are purged from D2L. As a best practice, we recommend that you export your older course sites, especially if they are courses you don’t teach frequently. When you export your course site, D2L packages everything in a .zip file, which you can then download and save on your computer. Exporting the course will save all course elements, but not student data or information. When you need it again, you can re-upload the course to D2L (and possibly other learning management systems.) View our Export a Course Site in D2L guide for step-by-step instructions.
If your course has been deleted and you didn’t export a copy of it, the Center for Teaching and Learning will be happy to help you reconstruct it. Contact
CTL@depaul.edu to request assistance.
How do I activate my course?
View instructions for activating your course. Note that before students can access your course, you must activate your course.
How do I copy my course?
Instead of having to re-create your course each term, you can copy a previous iteration of your course. Once copied, you’ll need to update the dates in a course, upload your new syllabus, and make any other modifications.
View the instructions for copying your course.
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Classlist
How do I add a TA to my course?
If you have a Teaching Assistant in your class, you can manually add them to your D2L course site. TAs have the same abilities as an instructor: they view and assess student work and show in the course classlist. Read our
instructions on how to enroll a TA in your course. If you would rather have our staff add a TA to your course, fill out
the Add User form on this page.
How do I add a CDM Grader to my course?
If you have a CDM Grader in your class, you must manually add them to your D2L course site. CDM Graders have the same abilities as an instructor: they view and assess student work, but they do
not show up on the course classlist and are invisible to students and instructors. This roles needs to be invisible so students can't contact the grader.
If you have added the user and try to add them again but aren't able to find them, then they have been successfully added to the class. You can also have your CDM grader confirm whether or not they access to the course. Please note, if you are teaching combined sections, adding the CDM grader to one section will add them the other sections as well.
See the instructions on how to enroll a CDM Grader in your course. If you would rather have our staff add a CDM Grader to your course, fill out
the Add User form on this page.
How do I verify enrollment?
To verify that a student is enrolled in your course, check the last time they were active in the course by
following this guide. Alternatively, you can check a student’s status by using the enrollment statistics page using this guide.
Where can I find a list of all of my students?
A list of all students enrolled in a D2L course is found on the “Classlist” tab in D2L. If you do not see “Classlist” in the main navigation bar, it might be located under the “More” menu. This will show you a list of students, instructors, and teaching assistants that have been added to your course.
Why is there a student listed as enrolled in Campus Connect but not in my D2L course?
If the student has enrolled in your course in Campus Connect in the last 24-48 hours, it is most likely that the server has not refreshed with the new roster yet. The process can take up to 48 hours after the student registers for the course. If a student still does not appear, verify that they are registered for your course. Contact
CTL@depaul.edu for additional help.
How do I enroll someone that is not affiliated with DePaul?
To add someone to your course that does not have access to D2L, they first need to be added to PeopleSoft. The course instructor should complete the Add User form so that a “friend of the university” PeopleSoft account can be created. Once the PeopleSoft account has been created, the user(s) will be added to D2L and to the course indicated on the request form.
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Communications
How can I email a single student or my entire class?
You can email a single student or the entire class from the Classlist area. For detailed instructions,
visit our guide.
Can I use a non-DePaul email address for communication in D2L?
While you can use a non-DePaul email address for communications in Campus Connect, any communications from D2L will go to BlueM@il (your DePaul email address). If you regularly use a non-DePaul email, it is recommended to keep track of all email accounts by creating a combined inbox using your device’s built-in mail application. Instructions on how to set this up can be found here:
How to Make a Combined Inbox.
How do I post an announcement to my students?
On your homepage, you can post a news item that each of your students will see when they log in to your course. To create a news item,
follow the guide.
Will my students receive an email when I post a news item?
Your students
do not automatically receive an email when you post a news item. They will need to manually subscribe to receive emails. Students can modify their notification settings using
the instructions on this page.
What is an intelligent agent? When do they typically run?
Intelligent Agents are a tool in D2L that can send automated email when instructor-defined criteria are met. For example, instructors can email students who have not logged in recently, whose grades have fallen below a certain level, or who have viewed a specific content topic. For information on how to set up intelligent agents,
check out our guide.
