Build Your Course Using Templates

How to add a template to your course

There are two ways to add and use templates in your course. The first method is to copy and paste the HTML code into the Source Code editor in D2L. The second method is the Document Template feature in D2L to quickly load a template onto a blank web page with a single mouse click.

Click on each section below to get started.

Tip

It may be helpful to have two windows or tabs open for this section; one window for your D2L course site, and another for the Course Maker website.

  1. Go To the Course Maker Website.
  2. In the navigation, under Build, select Page Templates. 
  3. Select the template that you would like to add to your course. 
  4. Click on the Apply tab.
    • This tab includes basic information about the template, such as use cases, best practices, or specific considerations a course builder should take when using a template.
  5. Click on the Copy button to copy the HTML code to your clipboard. 
  6. Open your D2L course site.
  7. Click on Content and navigate to the module (or sub-module) to which you want to add the template. 
  8. Click on the Upload/Create button, and select Create a File from the dropdown menu. 
  9.  Add a title to the web page.
  10.  In the HTML Editor, click on the Source Code Editor button.
  11.  In the popup window, paste in the copied HTML code. 
    • Tip: It is best to clear out any text in this window before pasting your HTML code. 
  12. Click Save.

The template will appear in the D2L HTML editor. You can now customize the page with your educational content and replace images. Click on the Save and Close button to publish your changes.

Repeat these steps as necessary to complete building your course. 

Tip

All the Templates use #ToDo to outline the content you should update and personalize. 

To search on Windows: 

  1. Press CTRL + F on your keyboard.
  2. Type in #ToDo in the search field in the top-right corner. To see the next occurrence on the page, click the Next button to the right of the field.

To search on Mac: 

  1. Press Command + F on your keyboard.
  2. Type in #ToDo in the search field in the top-right corner. To see the next occurrence on the page, click the Next button to the right of the field.

The Document Templates feature in D2L is an excellent tool for when you want on-demand templates without having to leave D2L or jump between browser windows.

The section below will guide you on setting up D2L to use Document Templates and show you how to add templates to your course site using the feature.

How to set up D2L to use Document Templates:

  1. Navigate to your D2L course site. 
  2. Click on the Content tab from the Navigation Bar. 
  3. Click on the Settings button (located under the navigation bar). 
  4. Under the Content Authoring heading, check the Enable HTML Templates checkbox. 
  5. You will now set the Template Path by clicking the Change Path button. 
  6. In the pop window, click on Public Files.
  7. Locate the Course Maker folder, and click on the plus sign icon to expand the folder. 
  8. Locate the Starter Kit subfolder and click on the plus sign icon to expand the folder. Inside the Starter Kit subfolder, select the PageTemplates folder. 
  9. Click on the Select Path button at the bottom of the popup window to set the template path. 
  10. The Template Path should be: /shared/CourseMaker/PageTemplates/
  11. Click Save.

Your D2L site is now set up to use all of the templates included in the Starter Kit. 

How to use Document Templates:

  1. Open your D2L course site. 
  2. Click on the Content tab and navigate to the module where you want to add a template.
  3. Click on the Upload/Create button, and select Create a File from the drop-down menu. 
  4. Enter a title for your web page. 
  5. Click on the Select a Document Template button next to the title textbox. 
  6.  Select the template that you would like to use from the drop-down menu. 
  7. A blank, ready-to-use version of the page will load into the HTML editor. 
    • Make a mistake? You can select a different template or reset the page by clicking on the Select a Document Template button and selecting either the same template or a different one. 
  8. Customize your page with content, images, and links. 
  9. Click on the Save and Close button to publish and save your changes. 

Repeat steps 3-9 for each web page that you want to add to your course.

 

Templates are a convenient way to get a course ready for the semester quickly. Let’s discuss some best practices to keep in mind when using templates.

  1. Naming: When creating a new file(web page) in D2L, be sure to give it a unique name. For example “Week 1 Overview” or “Week 2 Overview” instead of “Module Overview”. 
  2. Web Pages Only: The description area inside D2L is not made to handle the rich content of an HTML web page. Therefore, the Course Maker Templates will not work in the description field. 
  3. Keep It Consistent: Try to keep a consistent design between the different web pages inside each module. It makes content easier to find and reduces cognitive load.