v8.3.0
User Dropbox Guide March 11, 2008
Contents
What Dropbox does Accessing the Dropbox tool Creating a dropbox category Creating a dropbox folder Editing a dropbox folder or category Re-ordering dropbox folders and categories Deleting a dropbox folder or category Viewing submitted files Retrieving (downloading) files Emailing users about assignments Marking assignments as read/unread Flagging assignments Leaving feedback and grading an assignment Using Preview Index
2008 by Desire2Learn, Inc. All rights reserved
Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
What Dropbox does
What Dropbox does
The Dropbox tool replaces the need for users to mail, fax, email, or physically deliver assignments. Users simply submit (upload) electronic versions of their assignments to the appropriate dropbox folder in the learning environment. You can set up separate dropbox folders for each assignment and restrict access to the folders by date and time, group membership, or special access permissions. Once assignments are submitted, you can download assignments as zip files, sort assignments by users, check submission times, grade assignments, leave feedback, and return submissions with comments, all from within the Dropbox tool.
A Dropbox folder List with categories and folders
Accessing the Dropbox tool
To access the Dropbox tool, click the Dropbox link on your course navigation bar. Tip If you have dropbox folders that are associated with the Grades tool or Groups tool you can also access the Dropbox tool from those areas.
2008 by Desire2Learn, Inc. All rights reserved
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Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
Creating a dropbox category
Creating a dropbox category
You can organize your dropbox folders into categories to make it easier for users to navigate the dropbox. For example, you could create separate categories for each course unit or for different types of assignments. To create a dropbox category 1 2 3 4 5 From the Folder List page, click New Folder.
On the New Folder page, click the New Category link beside the Category field. Enter a Name for the category. Click Save. Do one of the following after saving the category: Click the New Category link again to create another category. Fill in the New Folder page to create a new folder inside the category. (See Creating a dropbox folder, p. 3, for instructions on creating a folder.) Click Close to return to the main Dropbox folders page.
Creating a dropbox folder
Dropbox folders are where users submit assignments. You can set up dropbox folders for each of your assignments and set start dates, end dates, and release conditions; set up special access; and associate folders with competency activities. To create a new folder 1 2 3 From the Folder List page, click Enter a Name for the folder. Choose a Folder Type: Individual submission folder Select this option if you want each user to submit their own assignment. Group submission folder Select this option if you want one assignment submitted per group. You must associate the folder with a Group Category. Note Group dropbox areas are marked on the Folder List page with the Group Submissions for icon. Any group member can submit and view files for a group dropbox. 4 Assign the folder to a Category, if desired. Click the New Category link to create a new category. New Folder.
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Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
Creating a dropbox folder
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Associate the folder with a Grade Item if you want submitted assignments to be tied to an item in your grade book. Click the New Grade Item link to create a new grade item for the assignment. (See Grades User Guide, for more information.)
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Add any instructions about submitting the assignment in the Custom Instructions text box. Select whether you want users to be able to include dropbox submissions as artifacts in the ePortfolios. Attach any files that you want to make available to users from the dropbox folder (for example, a sample lab report). Click Save.
To set the availability dates for a folder 1 2 Click the Restrictions tab. Select the appropriate date options: Only allow submissions after this date Use this option if you do not want users to access a folder before a project is assigned. Only allow submissions before this date Use this option if you want to stop users from submitting assignments after a due date. 3 4 Set the appropriate dates and times. Select Add Event to Schedule if you want the availability dates for a dropbox folder to appear in users schedules.
To set release conditions for a folder Release conditions allow you to associate a dropbox folder with other items in the Learning Environment. For example, you can require that users meet some criteria, such as reading a set of lecture notes in the Content tool, before they can submit an assignment to the dropbox folder. Or, you could make submission of material to the dropbox folder the criteria for accessing some other item, like a quiz. 1 2 Click the Restrictions tab, In the Additional Release Conditions section, click either Attach Existing or Create and Attach.
See Release Conditions User Guide for more information. To add special access permissions Special access permissions allow you to set different availability dates and times for specific users. For example, you could extend the deadline for users who require remedial help or who are submitting work beyond the original scope of the assignment. You can also add special access after a folders end date has past for users who have a legitimate excuse for missing the deadline or for users you want to submit additional material, such as planning notes or a bibliography.
2008 by Desire2Learn, Inc. All rights reserved
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Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
Editing a dropbox folder or category
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On the Restrictions tab, select either: Allow everyone to access this folder, but apply special access dates for users listed below Only allow access to this folder for users listed below.
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Click the Add Users to Special Access button. Select the Date Availability you want for the special access users. Use the View By and Search For options to locate the users you want to give special access to. Select the boxes beside the appropriate users names in the grid. Click Add Selected.
Once you have added special access permissions for users they are listed in the Special Access section. You can edit or delete users special access by clicking the Edit or Delete icons beside their names. To associate a dropbox folder with an activity Use the Activities tab to associate a dropbox folder with an activity. By associating a dropbox folder with an activity, you can tie the assignment to a set of learning objectives and a competency you want your users to master. You can also evaluate the assignment using a rubric. 1 2 Click the Activities tab. Click Add Activity.