Intelligent agents typically run at 8pm CST.
What is the file size limit for email attachments?
There is a 10MB limit for email attachments. This is
extremely small. Therefore, we highly recommend that you upload the files to your content area, then link to the content item in your email.
If a student responds to my email, will it go to D2L?
No, it will not. Responses to emails sent through D2L will go to BlueM@il, your DePaul email address accessible through Outlook.
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Your Course Content
How do I create a module or submodule?
Modules and submodules are excellent tools for organizing content in your course. Our office has curated a
guide on how to create modules and submodules.
What does it mean if an item is show as “Hidden” vs “Visible”?
In Content, items appear with an eye icon indicating visibility. Visible items in Content can be seen by students. When the eye icon is slashed through, this means that the item is Hidden: you can see the item, but your students cannot.
Note that you can make modules and submodules invisible to students by changing the status of the module to Hidden in the upper right-hand corner of the module view. Anything you place in this module will not be visible in student view. For example, you could place resources for yourself (such as lesson plans) that the students will not see, but you will have access to.
For instructions on how to hide modules or items,
visit our guide on setting dates and availability.
How do I upload a file, such as my syllabus or course schedule?
For instructions on how to upload a file,
visit our guide here.
Why won’t my file upload?
Unfortunately there are a few reasons why your file might not be uploading:
- The title of your file contains special characters or punctuation. To fix this error: remove special characters and punctuation from your title by sticking to alphanumeric text only.
- The title of your file is too long. To fix this error: reduce the length of your title to less than 128 characters total.
- The size of your file is too large. To fix this error: compress or zip your file by following these instructions
for Windows Computers and
for Mac computers.
- The internet connection isn’t strong enough. To fix this error: find a different wireless internet connection or try using an Ethernet cable.
How do I create a link in my course?
For instructions on how to create a link in your course,
visit our guide.
What is the file size limit for uploaded files?
There is a 1GB limit on files uploaded to D2L by students or instructors. Note that large files, even if under 1GB, can have problems uploading if the user has a poor internet connection.
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Dates
How do I set dates in the content area?
You can set dates on modules, submodules and topics that can restrict access to the items. You can restrict when access becomes available, when it ends, and even what due dates show in the calendar. For detailed instructions on how to set dates,
visit our guide here.
How do I set availability dates in Submissions, Discussions, or Quizzes?
Submissions: For instructions on how to set date-based restrictions on Submission folders, visit our guide.
Quizzes: For instructions on how to set date-based restrictions on quizzes,
visit our guide.
Discussions: For instructions on how to set date-based restrictions on discussion forums and topics,
visit our guide.
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Discussions
How do I set up a discussion board?
Discussion boards are a versatile tool that you can use to facilitate conversations outside of the classroom. To create a discussion board in your course,
check out our guide.
Can I create a discussion board that only some students can see?
You can create a discussion board that is restricted to groups of students or even individual students. Once you’ve created a forum and set up groups in your course, you can restrict topics in that forum to the defined groups. This can be useful for facilitating conversations in small groups or creating a place for groups to discuss upcoming projects. For instructions on how to set up groups,
visit our guide. For instructions on how to set up discussion boards for groups,
visit our guide.
How do I grade a discussion board?
For instructions on grading a discussion board,
visit our guide.
How do I hide a discussion forum or topic?
You can hide discussion forums or topics from your students. If you hide a forum, it will also hide any topics in it. From the Discussions area, select the
dropdown arrow next to a topic or forum. Then, select
Hide from Users.
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Assignments & Assessments
What happened to Dropbox?
In August 2017, D2L changed the language of the "Dropbox" area to be called "Submissions" as it more accurately represents how instructors use the tool.
What is the easiest way to collect assignments in D2L?
The easiest way to collect assignments or projects in D2L is using the Submissions feature. D2L’s Submissions feature is like a digital folder where students can go to upload and submit one or more files. You can create a single Submission folder for each project or segment of a project. For instructions on how to set up a Submission folder visit our guide.
