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Desire2Learn: Faculty

Desire2Learn: Faculty

Login to Desire2Learn (D2L)

Desire2Learn (D2L) is PSC's online learning platform.  Login to D2L by:

Sign in to D2L using your PSC Email Address (including @prairiestate.edu) and Password.  If you forgot your password or need to reset it, contact the PSC Help Desk at HelpDesk@prairiestate.edu or (708) 709-7999.

Instructional Design Support from Online Learning

Are you developing a new online course or moving an existing in-person course to an online format?  The Office for Online Learning can help.  Here is a list of Instructional Design services we can offer.  Guidelines for developing online courses can also be found in the Faculty Handbook for Online Education.

D2L Instructor Tutorials

Click on the title of a D2L tool below to view instructions.

Course Setup

Go to the “New Semester Tools” page.

Semester-Start Checklist:  A list of semester-start activities to perform on D2L.  (Coming soon.)

Copy Existing Course or Content: Copy a full course or portions of a course from a previous semester or a course template. Video tutorial available here.

D2L Course Templates: Download and add the D2L Template to your D2L course shell.  There are two templates.  One of them has a Course Introduction module, 16 weekly modules, and two Student Resources modules.  The other template has only the two Student Resources modules.

Course Introduction Module: Information about the Course Introduction module available in the D2L Template.  The module includes templates for instruction information, the syllabus, the class schedule, textbooks, a list of technology requirements and competencies, and more.

Syllabus and Class Schedule: Information about Syllabus and Class Schedule pages available in the D2L Template.  This page also provides a list of items to include in the syllabus.

Make Course Active: Instructions for making the course available at the start of the semester.  Instructors have to make the course available manually at the start of each semester. Video tutorial available here.

Course Start and End Date: Instructions for changing the Start and End date of a course on D2L.  Instructors will need to extend the End date for students with incomplete final grades.

Building Course Content

Course Builder:  An instructional design tool to organize content, add placeholders, create assessments, and link items.

Add Content & Links to Modules:  Populate modules by adding content pages, uploading files, linking assessments, and providing links to videos and external websites. Video tutorial available here.

Creating Content Pages:  Information about content pages and instructions for linking items to content pages.  Content pages are useful for module introductions, grouping materials, embedding videos and images, and creating concept-specific instructional pages.

Embedding Videos: Instructions for uploading videos from various sources, embedding online videos, and embedding videos into content pages they play withing the D2L page.

Uploading Images: Instructions for uploading images from various sources they display within the D2L page.

File Manager:  Information for storing and organizing course files in the File Manager.

Gradebook

Setup D2L Gradebook: Instructions for setting up the D2L Gradebook include running the Setup Wizard, creating gradebook categories, creating specific grade items for assessment, linking grade items with assessment, and making grades available for students to see.  Video tutorial available here.

Export D2L Gradebook:  Export the D2L gradebook or portions of the gradebook as a CSV or Excel file.

Class Progress:  The Class Progress provides summary information about student activities in online courses.  Informational toolbars show an overall course summary, content items a student has viewed, completed assessments, and course login history.  The Class Progress is a useful tool for evaluating student engagement in the online classroom, and information on the Class Progress tool can be useful for advising purposes with students.

Quizzes and Exams

Creating Quizzes and Exams: Instructions on creating quizzes and exams include how to create various types of questions, provide instructions, and connect the assessment to the D2L Gradebook.

Respondus: Information and instructions for the Respondus LockDown Browser and Webcam Monitor.

Grading Quizzes and Exams: Instructions on how to grade quizzes and exams and provide feedback.

Exam Special Access: Special Access is used to provide students with additional time, another attempt, or a different due date.  Special Access is useful for students with accommodated testing needs, technology problems, and other unique circumstances.

Exam Review: Create a unique Exam Review Session so students can review their answers and read instructor comments and feedback on exams.  By default, students can view only their score.

Self Assessments:  Self Assessments are non-graded practice quizzes that provide instant feedback so students can evaluate and improve their learning.

Surveys:  Surveys are un-graded quizzes that can be used as questionnaires within D2L to collect student information, opinions, and preferences.  (Coming soon.)

