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What are Release Conditions?
What are Release Conditions?
Release Conditions in D2L allows you to hide a course activity based on something needing to either happen first or for something to be, for lack of a better term, "True". As an example, perhaps you have materials that you want to share with one group of students but not other groups. Or maybe you want to prevent access to a Quiz until students have viewed the materials for the module first. Release Conditions can also be used for remediation. Say, for example, a student (or several) did poorly on an exam/written assignment. You can provide those students with a module that can help them understand some of the questions they got wrong. Or, perhaps the opposite is true: Several students did incredibly well on a difficult exam/written assignment and you want to provide them with extra material, that you otherwise are unable to cover, to pique their interest further in the topic.
There are many different options and ways that Release Conditions can be used and we will learn about some of them here.
How can I use Release Conditions?
How can I use Release Conditions?
There are three ways of creating Release Conditions:
On Modules
On the Course Activity in the Module
On the D2L Tool (Discussions, Dropboxes, Quizzes) itself.
You can add multiple Release Conditions to a Module, Course Activity, or D2L Tool. However, simple is best. Stick to one Release Condition (preferably) or two at most per Module, Course Activity, or D2L Tool.
Also, when using a Release Condition, make it clear to students on the Module, Course Activity, or D2L Tool that some sort of Restriction is in place, what they need to do to complete the Restriction, and what will happen when they complete the Release Condition. For example, if I have an Academic Integrity Quiz that I want students to complete before completing a Final Exam, I might put into the description for the Academic Integrity Quiz:
"To be able to access the Final Exam, you will need to score a 100% on this Quiz. If you are unable to complete this in three attempts, please email me ASAP."
The above sentences make it clear that something is preventing access and how to achieve access.
On Modules
On Modules
Adding a Release Condition to a Module will effectively hide the module and/or most course materials activities within the module from students until certain criteria is met. The exceptions are any course activities that point outside of D2L (like a webpage, YouTube video, etc.) and the D2L Tools (you will have to apply the Release Condition directly to the Tool). All a Release Condition does is hide the links to these items in the Course Content Area.
The steps are fairly similar to adding Dates to a Module.
Release Conditions for Modules
Release Conditions for Modules
Scenario: We have a module that we want only available to one of the groups we created previously.
In the Content Area, select the Module to add a Release Condition to.
Click on where it says Add dates and restrictions...
Find where it says Release Conditions. Click on Create if you have yet to make a Release condition or Browse if you have a Release condition that you made previously.
When you click on Create, a pop-up will appear asking for the Condition Type. There are many different types and all are pretty self-explanatory. We will go for something easy: Classlist>Group enrollment.
You will notice that Condition Details has a dropdown menu. Click on Select Group and choose which Group that the students will have to be in to access the Module.
Then click on Create.
You will be brought back to the Module and will see a summary of the Release Condition on the Module. To remove a Release Condition, simply click on the X to the right of it's summary. You should also notice a dropdown menu titled All conditions must be met. This is the default and the most strict out of the two options. Any and all Release Conditions must be True for the student to be able to access the Module. The other option is less strict. Any condition must be met makes it so that, so long as one of the specified Release Conditions is True, the student can access the Module.
When done, click on Update.
The menu will zip up and provide you with an overview of any Release Conditions on the module. To edit the Release Condition (and also access the Dates tool), simply click on the overview.
On Course Activities
On Course Activities
Adding a Release Condition directly to a Course Activity will effectively hide the activity from students until certain criteria are met. If you add a D2L Tool to the Module and add a Release Condition in this way, the D2L Tool will also be hidden. However, keep in mind that activities that link to materials outside of D2L (websites, YouTube videos, etc.) are simply hidden. A student that has access to the hidden link can share it with a student that does not.
The steps are fairly similar to adding Dates to a Course Activity.
Release Conditions on Course Activities/Topics
Release Conditions on Course Activities/Topics
Scenario: We want students to be able to access a reading assignment after reviewing the video or course notes.
Click on the dropdown arrow to the right of the Course Activity that you want to add a restriction to.
In the menu that appears, click on Edit Properties in Place.
Click on Add dates and restrictions...
Under Release Conditions, choose Create to make a new Release Condition or Browse to use one that you have already created. For the scenario outlined above, we will click on Create.
Under Condition Type, choose Content>Visited Content Topic.
Underneath Topic, select the the video or course notes that you want students to view before the reading.
Click Create.
