Student Frequently Asked Questions
- What version of Desire2Learn are we using at Montana State University?
- How do I know if I am enrolled in a D2L supplemented class?
- I don't see any D2L courses when I log in to D2L - why?
- What is my D2L username and password (ID)?
- I know I am in a D2L class and I know my D2L ID. How do I access the course?
- How do I make sure my web browser will work properly with D2L?
- How do I navigate properly within my D2L course?
- What to do when I´m done using D2L in a student lab or other public venue?
- I want to know more about how D2L works - are there any online resources available?
- My name has changed. What needs to happen so I can continue to log in to D2L?
- Why is D2L making noise at me??
- I am locked out of my pager because of an incomplete quiz! What can I do?
- Can I forward my mail out of D2L?
- I forgot my password. I can´t get into Desire2Learn. What do I do?
Note: Desire2Learn is commonly abbreviated D2L.
1.) What version of D2L are we using at Montana State University?
Montana State University - Bozeman is currently using the most recent Desire2Learn Version as the main learning environment (LE).
Select this link to see information regarding the most current version:
http://eu.montana.edu/d2l/help/d2l_version/
2.) How do I know if I am enrolled in a D2L supplemented class?
All credit courses are provisioned automatically across the Montana State University system so any course a student has registered for via Banner will have a D2L offering associated with it. Instructors must choose to make the course "active" for a student to actually see it. Not all instructors will choose to use D2L. For students, the easiest way to figure out what courses are available is to log in to D2L. If a student does not see an expected course appearing in D2L, contact the instructor of the course.
3.) I don't see any D2L courses when I log in to D2L - why?
All courses are auto-provisioned from Banner and exist in D2L. All enrollments are updated in each of these courses nightly from Banner. For a student who is registered properly, a course can appear up to 5 days before the start date *if* the instructor has made it active.
Not all instructors choose to use Desire2Learn, and, in some cases, an instructor may not make a course active until a later date.
If a student does not see an expected course appearing as of the start date and the instructor has indicated that D2L will be used for the course, contact the instructor.
4.) What is my D2L username and password (ID)?
Most regularly enrolled MSU-Bozeman participants may use either their first.last D2L username or their NetID to log in to Desire2Learn. In either instance, using either of the IDs, D2L requires participants use the password associated with their NetID to actually log in to D2L.
For more information on D2L Username, passwords, and NetID - go here: http://eu.montana.edu/d2l/help/password/
Individuals with user names based on the NetID password can change their password whenever they wish by going to the official MSU Password Help Page: http://password.montana.edu/
Students who did not enroll through the registrar (for example, those enrolled through Extended Studies) MAY be assigned a Desire2Learn username and password based on other information. Typically, in these situations, an instructor or an Extended University Program Manager will contact the student with this information.
Note: It is critical if a student is participating in a purely online course (no face-2-face meetings - typically offered in affiliation with MSU-Bozeman Extended University) that the student supply the instructor with a current email address and that the student check that email address regularly until confirming access to the student's Desire2Learn account.
5.) I know I am in a D2L supplemented class and I know my D2L ID. How do I access the course?
- Open a new browser window.
- Go to the MSU Desire2Learn home page at http://ecat.montana.edu.
- In the login area that appears, enter the Desire2Learn Username and Password.
- Select the "Login" button.
- Upon successful log in, a participant will be taken to the Desire2Learn "My Home" page.
- The Desire2Learn "My Home" page displays information specific to the participant's personal D2L account:
- Displays "active" courses that a participant is enrolled in.
- Gives access to the "My Settings" area to set preferences for various D2L tools, create a profile for use within D2L, and set up Notifications - among other features.
- Participants should explore the D2L "My Home" page to become familiar with available links and tools.
- Note: Student role participants cannot add or remove themselves from Desire2Learn courses - this function happens automatically via Banner services and the registrar's office.
6.) How do I make sure my web browser will work properly with D2L?
Participants should go to to the Desire2Learn login page at https://ecat.montana.edu and select the "System Check" hot link to verify that Desire2Learn will work properly with the web browser of choice. The "System Check" is designed to ensure that the computer system is properly configured for web courses delivered via D2L. It will return a page that indicates whether a browser is appropriate or not.
Note that the "System Check" will sometimes indicate that a browser "fails" and is not supported and yet, when using the browser, most things actually do work fine. If it works - use it. If it doesn't work in certain situations, try the action while using another browser.
7.) How do I navigate properly within my D2L course?
It is usually best to stay within the framed environment of the Desire2Learn system. For instance, use the menus bars and various hotlinked areas to navigate around in the course. Using the Back and Forward buttons on your browser toolbar may occasionally cause unpredictable results. If weird things occur, like, for instance, the browser freezes up, refresh the web page.
8.) What should I do when I´m done using D2L in a student lab or other public venue?
Click the "Logout" hotlink in the Desire2Learn "My Home" menu bar (up to the right, above the Pager icon). Participants will know of a successful log out when the browser returns the user to the Desire2Learn login page.9.) I want to know more about how D2L works - are online resources available?
Go to http://eu.montana.edu/d2l/help for the current Desire2Learn Student Resources section. Also, don't hesitate to search the web for resources from other schools who use D2L.
10.) My name has changed. What needs to happen so I can continue to log in to D2L?
After a legal change of name occurs (due to marriage, divorce, or other reasons) MSU-Bozeman students need to complete a 2-step process to ensure that they can continue to log in to D2L.
First: A "Name Change Form" should be filed with the Registrar's Office.
Second: After the Registrar has processed the name change and the new name is reflected in Banner, the student should contact the MSU-Bozeman HelpDesk (406-994-1777; helpdesk@montana.edu) so that the HelpDesk can change their external ID (first.last - AKA D2L Username) to match up with their name as it appears in Banner.
Note: After the MSU-Bozeman Helpdesk makes the change there is a delay due to the fact that updates are processed overnight. Students will find that they are temporarily unable to log in to their D2L account using either their new first.last D2L Username or their old first.last D2L Username. After the update takes place, students will be able to log in - typically on the following day.
11.) Why is D2L making noise at me??
If participants hear a persistant sound (like a beeping sound) when in D2L it may be coming from the D2L Pager. Look in the upper right hand corner of D2L, just under the Logout link to see the Pager icon. Click on it to view any received pages and the notification sound will go away. The pager is similar to instant messaging (IM) or online text messages. Individuals can adjust the related Pager settings: Different sounds for the pager can be chosen in My Preferences on the course homepage. By selecting Change my system Settings and then the Pager tab, participants can pick and choose from a variety of sounds - or select no sound.
12.) I am locked out of my pager because of an incomplete quiz! What can I do?
If an instructor has set the option to disable pager access during a quiz and a quiz attempt has been left "in progress" (e.g. you did not complete the steps to submit it), the individual will not be able to access the pager. To resume pager use, the participant should submit the quiz, or if it is past the quiz availability time, contact the instructor and ask he/she to submit an "in progress" quiz for the user. If it is for a past term, send an email to ecat@montana.edu.
13.) Can I forward my mail out of D2L?
Yes. Email in Desire2Learn is both internal and external to the system. Mail can be forwarded out and users can receive messages from external mail servers. For more on D2L email go here: http://eu.montana.edu/d2l/help/email/
14.) I forgot my password. I can´t get into D2L. My dog ate my laptop. What do I do?
If your instructor can´t answer the question, call the ITC Help Desk 994-1777, or email helpdesk@montana.edu - or contact MSU-Bozeman Desire2Learn support.
