Creating categories and dropbox folders

Organize your dropbox folders into categories to make it easier for users to navigate to the appropriate folder. For example, you can create separate categories for course units, summative projects, bonus assignments, and individual submissions.

Users submit their work to a dropbox folder. Information you create in the dropbox folder about evaluation methodology, details about rubric assessments, associations with learning objectives, instructions, and clarifications on work expectations appear to users in the "Folder Information" area on the Submit Files page.

  1. Create a category
  2. Create a dropbox folder
  3. Set release conditions for a dropbox folder
  4. Set dropbox folder availability
  5. Add special access permissions

Create a category

  1. On the Dropbox Folders page, click New Folder.
  2. Click the New Category link beside the Category field.
  3. Enter a Name for the new category.
  4. Click Save.

    Note  Your new category appears on the Dropbox Folders page only if there are dropbox folders associated with it.

Create a dropbox folder

  1. On the Dropbox Folders page, click New Folder.
  2. Enter a Name.
  3. Select a Folder Type:
    • Individual submission folder  Select this option if you want each user to have their own submission.
    • Group submission folder  Select this option if you want one submission per group. You must associate the folder with a Group Category.

      Note  Group submission areas are marked on the Dropbox Folders page with the Group Submissions icon. Any group member can submit and view files for a group dropbox folder.

  4. Select from the Category drop-down list if you want to assign a category. You can click the New Category link to create a new category.
  5. Associate the dropbox folder with a Grade Item if you want submissions tied to an item in your grade book. Click the New Grade Item link to create a new grade item for the dropbox folder.
  6. Enter a value in the Out Of field for the assignment score.

    Tip  If you associate the folder with a grade item, maintain consistency for your students by matching the value of the Out Of field to the grade item's Max. Points value.

  7. If you associate the dropbox folder with a grade item, you can click Edit Display Settings from the Student View Preview context menu to edit how grades display to students.
  8. Click Add Rubric to associate the dropbox folder with a rubric. Click the Create Rubric in New Window link if you want to create a new rubric. You can also select an existing rubric and set it as the Default Scoring Rubric.
  9. Add Instructions for users.
  10. You can select the Allow users to add this folder to their ePortfolio check box if you want to allow users to include dropbox submissions as ePortfolio artifacts.
  11. You can include attachments such as a file, an audio recording, or a video recording.
  12. Select the submission options you want.
  13. Click Save.

Set release conditions for a dropbox folder

Release conditions allow you to associate a dropbox folder with other items in 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 their work to a dropbox folder. Or, you can make submission to the dropbox folder a criteria for accessing another item, such as a quiz.

  1. On the Dropbox Folders page, click Edit from the context menu of the folder you want to set restrictions for.
  2. Click the Restrictions tab.
  3. In the Release Conditions section, click either Attach Existing or Create and Attach.
  4. Select from the drop-down list if All conditions must be met or Any condition must be met to access the dropbox folder.

Set dropbox folder availability

Dropbox folder availability controls when and for how long dropbox folders are available to users.

  1. On the Dropbox Folders page, click Edit from the context menu of the folder you want to set restrictions for.
  2. Click the Restrictions tab.
  3. In the Availability section, select the start date, due date, and end date for the folder's availability.

Note  Dropbox folder availability dates appear by default in Calendar. If you delete the dropbox folder, it's availability dates disappear from the course calendar. If you restore the dropbox folder, it's availability dates reappear in the course calendar.

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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 dropbox folder. You can also add special access after a dropbox folder’s 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.

  1. On the Dropbox Folders page, click Edit from the context menu of the folder you want to add special access permissions.
  2. In the Restrictions tab, select one of the following:
    • Allow users with special access to submit files outside the normal availability dates for this folder.
    • Allow only users with special access to see this folder.
  3. Click Add Users to Special Access.
  4. On the Special Access page, select the Date Availability you want special access users to have.
  5. Use the View By option and Search For field to locate the users you want to give special access to.
  6. Select the check box beside each appropriate user’s name.
  7. Click Save.

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 Remove special access icons beside their names.

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