Desire2Learn (D2L), also known as Brightspace, is DePaul University’s comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS). This digital learning environment serves as the central hub for your courses, materials, and interactions. To access D2L, you will need your BlueKey credentials. If you encounter any issues logging in, DePaul’s Help Desk is available to assist you.
Navigating the D2L Homepage
Upon logging into D2L, you’ll land on your personalized homepage. Courses are intuitively organized under quarter headings, making it easy to find your current classes. Once your instructor activates a course, it will appear under the relevant quarter. For a comprehensive view of all your courses, simply select the All option [A]. This is particularly useful for students taking courses across different terms or needing to locate past courses.
Getting the Help You Need with D2L
DePaul University provides extensive resources to ensure you can effectively use D2L. For initial login assistance or troubleshooting, consult the detailed guides provided by DePaul’s Help Desk. These guides offer step-by-step instructions for accessing the platform and resolving common login problems.
Beyond login support, a range of guides are available to help you navigate the various features and tools within D2L. The side menu within D2L provides quick access to critical areas such as Submissions, Discussions, and Quizzes. Each of these tools is designed to enhance your learning experience and facilitate interaction with course content and instructors.
Furthermore, D2L Brightspace itself maintains a comprehensive collection of guides specifically for students. The official D2L Getting Started guide is an excellent starting point, offering numerous links to articles and resources that can help you master the platform. These resources cover a wide array of topics, from basic navigation to advanced tool usage.
D2L FAQs: Quick Answers to Common Questions
To further assist you in using D2L effectively, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
Why don’t I see a class I am registered for in D2L?
If you cannot locate a course in D2L, the first step is to select All among the academic quarter headings on your homepage. Then, click on View All Courses to search for the specific course. It’s important to note that if you recently registered for a course (within the last 24 hours), it might not be processed in the system yet. Please allow 24-48 hours for newly registered courses to appear in D2L.
Another reason a course might not be visible is that it hasn’t been activated by the instructor. Instructors are responsible for making their courses active and visible to students. If you still can’t find your course after waiting and checking “All Courses,” consider reaching out to your instructor to inquire about course activation. Additionally, courses that haven’t officially started yet may not be visible. Contact your instructor for clarification on when the course will become accessible in D2L. If you’ve exhausted these steps and still cannot locate the course, contacting the Help Desk is recommended for further assistance.
Why don’t I see a class I was enrolled in last term?
To access courses from previous terms, utilize the academic quarter options located on the D2L homepage. Navigate to the specific term during which you took the class. If the course is not listed under the relevant past term, it’s possible that the instructor has deactivated it. Instructors have the ability to deactivate courses after a term concludes, which may remove them from your active course list.
How do I add a video to a Submission Folder in D2L?
The method for adding a video to a submission folder depends on the type of submission folder set up by your instructor. If the submission folder includes a textbox for assignment submissions, you’ll need to upload your video to Panopto first. Panopto is DePaul’s video platform integrated with D2L. Refer to the Student Guide on Panopto for Submissions for detailed instructions on accessing Panopto and submitting videos through a textbox submission folder.
However, if the submission folder is designed for file attachments, you can directly attach your video file, similar to attaching any other type of file. Ensure that your video file is in a compatible format and within any size limitations specified by the submission folder.
Why can’t I start my quiz in D2L?
Encountering a “Not Authorized” or “Internal Error” message when trying to start a quiz in D2L can be frustrating. This issue typically arises due to a few common reasons. The most frequent reason is that the quiz availability period has ended, and the due date has passed. Quizzes are often set with specific availability windows, and access is automatically restricted after the deadline.
Another possibility is that the quiz has not been released by your instructor yet. Instructors control when quizzes become available to students. If the quiz is not yet released, contacting your instructor is the best course of action to confirm the release date. Lastly, some quizzes have a limit on the number of attempts allowed. If you have already reached the maximum number of attempts for a particular quiz, further access may be denied. Check the quiz instructions or syllabus for information on the number of attempts permitted.
How do I view feedback on a quiz in D2L?
To view instructor feedback on a quiz within D2L, navigate to the Quizzes area of your course. Locate the specific quiz you want to review. In the “Evaluation Status” column, you should see a link that reads “Feedback: On Attempt” if your instructor has provided feedback. Click on this link to access the feedback page. On the feedback page, select the attempt you wish to review. The quiz will then open, and the instructor’s feedback will be displayed within the quiz interface.
For quizzes that are set up with Lockdown Browser, the process is slightly different. Locate the quiz and again, select the On Attempt link in the “Evaluation Status” column. Instead of directly opening the feedback, you will see a Launch LockDown Browser button. Click this button, and if a pop-up window appears, select Open LockDown Browser. Lockdown Browser will launch, and within this secure environment, you can then select the link for Attempt 1 (or the relevant attempt number) to view the feedback.
Why aren’t Panopto videos loading in Safari within D2L?
If you are experiencing issues with Panopto videos not loading correctly in Safari within D2L, the most common cause is related to Safari’s handling of third-party cookies and the use of private browsing modes. Blocking third-party cookies or using Safari’s incognito/private browser option can interfere with Panopto video playback. It is generally recommended to avoid using Safari’s incognito/private browser when accessing Panopto videos in D2L, as this issue is observed across various devices using Safari.
For a more reliable experience, consider accessing your D2L course using either Chrome or Firefox browsers. If you continue to encounter issues in these browsers, you may need to adjust your Safari settings to allow cookies from D2L. Specifically, ensure that https://d2l.depaul.edu is permitted to set cookies in your Safari preferences. Alternatively, accessing your class without using an incognito or private browser session in Safari may resolve the issue. For more detailed information on adjusting cookie settings in various browsers, refer to Panopto’s guide on enabling third-party cookies.
By understanding these common issues and solutions, you can optimize your experience with D2L and effectively utilize this essential learning platform at DePaul University. Remember to leverage the available resources and support from DePaul’s Help Desk and D2L Brightspace to enhance your online learning journey.