You will be brought back to the Module and will see a summary of the Release Conditions on the Course Activity. To remove a Release Condition, simply click on the X to the right of it's summary. You should also notice a dropdown menu titled All conditions must be met. This is the default and the most strict out of the two options. Any and all Release Conditions must be True for the student to be able to access the Module. The other option is less strict. Any condition must be met makes it so that, so long as one of the specified Release Conditions is True, the student can access the Course Activity.
When done, click on Update.
The menu will zip up and provide you with an overview of any Release Conditions on the Course Activity. To edit the Release Condition (and also access the Dates tool), simply click on the overview.
On D2L Tools
On D2L Tools
Adding a Release Condition to a D2L Tool will effectively hide it both in the Content Area and the Tool's tab from the student until certain criteria are met. This is especially important if you want students to complete a Dropbox before being able to start a quiz.
The steps are fairly similar to adding Dates and/or Special Access.
Release Conditions for D2L Dropboxes and Quizzes
Release Conditions for D2L Dropboxes and Quizzes
Scenario: We want a Dropbox to be accessible only after students have completed a Quiz.
Go to the Dropbox tab in the Course Navbar.
Create a New Folder or Click the dropdown arrow to the right of the Dropbox and choose Edit Folder.
Click on the Availability Dates & Conditions tab.
Under Release Conditions, find and click on Add Release Condition.
Choose either Create New to make a new Release Condition or Add Existing to choose one you have already made. In this scenario, we will create a new one.
In the pop-up window that appears, click on Select Condition Type and choose Quizzes>Completed quiz attempt.
Under Condition Details, choose the Quiz students need to complete to access the Dropbox.
Choose the number of attempts that students need to complete. NOTE: D2L will not allow you to exceed the number of attempts that you set on the Quiz.
Click on Create.
When you do, you will be sent back to the Dropbox Editor Screen and should see a summary of the Release Conditions. To delete a Release Condition, click on the X to the right of it. Also, note that the dropdown allowing you to choose whether the student must satisfy all or only one of the Release Conditions will not appear until after you have at least two Release Conditions on the Tool.
Finish making your edits to the Dropbox and click on one of the Save options.
Scenario: We want a Dropbox to be accessible only after students have completed a Quiz.
Go to the Dropbox tab in the Course Navbar.
Create a New Folder or Click the dropdown arrow to the right of the Dropbox and choose Edit Folder.
Click on the Availability Dates & Conditions tab.
Under Release Conditions, find and click on Add Release Condition.
Choose either Create New to make a new Release Condition or Add Existing to choose one you have already made. In this scenario, we will create a new one.
In the pop-up window that appears, click on Select Condition Type and choose Quizzes>Completed quiz attempt.
Under Condition Details, choose the Quiz students need to complete to access the Dropbox.
Choose the number of attempts that students need to complete. NOTE: D2L will not allow you to exceed the number of attempts that you set on the Quiz.
Click on Create.
When you do, you will be sent back to the Dropbox Editor Screen and should see a summary of the Release Conditions. To delete a Release Condition, click on the X to the right of it. Also, note that the dropdown allowing you to choose whether the student must satisfy all or only one of the Release Conditions will not appear until after you have at least two Release Conditions on the Tool.
Finish making your edits to the Dropbox and click on one of the Save options.
Release Conditions for Discussions
Release Conditions for Discussions
Scenario: You have a Discussion that you want students to participate in but only after they have conducted some background research and written a paper on the topic.
Go to the Discussions tab in the Course Navbar.
Either create a new Topic or Click on the dropdown arrow to the right of the Topic that you want to add a Release Condition to
Go to the Restrictions tab.
Scroll down until you find Release Conditions and either click on Attach Existing to use a Release Condition you have already created or Create and Attach to make a new Release Condition. For the scenario above, click on Create and Attach.
In the pop-up that appears, click on Select Condition Type and choose Dropbox>Submission to Dropbox. You can set it so that students need to get feedback or, if you use Rubrics, to get a score on a Rubric first.
Under Condition Details, choose the Dropbox that you want students to submit to first.
Click on Create.
You will be brought back to the Discussion Editor Screen and will see a summary of the Release Conditions on the Discussion. To remove a Release Condition, simply click on the X to the right of it's summary. You should also notice a dropdown menu titled All conditions must be met. This is the default and the most strict out of the two options. Any and all Release Conditions must be True for the student to be able to access the Module. The other option is less strict. Any condition must be met makes it so that, so long as one of the specified Release Conditions is True, the student can access the Discussion.
When done, click on one of the Save options.
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