D2L Introduction Video!
By: Jennifer Blankenship, student at MSU
Helpful Tips!
How do I know what to do?
Many online students feel a bit lost at first. Don't be afraid to explore.
Read, read, and read some more! In addition to the course lessons, your instructor will provide you with a syllabus, instructions, expectations, announcements, and reminders. It's important to read everything and keep your eyes open for directives from your instructor.
The structure and look of courses vary.
Some schools require courses to have a consistent look and organization. Some do not. Expect that courses will vary in how they are structured because each instructor teaches differently. Courses commonly include a combination of the following elements:
Syllabus | Announcements | Calendar | Communication Tools | Grades | Course Lessons | Lectures | Tests | Assignments | Multimedia
Where are the tools?
Instructors can place links to tools in convenient locations. An instructor might provide a link to a discussion within a folder, right next to a reading assignment for that discussion. Alternatively, an instructor might place a link to the entire discussion tool in the course menu.
This flexibility enables instructors to design courses that are easy to for you to navigate, but might require a bit of a learning curve as you get used to each course. Don't hesitate to ask your instructor if you can't locate a tool.