How to Embed Videos
How to Embed Videos
Embedded Files
Embedded videos display within a page. As opposed to a link, which directs a student to YouTube or another website, the embedded video will display and play within the D2L window.
The example on the right shows an embedded video (a D2L tutorial on how to navigate the online course). The video is embedded within a D2L Content Page, and the video will play on that page.
Videos can be embedded in many areas on D2L, including content pages, announcements, discussions, assignments, blogs, and more. Videos can also be resized on the D2L screen.
Embedded videos are useful because the student does not have to navigate to an external website, and the video can be surrounded by other instructional material, such as an introduction, a transcript, links to chapter PowerPoints, and information about course concepts provided by the instructor.
Multiple videos can also be embedded on the same D2L page. This is convenient for creating a video library that is thematically organized and doesn't require a student to navigate to several external websites.
The information on this page describes how to embed videos from various sources. The process is similar for any D2L page that has a Rich Text Editor.
How to Embed an Online Video
You can embed an online video (a video on a website such as YouTube) on any D2L page that has a Rich Text Editor.
Click the "Insert Stuff" icon on the left, then select select “Enter Embed Code” from the drop-down menu at the bottom.
Enter the embed code into the pop-up window. (Note that the embed code is not the same as the video's URL or web address.)
What's an Embed Code?
The embed code is required to embed a video on D2L. Without an embed code, the video will only be linked; it will not display on the page.
The embed code is not the same as the URL or web address.
The embed code is often found on the "share" button on an online video. For a video on YouTube, click on "Share," then select the option for Embed.
Select the option for Embed. (Don't copy the web address.)
Afterwards, copy the code that begins with "iframe." You can either highlight the text and copy it, or click the "Copy" button at the bottom.
You can also select options at the bottom, such as whether students will have video controls (such as Play and Pause), and whether the video should start at a specific point.
Paste the copied embed code into the Embed Code box on D2L. Click "Next" to preview the video.
Finally, click “Insert" to place the video on the D2L page.
How to Embed a Video from Your Computer
You can also embed a video that's stored on your computer, flash drive, or other local storage area.
Click the "Insert Stuff" icon on the left, then select select “My Computer” from the drop-down menu.
In the pop-up window, click "Choose File," locate the video from your storage area, and click "Add."
Once you select the video file, you'll see another screen for video "properties."
In the box for "Link Text," add a short description of the video (such as a title). This text will appear on the screen when students hover their mouse pointer over the video.
In the boxes for "Width" and "Height," add numbers for the size of the video, or leave it blank to use the video's original size.
Keep the checkmark in the box for "Lock aspect ratio" to ensure the video size changes proportionally; otherwise, a portion of the video may be cut off.
Add a checkmark to "Start playing automatically" (not recommended) to make the video start playing as soon as the page loads. Otherwise, students will have to press "Play" to watch the video. Automatic playing may be useful for a video that's posted on an announcement.
Scroll down to see a preview of the video.
Click "Insert" when done.
How to Record & Embed a Video Note in D2L
You can also embed a video by recording it directly within D2L through the Video Note tool.
Click the "Insert Stuff" icon on the left, then select “Add Video Note” from the drop-down menu.
In the pop-up window, select "Record Webcam Video." (Or, use the "Upload File" option to select a previously-recorded Video Note. Video Notes get saved in a folder called "Meet Recordings" on Google Drive.)
Click "New Recording" to begin recording. Click "Stop Recording" to end the video.
Then, click "Next" to advance to the video properties page.
On the video properties screen:
Add a title for the Video Note.
Provide a description.
Select the language.
Add a checkmark to "Automatically generate captions."
Click "Next" to see a preview of the video.
Click "Insert" on the video preview screen to finish.
Video Notes are a fast and convenient way to record and embed a video message for students, particularly for announcements and weekly introduction pages.
Change the Size of the Video
You can change the size of the video by going into the page's HTML code. Click the HTML code icon on the bottom right.
Find the section for Width and Height within the HTML code, and change the numbers. Click "Save" when done.
Be sure to increase or decrease the size of the video proportionally (by multiplying or dividing by the same amount); otherwise, one side of the video may be cut off. For example, I can multiply both the Width and the Height by 1.5 to get the new size of 840 and 472.
Edit the Position of the Video
You can change the alignment of the video on the page by clicking the drop-down arrow for additional options and selecting "Align Left," "Align Right," or "Align Center."
By default the video is aligned left.
Unfortunately, these buttons do not wrap text around the video - additional HTML code is needed. Please contact Online Learning for help wrapping text around a video.
Add Text to the Video Page
A D2L video page will likely include additional material.
The example D2L page on the right shows a page title, explanatory text above and below the video, a video title, and a link to download the video transcript.
You can add text directly on the D2L page and use text editing options in the Rich Text Editor to format the text.
In general, when embedding a video, consider adding an introductory statement, a title (and other citation information), and a link to the original website.
Also, ensure accessibility by verifying that the video has closed captioning, or provide a written transcript of the video. (View this page for more information about ensuring accessibility with videos.)
Insert a Link for an Online Video (Without Embedding)
If you want to insert a link for an online video (without embedding it on the D2L page), use the "Link" icon on the Rich Text Editor, and select "URL" from the drop-down menu at the bottom.
Then, insert the URL or web address of the video, enter a title for the video, and select whether the video should display this external video website within D2L or open in another window.
Click "Insert" when done.
The video will appear as a link on the D2L page.
Link a Video from Google Drive (Without Embedding)
Link a Video from Google Drive (Without Embedding)
The "Link" icon can also be used to link videos stored in your Google Drive account. This can be a convenient way to share recorded Google Meet sessions with students.
However, this method only links the video; it does not embed it on the page. You would need an embed code in order to embed the video, and Google Drive does not provide embed codes.
To generate an embed code for a recorded Google Meet session, consider uploading the video to YouTube first, then use the instructions above to embed the online video. (View instructions for posting a video to YouTube here.)
To link a video from Google Drive, select "Google Drive" from the drop-down menu. Ensure you are logged in to the correct Google account, select the specific video you would like to link, and click "Add."
The video will appear as a link on the D2L page.
You may need to change the settings on the video to enable other people to view it. Change video settings from "Private" to "Anyone with the link." (View instructions for changing the video settings here.)
Video is a popular and increasingly-common method of teaching and learning. Videos can provide a rich and engaging learning experience by combining sight, sound, action, and possibly text. Many courses rely on videos for weekly announcements, course and unit introductions, instruction, supplementary information, discussion starters, and assignment feedback. D2L provides many ways to share these videos.
For more information and support, contact Online Learning.
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