NEIU - D2L Content Guide

1 March 2016

NEIU – D2L and Google Drive: File Sharing Guide Contents: Store Files in Google Drive, Not in Desire2Learn | Phase 1: Place Files in Google Drive | Phase 2: Create Sharing Links for Google Drive Files | Phase 3: Create an Embed Code | Phase 4: Create File Links or Embed Media in Desire2Learn Store Files in Google Drive, Not in Desire2Learn Files of all types can be hosted directly within Desire2Learn (D2L) course shells. Placing large files in D2L slows down access to D2L for everyone. The best practice, especially for large files like video and audio files, is to host files separately, outside of D2L, and to link or embed from D2L to their storage locations. Follow the steps below to upload, share, and link/embed between Google Drive and Desire2Learn. Phase 1: Place Files in Google Drive

1. Log in to Nmail (https://nmail.neiu.edu) with your NEIU NetID and password. Result: The Nmail home screen displays.

2. Click the Google Apps icon ( ) in the upper right of the Nmail screen and select Drive in the resulting drop-down menu.

Result: The Drive screen displays in a new tab or window.

3. Do you need to create a folder to hold the file(s) you will upload?

If yes, go to Step 4.

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If no, go to Step 6.

4. Click the red New button and select Folder.

Result: The New Folder dialog box displays.

5. Key a title for the folder to replace the “Untitled folder” text, and click the Create button.

Result: The folder is created in the display pane of the Drive screen.

6. Double-click the folder where you wish to upload the file(s). Result: The folder is opened in the display pane of the Drive screen.

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7. Click the red New button and select File Upload.

Result: The File Upload dialog box displays.

8. Navigate to the location of the file(s) you wish to upload.

9. Click the file(s) to upload. To select multiple files, CTRL+click (PC) or Command+click (Mac).

10. Select the Open button in the dialog box. Result: The upload process begins. On completion, the uploaded files are listed in the display pane of the Drive screen.

11. Repeat Steps 6 through 10 for all files you wish to upload.

NEIU - D2L Content Guide

4 March 2016

Phase 2: Create Sharing Links for Google Drive File Follow the steps below to create a sharing link for any file in your Google Drive folders. Option: To create an embed code for a multimedia file (so the audio or video plays directly in your web page) instead of just a link to the file, follow Steps 1-6 below, and then skip to Phase 3, below.

1. If needed, navigate to the Google Drive folder where the file(s) are located (see Steps 1-2 in Phase 1 above).

2. Right click (Mac: CTRL+click) the name of the file you wish to share. Result: The File Commands drop-down menu displays.

3. Select Share ( ) from the drop-down menu. Result: The Share with others dialog box displays.

Important: The default view-only sharing link is not sharable in Desire2Learn. Do not use the default link. Go to Step 4 to create a link with a broader access setting.

4. Click Advanced in the Share with other dialog box. Result: The Sharing Settings dialog box displays.

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5 March 2016

5. Click Change... next to Private – Only you can access or Specific people can access. Result: The Link Sharing dialog box displays.

Note: If you have previously shared the file with others, the Sharing Settings dialog box looks a little different. Instead of Private – Only you can access, the text reads Specific people can access.

NEIU - D2L Content Guide

6 March 2016

6. Select the desired Link sharing option (e.g.: On – Anyone with the link) and Access type, and click the Save button. Note: Select On – Anyone with the link for sharing within D2L. Result: The Share with others dialog box is updated with a new sharing link.

7. Is the file being shared a multimedia file (e.g., video or audio clip)?

If yes, go to Phase 3, below.

If no, continue to Step 8.

Note: The Access sharing permission levels are defined as follows:

Can edit: Collaborators can add and edit content, add comments, and invite other collaborators.

Can comment: Collaborators can add comments, but they cannot edit the content.

Can view: People can view the file, but they cannot edit it or add comments.

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8. Click the sharing link in the Link to share text box. Result: The sharing link is highlighted.

9. Copy the sharing link using Edit-->Copy or CTRL+C (PC) / Command+C (Mac).

10. Click the Done button.

Contents: Store Files in Google Drive, Not in Desire2Learn | Phase 1: Place Files in Google Drive | Phase 2: Create Sharing Links for Google Drive Files | Phase 3: Create an Embed Code | Phase 4: Create File Links or Embed Media in Desire2Learn

NEIU - D2L Content Guide

8 March 2016

Phase 3: Create an Embed Code Follow the steps below to create an embed code for multimedia files in your Google Drive folders (e.g., video or audio clips).

1. If needed, navigate to the Google Drive folder where the file(s) are located (see Steps 1-2 in Phase 1 above).

2. Double click the desired multimedia file you wish to embed. Result: The file plays in a preview window. Note: Depending on the size of the file, this process may take some time. If you see We’re processing this video. Please check back later, you’re trying to play the video too soon after uploading it. Google usually takes about twenty minutes to fully process a ten-minute video.

3. Hover your mouse at the top of the screen and click the Pop-out button ( ).

Result: The multimedia file preview opens in a new tab or window.

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4. Hover your mouse at the top of the screen. Click the More Actions drop-down menu ( ), and select Embed item from the list of choices.

Result: The Embed item dialog box displays.

5. Click the HTML embed code in the text box. Result: The embed code is highlighted.

6. Copy the embed code using Edit-->Copy or CTRL+C (PC) / Command+C (Mac).

7. Click the OK button.

Contents: Store Files in Google Drive, Not in Desire2Learn | Phase 1: Place Files in Google Drive | Phase 2: Create Sharing Links for Google Drive Files | Phase 3: Create an Embed Code | Phase 4: Create File Links or Embed Media in Desire2Learn

NEIU - D2L Content Guide

10 March 2016

Phase 4: Create File Links or Embed Media in Desire2Learn Follow the steps below to link or embed files from your Google Drive folders (e.g., PDFs, Microsoft Office files, specialized-software files) in Desire2Learn.

1. Log in to Desire2Learn (https://neiu.desire2learn.com) with your NEIU NetID and password.

2. Enter the course where you wish to share the file.

3. Select a tool or course area that supports content and links (e.g., News or Content).

4. Navigate to the tool and/or Module where you wish to place the link.

5. Are you linking to a Google Drive file or embedding a multimedia Google Drive File?

To link, go to Step 6.

To embed, go to Step 11.

6. Click the blue New button and select Create a Link from the drop-down menu.

Result: The New Link dialog box displays.

NEIU - D2L Content Guide

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7. Key a Title for the link. This is the text that will display to students to represent the link to the file.

8. Paste (Edit-->Paste, CTRL+V for PC, or Command+V for Mac) the link into the URL field.

9. Important: Check the Open as External Resource box to ensure that the link opens using

Google Drive. This allows video and audio clips to play automatically when students click the link.

10. Click the Create button. Result: The link to the Google Drive file is created in Desire2Learn.

11. Click the blue New button and select Video or Audio from the drop-down menu.

Result: The Add Video or Audio dialog box displays.

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12. Paste (Edit-->Paste, CTRL+V for PC, or Command+V for Mac) the embed code into the Enter

URL or Embed Code text-entry box. Result: The multimedia content will preview at the bottom of the Add Video or Audio dialog box. Note: If the content displays the message “We blocked this for you,” (see image below), click the Allow button to view the content. Students may also see this message the first time they load the page that contains the embedded content.

13. Key a Title for the multimedia file.

14. Click the Save button. Result: The multimedia content is embedded as a page in Desire2Learn.

Contents: Store Files in Google Drive, Not in Desire2Learn | Phase 1: Place Files in Google Drive | Phase 2: Create Sharing Links for Google Drive Files | Phase 3: Create an Embed Code | Phase 4: Create File Links or Embed Media in Desire2Learn