Desire2Learn Ignite Minnesota - Building Custom Widgets
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This document discusses using widgets to customize course home pages in a learning management system. It provides tips for determining what information to include on the home page based on student needs. Examples of common widgets are given, such as for course news, dates, and content. Layout options and potential issues with widgets are also outlined. Fully custom home pages made by external websites integrated into the system are presented as an alternative to curated widget selections.
Desire2Learn Ignite Minnesota - Building Custom Widgets
- 1. Building Custom Widgets to Enhance Your Home Pages Barry Dahl Sr. Community Manager, Desire2Learn
- 2. Widget-based Home Pages • Before you begin setting up your course home page, consider the needs of your students: – What information is most relevant to them as students in your course? – What course materials and supplementary materials will they need? – How can you maximize your course home page to include relevant information?
- 3. Widget-based Home Pages • At-a-glance, what do you want students to see? – Course news and updates – Important dates and reminders – Links to course content – Links to supplementary materials – Relevant RSS feeds
- 4. “Traditional” Home Page w/News & System Widgets
- 5. V10 Widget Layout Options • Suggestions: – Maximize the use of screen space – Don’t repeat things in widgets and nav bars – Encourage your students to enter course through home page, as much as possible 8 Layout Choices
- 6. Two Equal Widget Columns
- 7. Large Column on Left
- 10. Three Embedded Polls Replace strings
- 11. Community Posts about Widgets • RSS Feed community.desire2learn.com/rss-feeds-in-a-d2l-widget/ • Semester Countdown community.desire2learn.com/custom-widget-semester-countdown/ • Twitter Feed adding-a-twitter-feed-to-your-course-homepage/ • RotateContent Randomized Content laura-gibbs-shares-jit-for-widget-contest/
- 12. Laura Gibbs – Oklahoma University
- 13. Some Problems with Widgets • Mixed content blocking in most browsers – Check out the Firefox extension • Lack of “https:” embed code for widgets • Widget-building sites come and go: – Google Gadget – WidgetBox
- 14. Full Custom Home Pages • Any webpage/site can be used as a custom home page in D2L. • Examples: – Course blog – RSS aggregator – Any course-specific web page
- 16. Let’s look at some examples • Go to the Ignite LE • Barry’s RUF Sessions