Course Tools 

Articles 

This feature allows instructors to view news articles posted by faculty.

Chat 

Chats allow users to converse with more than one other user at a time.  They are synchronous (i.e., live, real time) discussions.  Instructors may enter chat and begin chatting or view previous sessions (archives) of the chat.

Checklist 

This feature is a way to highlight important aspects of the course as a visual guideline for students to determine the needs for completing the course.

Classlist

This feature keeps track of users enrolled in the course.  It is also valuable as a way of finding which users are currently online.  The classlist tool also allows users to share information about themselves using the profile or homepage tools.

Content 

This feature allows instructors to post content related to the course.  Students may download files such as PowerPoint presentations to complement the course.

Discussions

This area provides instructors with the ability to create, view, add, modify, or remove forums and discussion topics.  Students can read and post messages.

Dropbox

This feature gives instructors the option to allow students to submit their work online.  Students can upload their work in the dropbox and faculty can view it at their discretion.

Email

The email feature provides an easy method to email course participants.  Instructors can automatically address email to course members or faculty directly from the address book.  Email generated through D2L is delivered to the email address recorded within D2L.

FAQ 

This feature allows instructors to publish a list of frequently asked questions related to the course content or policies.

Glossary 

This feature allows instructors to create a course glossary.  The glossary can be used to make key terms related to the course available to students.

Grades 

This feature is an immediate feedback option to let students know their progress in the course.

Help 

Allows the user to access help documentation created by D2L.

Import/Export/Copy 

Allows instructors to import, export, or copy existing course components.  This is beneficial in creating a new D2L course without having to start from scratch.

Journal 

This feature allows instructors to keep track of ideas and information they might want to use in class.  This tool is only visible to faculty.

Links 

Adding links allows instructors to use information from outside of D2L to complement the course content.

Locker 

This tool provides an additional storage area for files.  Files in this area can be made public or kept private.  This is useful when working at multiple workstations.

News 

This feature allows instructors to post items that all students can see.  Posting news is an ideal way to inform students about upcoming events, due dates, or corrections.

Quizzes 

This feature allows instructors to evaluate students online.  Different question formats can be applied and modified.

Schedule 

The Schedule (calendar) provides a central location for course and personal events such as add/drop periods, exams, and personal appointments.

Surveys 

This feature allows instructors to collect instant feedback from students.  This monitors trends and opinions of the users. The surveys can be collected anonymously.

 

Understanding Tools

1. Deactivating a tool does not delete any items or user data inside the tool; it simply hides the tool in a course offering. Turning the tool back on restores the data.
2. Before disabling a tool, be aware of the following:
   • Release Conditions based on the tool are not enforced as long as the tool remains disabled.
   • Competency activities associated with the tool are hidden, but are still associated with any learning objectives to which they are attached. Users cannot complete these learning objectives while the tool is disabled. Instructors should detach or delete any activities associated with a tool before disabling the tool.
   • Grade items associated with the tool remain but instructors must manually update them in the grade book.
   • Quicklinks to the tool’s items persist but a “No Resource Found” message is displayed when they are followed. Instructors should remove any related Quicklinks when a tool is deactivated. Instructors may not be able to delete others' Quicklinks.

Access the Tools page

1. Click the Edit Course link on your course navigation bar and then click Tools.

Note: To use a tool, you must also add it to your course navigation bar or homepage depending on the tool.

Activate or deactivate a tool

1. On the Tools page, select the tools to turn on (activate) or turn off (deactivate).
2. Click on the Status button set the status to on (active) or off (inactive).