Assignments

Creating Assignments (Original Editor): Instructions on creating assignments in the original assignment editor.  This page provides information about providing assignment requirements, setting due dates, connecting the assignment to the D2L Gradebook, and requiring Turnitin.

Creating Assignments (New Editor): Instructions on creating assignments in the new assignment editor.  This page provides information about providing assignment requirements, setting due dates, connecting the assignment to the D2L Gradebook, and requiring Turnitin.

Video Assignments: Instructions for creating and grading video-based assignments.  (Coming soon.)

Grading Assignments: Information on how to grade assignments and provide feedback to students using the assignment grading tool, grading rubrics, and the Turnitin Feedback Studio.

Rubrics: Information and instructions on creating holistic and analytic rubrics and using them to grade assignments and discussions.

Turnitin:  Instructions for requiring and interpreting the Turnitin Similarity Report on assignments, instructions for grading assignments with the Turnitin Feedback Studio, and information about plagiarism and revision with Turnitin.

Discussions

Creating Discussions: Information about Discussion Forums and Discussion Topics, and instructions on how to create discussion topics, setup due dates, and connect the discussion to the D2L Gradebook.

Discussion Groups:  Information and instructions for creating discussion groups.  Discussion groups limit a discussion topic only to students in an assigned group.

Grading Discussions:  Instructions for grading discussions and providing confidential student feedback.

Using Discussions for Private Journals: Discussions can be used as private journals for student reflections, brainstorming, and individual assignments.  This page provides instructions on setting up a discussion as a private journal.

Communication Tools

Announcements: Instructions for creating, editing, and deleting announcements.  Video tutorial available here.

D2L Email: Instructions on how to email students through D2L.

Using Checklists: D2L Checklists can be included within a weekly module to help students stay on track.  Items in the Checklist can also be linked to D2L assessments.  (Coming soon.)

Blog:  The Blog tool within D2L can be used by students and instructors as a private writing space, or it can be set to public and used to share ideas and materials with others within D2L.

Intelligent Agents:  Intelligent Agents send automated emails to students when they are absent for too long.  This pages provides information on creating intelligent agents.

Video Conferencing

Virtual Classroom:  Virtual Classroom is a video conferencing platform within D2L that can be used to deliver live class lectures, organize class discussion, answer questions, hold virtual office hours, and record online lecture videos. This page provides instructions for scheduling a Virtual Classroom session, joining a meeting, and using the conference tools.

Google Meet: Google Meet is a video conferencing platform within the Google Apps suite that can be used to deliver live class lectures, organize class discussion, answer questions, hold virtual office hours, and record online lecture videos. This page provides instructions for scheduling a Google Meet session, joining a meeting, recording a session, and sharing the recording video with students.

Tools to Record Lectures:  Information and links for screen and video recording software commonly used by PSC faculty, including Screen-Cast, Google Meet, and others. (Coming soon.)

Share Videos with YouTube: Instructions on uploading recording videos to YouTube, sharing the link with students, and embedding the video on a D2L page.

Promoting Accessibility

Creating a Readable PDF: Information about creating PDF documents that can be interpreted by assistive technologies. PDF documents that are scanned as images cannot be interpreted by screen readers.  (Coming soon.)

Writing Accessible Text: Information about writing D2L pages that can be interpreted by assistive technologies.  Strategies include using heading style text, using appropriate font and color, using descriptive hyperlinks, using formatted lists, adding alternative text descriptions to images and tables, and using automated accessibility checkers to evaluate the document for accessibility.

Alternative Text for Images:  Instructions for adding alternative text descriptions to images on D2L pages, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, and Google Documents and Slides.

Video Transcripts and Captioning: Instructions for using YouTube and Google Meet to generate closed captioning and video transcripts.

Special Access for Exams and Assignments:  Instructions for adding special access to exams and assignments for student with accommodations.  Special access includes extended time on exams, assigning a different availability period or due date, and allowing another attempt on an exam.

Problems/Questions

If you are having problems logging in to D2L, or would like additional support and information on how to use D2L, please contact: