How to Use the LMS "Online Campus"

If you are a part-time instructor, then you will be assigned a course to teach that most likely will already be populated with course content in your online classroom. Full time faculty members who develop the content do so in the "course shell" which is just a term for the blank D2L classroom before content and other items are added in.

Before we get started, let's look over some quick terminology:

D2L = short for "Desire to Learn" the Learning Management System from the company Brightspace.

LMS = Learning Management System which is the delivery system for online classes at Columbia State (and other colleges and universities as well). Other LMSs include Blackboard, Canvas, WebCT and Google Classroom.

navigation = a way to orient yourself within the classroom space. Our D2L platform has a top navigation (or "nav") which includes "Course Home", "Content", and "Course Work". Within the Course Home tab, the left navigation includes the "Table of Contents" and the unique modules created for each online classroom.

If you are new to the D2L classroom environment, you can quickly get oriented with the Brightspace Tutorials YouTube Channel. D2L has provided very short (2-4 minutes) videos on almost every topic for students, instructors and administrators.

One video you may want to review is the Getting Started for Instructors (at the link) or below (Run time 1:48).

Once inside your D2L classroom, go to the left nav and you'll notice a special section called "Instructors Only". See illustration below:

You've probably also noticed the special icon next to this section and the indication "hidden". This means that you, as the instructor, can view this module but students cannot. It is hidden from them because it contains unique information just for you. Typically this includes sections like:

• "To the instructor" which has the name and contact information for the full-time faculty member who developed this course. If you have questions about the course, this person can be a good resource to turn to.

• "Before the course starts" which lists a set of housekeeping items required from you before the term starts and students have access to the course. These can include updating the syllabus with your name and contact information (Pro Tip: You can sign up for a free Google Voice number to share with students, if you choose.) and other personalization or setup information.

• "Teaching the class" which includes guidance and instructions for teaching this particular course. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to your Lead Faculty member for suggestions or ideas. Our goal is for you to enjoy a successful semester so that our students get the best classroom experience possible.