How do I set up a Submission folder for a group of students?
You can create a Submission folder that only a group of students can submit to if, for example, they are doing a group project and need to submit a file together. First, you must set up your groups in your course. For instructions on how to set up groups in D2L,
visit our guide. Once your groups are created, you can then use them to create group-restricted Submission folders. For instructions on how to assign those group restrictions to a folder,
visit our guide.
How do I hide a Submission folder from students?
You can hide a Submission folder from students from the Submissions Folders page. Select the
dropdown arrow next to the next of the Submission folder. Then, select
Hide from Users.
How do I grade a Submission?
There are two ways to grade a submission.
- To download all files and mark or grade them with externally, you can batch download and batch upload these files in D2L. For instructions on how to do this,
visit this guide.
- To read and grade all submitted work within the Submissions tool, you can make in-line comments, mark up the document, and provide overall feedback. For instructions on how to grade in Submissions,
visit this guide.
Can I check my student’s assignments for originality or plagiarism?
Yes, DePaul subscribes to a service called TurnItIn that verifies the originality of students' work. It works by comparing the student’s submission to prior submissions to TurnItIn as well as public sources. After the file is processed, TurnItIn creates a report that estimates the percentage of “non-original” work in the student’s file.
We highly recommend that you take those numbers with a grain of salt. Just because the “non-original” number is high, does not necessarily mean that there is an academic integrity violation. For information on DePaul’s Academic Integrity policy and tips on how to respond to suspected plagiarism,
visit this page.
For instructions on how to set up originality checking in your Submission folder,
visit our guide.
How do I create a quiz in D2L?
For instructions on how to create a quiz,
visit this guide.
For additional help with how to set up specific question types, visit
the University of Wisconsin’s specific guide to question types.
How do hide a quiz from students?
You can hide a quiz from the Manage Quizzes page. Select the
dropdown arrow next to the title of the quiz, then select
Hide from Users.
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Grading
How do I grade a discussion?
For instructions on grading a discussion board,
visit our guide here.
How do I grade a Submission?
There are two ways to grade a Submission.
- To download all files and mark or grade them externally, you can batch download and batch upload these files in D2L. For instructions on how to do this,
visit this guide.
- To read and grade all submitted work within the Submissions tool, you can make in-line comments, mark up the document, and provide overall feedback. For instructions on how to grade in Submissions,
visit this guide.
How do I set up my gradebook?
To set up a gradebook in D2L,
check out our guide here. Once your gradebook is set up, the next step is to
create grade items and/or
grade categories.
Should I use a points, weighted, or formula gradebook?
When setting up a gradebook, the system will ask what type of gradebook you wish to create:
Points: Grade items can be worth a certain amount of points that are totaled for a final grade. For example, participation is worth 50 points, the midterm is worth 100 points, etc.
Weighted: Grade items can count as a percentage of a final grade worth 100%. For example, participation is worth 10%, the midterm is worth 20%, etc.
Formula: Grade items are calculated as part of the final grade based on a custom formula that you define (only used in special cases; Contact
ctl@depaul.edu with questions).
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Your Course Homepage
How do I add a calendar event?
Some tools, such as Submissions or module dates, automatically push dates to the calendar. However, sometimes you may want to add in an event for something else, like a guest lecturer or field trip. For instructions on how to set up your own calendar event,
visit our guide here.
Which events show up on my course calendar?
When you add due dates to the Content or Submissions area, those dates are automatically added to your Calendar.
Other tools, such as Discussions and Quizzes, are set up such that you must select a setting in the start and end dates that will add the dates to the Calendar automatically. For information on setting dates in Discussions,
visit our guide. For information on setting dates in Quizzes,
visit our guide.
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What is the Work to Do widget?
The Work to Do widget on the D2L homepage is unique to each student. It displays a summary of upcoming or overdue learning activities, across a student's enrolled courses, that instructors have set with Due Dates or End Dates in D2L.
Customization
How do I customize my homepage?
