D2L Faculty Start/End Course Checklist

If you are teaching two sections with identical content, you can have these sections merged within Desire2Learn (D2L) for easier management. See our resource for Merging your Courses in D2L.

We recommend you install your course syllabus into a module with the content area of your course.  

• You can also install it into the "Overview" area within content, but be aware that this will not appear if students choose the Table of Contents view.  

In D2L, your course has start and end dates, between which your students can enter the course and access content within.  At least a week before a course begins, you should check these dates, and change them as you see fit.  This tutorial video shows you how.

• By default, your course in D2L "starts" or opens the Friday before the course begins.

• For summer sections and J-Term: course dates occasionally change as these courses are organized the semester prior.  Be sure the section start and end dates within D2L correspond with the class meeting time.  

Check all links to files, outside websites, and other resources within your course content, to make certain they still work or need to be replaced.

• If you want to start using Start and End dates on your course Activities, this video shows you how.

If you have start dates, due dates, or end dates attached to course content, be sure that they are updated to reflect the current semester's calendar, so that content is visible to students when you want it to be, and due dates are properly reported.  

Do you want students to see their calculated grade within D2L's grades area? See this video on Final Grade Release.

(Optional) Email your students a quick welcoming message with a brief outline of the course (due dates for important activities, projects, and quizzes should suffice) and expectations (both what you expect from your students and what students can expect from you) one week before courses begin.

• Use either the D2L Email Feature or the Class Listproc. See this page for tips and an example email.

  • If you use the D2L Email Feature, there are a few extra steps to save emails sent this way.

• In addition, faculty can also record a 10 minute course introduction video. This can be used to go over the D2L Course layout/structure, the syllabus, etc.

Your students are responsible for learning to use D2L, their Canisius email, and Google Workspace.  Put this quick link to the ITS Guide for Students into your syllabus, so they know where to go for technical assistance.  

• Quick Message (Feel Free to insert into your Syllabus or as a link in your Syllabus Module):

• You are responsible for knowing how to use D2L, your Canisius Email, and Google WorkSpace. If you need technical assistance please either go to the ITS Guide for Students or contact the ITS helpdesk by emailing them at helpdesk@canisius.edu.

Enter your Final Grades through MyCanisius. See Entering Final Grades at the End of the Semester.

Do you want students to see their calculated grade within D2L's grades area? See this video on Final Grade Release.

Export your gradebook to archive in your personal records by the week after grades are due. See this tutorial on Exporting the D2L Gradebook. 

Archive your entire course in D2L format at the end of each term for your personal record. See this video on Exporting a D2L Course.

Copy your course content to the next semester. See the D2L Users Group tutorial video on Copy a Course/all Course Components from One Course to Another.  Text instructions are available as well. 

Copy your Panopto videos from the previous semester to the upcoming semester.

If you plan on using student assignments from your class for later review or appraisal, download them now! This will be faster than having to contact Helpdesk and waiting on D2L admins.

Inform the Canisius University bookstore of ANY book(s) (13 digit ISBN, Author, and Title) that you plan on using or if you do not plan on using any book(s). This link has contact information for the Bookstore. Or use the Online Adoption tool to order Course materials found here.

• Ideally, this should be done 2-3 months before the last day of classes for the semester. This will give the bookstore time to ask questions and order at least a few copies of the book to have on hand when Students begin asking for them.