See the Competencies and Rubrics User Guide for more information. You can edit an activity by clicking on its name or delete it by selecting the box next to its name and clicking the Delete icon. To view an illustration of the levels of a rubric, click the View Rubric Levels link beside the name of the rubric.
Editing a dropbox folder or category
To edit a dropbox folder 1 2 3 From the Folder List page, click the Edit icon beside the folder you want to edit.
Update the Properties, Restrictions, or Activities tab, as desired. (See Creating a dropbox folder, p. 3, for more information.) Click Save.
To edit multiple dropbox folders 1 From the Folder List page, select the dropbox folders you want to edit.
2008 by Desire2Learn, Inc. All rights reserved
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Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
Re-ordering dropbox folders and categories
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Click the
Edit icon at the top or bottom of the page.
Update the appropriate fields. (See Creating a dropbox folder, p. 3, for more information.) Note Selecting the Add Event to Schedule checkbox adds Submissions After and Submissions Before dates to users schedules.
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Click Save.
To edit a dropbox category 1 2 3 On the Folder List page, click the want to edit. Edit the Name of the category. Save. Click Edit icon beside the name of the category you
Re-ordering dropbox folders and categories
1 2 From the Folder List page, click Re-Order. Select the new position for a folder or category using the Sort Order drop-down list beside its name. The positions of other folders or categories adjust accordingly. Note Items display in ascending order. 3 Click Save.
Deleting a dropbox folder or category
To delete a folder 1 2 3 From the Folder List page, click Delete on the top tool menu.
Select the folders you want to delete. Click Delete Selected.
To delete a category On the Folder List page, click the want to delete. Delete icon beside the name of the category you
Note Folders contained in the category are moved to the No Category area.
2008 by Desire2Learn, Inc. All rights reserved
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Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
Viewing submitted files
Viewing submitted files
The Folder List page provides a summary of the Total Files, Unread Files, and Flagged Files within each folder. To view the files, including when they were submitted, use the Folder Submissions page. To view files using the Folder Submissions page 1 Do one of the following: From the Folder List page, click the name of the folder you want to view submissions for. Click 2 3 Folder Submissions on the Edit Folder page.
Select either the Users tab or Files tab depending on whether you want to view and search submissions by user or file name. Enter search criteria in the Search For field to narrow the list of submissions. Click Advanced Search Options to refine your search. Note Preview submissions are only included in search results if the Allow this preview submission to be available in the Dropbox checkbox was selected when the assignment was uploaded. (See Using Preview, p. 9, for more information.)
Retrieving (downloading) files
To download a file 1 2 From the Folder Submissions page, click on the name of the file you want to open. Use your browsers save dialog to open or save the file.
To download multiple files at once 1 Do one of the following: On the Users tab, select the users or groups you want to download assignments for. On the Files tab, select the files you want to download. 2 3 4 Click the Download submissions icon at the bottom of the list.
Click the name of the zip file that is created. Use your browsers save dialog to save the file to the appropriate location.
Notes Files are renamed to include the user or groups name and submission time when you download them. Downloading assignments changes their status to read.
2008 by Desire2Learn, Inc. All rights reserved
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Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
Viewing submitted files
Emailing users about assignments
To email users 1 From the Folder Submissions page, do one of the following: Click on the name of the user you want to email Select the users or groups you want to email and click users/groups on the action bar at the top of the list. 2 Email selected
Type your message in the Compose New Message pop-up. (See the Email User and Reference Guide for more information.) Note The email addresses of the selected users populate automatically in the To field of the message.
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Click Send.
To email users who have not submitted an assignment to the dropbox folder 1 2 From the Folder Submissions page, click Unsubmitted Groups on the action bar. Email Unsubmitted Users or Email
Type your message in the Compose New Message pop-up. (See the Email User and Reference Guide for more information.) Note The email addresses of the selected users populate automatically in the To field of the message.
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Click Send.
Note If any member of a group submits an assignment to a group dropbox folder, no one in that group is emailed when Email Unsubmitted Groups is selected.
Marking assignments as read/unread
Do one of the following: From the Folder Submissions page, click the name of the file you want to mark. Read or Unread icon beside the
Select the files you want to mark as read or unread, and click the Display submissions for selected users as unread or Display submissions for selected users as read icons at the top or bottom of the list. Note When a file is opened or downloaded it is automatically marked as read.
Flagging assignments
To flag a submission as significant or in need of further review, click the Unflagged icon beside its name on the Folder Submissions page. Note You can use the Files tab to search for flagged submissions. Flagged or
2008 by Desire2Learn, Inc. All rights reserved
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Dropbox v8.3.0 User Guide
Leaving feedback and grading an assignment
Leaving feedback and grading an assignment
The Leave Feedback page allows you to leave a user feedback on their performance. You can also input a grade for assignments linked to a grade item and select a rubric level for assignments linked to an activity. To leave feedback and grade assi...