To customize your homepage,
visit our guide.
If you are interested in more advanced customization of your homepage, you can set up an appointment with our office and we would be more than happy to sit down with you and help. To set up an appointment,
head over to our scheduler.
How do I customize my navigation bar?
To customize your navigation bar,
visit our guide here.
If you are interested in more advanced customization of your navigation bar, you can set up an appointment with our office and we would be more than happy to sit down with you and help. To set up an appointment,
head over to our scheduler.
Can I create a custom widget?
You can create a custom widget to display on your course homepage with information about yourself, the course, special resources, or anything else you want shared on the front page. For information on creating a custom widget,
visit our guide here. Note that once you create the widget, you will need to add the widget to your course home by following the instructions
on this guide.
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What kind of multimedia can I put in my course?
The Content area can house the following files types through D2L:
- Web documents
- Text documents
- RTF, PPT, PPTX, PPS, PDF, DOC, DOCX, XML, XLS, XLSX, TXT, WPD
- Image
- JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIF, TIFF
- Multimedia
- SWF, MPG, MPEG, RM, MP3, MP4*, M4V*, M4A*, AVI, WAV, RAM, ASF, MOV, RA
For multimedia, especially audio and video files, we
highly recommend that you use Panopto to place the content in your course. This server not only buffers faster, but it allows you to also track user statistics related to the content.
Note that other file types may be uploaded in your course,
How do I insert a video into my course?
To insert a video (or audio file) into your course,
use the following guide about Panopto, our streaming server.
Can I record my lectures with Panopto?
Yes, you can record your lectures with Panopto. In the past, we taught a software (Screencast-O-Matic) to instructors that can use to create screencast. While you may still use this program, our office now supports the use of Panopto to create screencasts. For instructions on how to record with Panopto, look at this guide
here.
Can my students upload videos to the course as part of an assignment?
Yes, your students can upload videos to D2L. For instructions on how visit our guide on
using Panopto for student presentations.
I’m trying to insert a Panopto video, but there’s no insert button.
On some computer screens, the insert button gets hidden. Once you’ve selected your video, click and drag on the bottom right corner of the screen. As you make the screen bigger, you will see the insert button appear in the lower right-hand corner. Unfortunately, you may need to do this every time you insert a video.
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Presentations (VoiceThread)
How do I create a VoiceThread?
For instructions on how to create a VoiceThread,
visit our guide here. For additional documentation, visit VoiceThread’s website:
https://voicethread.com/howto/.
How do I insert a VoiceThread into my course?
To insert a VoiceThread into your course,
check out our instructions here.
I copied my course, but my VoiceThreads aren’t there. What happened?
When you copy your course, the shells of where each VoiceThread lived as well as the content are copied over, but they are no longer linked 1:1. You will need to manually re-link each VoiceThread. See our guide for more information.
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Attendance
How do I track attendance in D2L?
You can create an attendance register in your D2L course that lets you track attendance in one of two ways:
- You can track by just
present or
absent.
- You can track by
present,
absent,
late, or
excused.
For instructions on how to set up a register,
visit our guide here.
How do I see the last time a student accessed my D2L course?
To see what date the student last accessed your D2L course, navigate to your course site.
-
Go to Edit Course > Course Administration > View User Progress
-
Click on the student’s name
-
In the sidebar on the left-hand side, click the last option, “Login History”
At the top of this page, you will have information for:
- The number of times the student has logged into D2L in the last 30 days
- The last date they accessed
your course
- The last date they accessed D2L in general
Note that the specific times listed below each date as a session represent the times they accessed the system in general, but not necessarily your course.
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Technology
What technical recommendations are there for my computer?
We recommend running the latest version of your computer's operating system. For questions related to your computer's operating system and its compatibility with D2L, please
reach out to the Help Desk.
What browser should I be using?
We recommend that you use the latest version of either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. D2L does not always function optimally with other browsers and we cannot guarantee that features will work as expected. You can download Google Chrome
here and Mozilla Firefox
here.
We see many more issues with Safari, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge, and therefore do not recommend them.
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