LOR Planning Workbook

[Client Name]

[Date]

Desire2Learn Incorporated 151 Charles Street West, Suite 400, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 1H6 Canada

Toll Free: 1 888-772-0325 (U.S. & Canada) | Telephone: +1 519-77-0325 | Fax: +1 519-772-0324
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About this Document

This workbook is designed to help clients:

 Identify Learning Repositories required,

 Identify the purpose for each Repository,
 Identify what trusts, if any, each Role in the Learning Environment will have for each Repository,
(Administrator, Publisher, Consumer, and Viewer).
 Define whether the contents of the Repository will be made available to external entities,
 Identify any external repositories the client would like to connect to,
 Who owns the Intellectual Property Rights to the objects published to each LOR,
 Choose a Metadata base view for customization.

Based on the responses to this workbook, the next stage will involve creation, configuration, setting
metadata views and trusts for each LOR.

LOR Sample Use Cases

1. Centralized documentation space - different instructors from one org unit can have access
to the content stored in the LOR
2. Pending vs. approved LOR – an approval process to control what instructors are publishing to
their LOR.
3. Reusing content from semester to semester – a master course can be created containing the
links from the LOR in the desired order. The content of that master course can be copied to
future course offerings, while the links to the LOR are preserved.
4. Content preview widget – especially useful for self – enrollment – this widget will contain
links to LOR for students to preview before taking the class. It can contain preparatory
material for that and the benefit is that students do not have to have access to the LOR the
objects are linked from
5. Student LOR
a. library for students to check additional content, not mandatory but useful, which
was not included in the course lectures The Student LOR can also be used to store
“student support” material such as stress management, exam preparation etc.

b. Another Student LOR can be created where students are encouraged to publish
anything interested they found about a specific topic. Instructors can then approve
the content and make it available for all students to read.
6. Public LOR – by configuring and sharing the LOR’s url, everyone outside of D2L can have
access to the objects stored in that LOR

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7. Make areas from an LOR available to other universities – used if only certain objects are
shared outside of D2L
8. Harvesting and federation – external repositories can be integrated in D2L and their content
can be used in instructor’s classes.
9. The LOR provides a place where retiring professors can publish their legacy content
10. Review and comment – instructors teaching similar material can comment on the objects published in
the LOR (new publications on the same theme etc.)

LOR Needs Assessment

This section is designed to help the client identify the reason for each LOR to be created.

P U B L I S H I N G P RO C ES S
The publishing process is illustrated below. The learning material is created in a development course and
published into a repository. Users can then search the repository and use it in live courses by either
linking or downloading, depending on trusts.

Course 1

Development
Development
Course
Course publish LOR
LOR link/download Course 2
publish

Example Configurations for Learning Object Repositories

There are various use cases for having multiple repositories. However each additional repository adds to
the administrative overhead for the individuals tasked with managing them, so the best practice is to
create the minimum number of multi-purpose repositories.

EXAMPLE 1:
Organization-wide Repository: A central repository that is accessible to all departments and courses in
the Learning Environment. This repository is used to share learning materials and administrative
documents with a wide range of users.

D2L LE D2L LOR

Trusted org unit: Org

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EXAMPLE 2:
Org-unit Repositories: One or more org units (i.e. Department, Semester, Template or Course) have a
trust with a repository for the purposes of sharing materials within those org-units only. Access is
controlled based on whether a user is enrolled in a course under the org unit.

Trusted org unit: Math Dept Math LOR

Math

Arts Trusted org unit: Arts Dept Arts LOR

EXAMPLE 3:
Internal vs Externally Available: One or more Repositories are made externally available for sharing and
collaboration with either with partner institutions, public Repositories are made completely accessible,
while closed, controlled Repositories are used for internal sharing.

D2L LE Internal LOR

External LOR

External
Organization/
External LOR Internet

Public LOR
Open Educational Resource (OER)

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Content Type Specific: Repositories based on the type of material it contains.

Examples:
Multimedia LOR
Training Materials
Publisher Material (Usage Rights Restricted)

Workflow Oriented: Repositories used to organize materials by workflow status. Learning Objects can be
moved from one repository to another by changing the Current Repository under Manage Object.
Examples:
Work in Progress
For Review
Approved
Archives

Note: This can also be accomplished in a single LOR by enabling Publish Status by object (Draft,
Approved, Archived), but users cannot be restricted to searching by status.

Task 1: Identify Use Cases:

Use Case Notes

Example:
Instructor A can store and share course material in a department-wide repository.

Assumptions:
Instructor A wants to use his/her materials in other courses in the same department.

Desired Outcomes:
Instructor A can publish his/her materials to a departmental LOR and later retrieve them.
Instructors in the same department can search, preview and link (static or dynamic) to
Instructor A’s material.
Instructors not in the same department cannot access Instructor A’s material.

Affected Roles:
Publishers: D2L Admin, D2L Instructor
Consumers: D2L Admin, D2L Instructor

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R E P O S I TO R I ES S U M M A RY
To be completed by the Desire2Learn Implementation Consultant

Repository Description Trusts Roles

Name: Description: Org Units: Publishers:

Use Case: Configuration Notes:
Consumers:

R O L E I N T E R AC T I O N
Learning Object Repository security works in conjunction with the Learning Environment security settings to assign
permissions to users when they attempt to perform operations related to that repository, such as viewing,
searching, or publishing.

The trust permissions in a Learning Repository are the same as the permissions listed in the LOR section of Roles
and Permissions in the Learning Environment.

A user needs to have the same permission in both places – the LOR trust and the Learning Environment Roles and
Permissions – to access the functionality.

Therefore a user in a given role can be restricted access to one repository, while allowed access into another.

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Task 2: Permissions and Trusts

First list the LORs identified above. Next, for each LOR, determine which roles will:

 Search and View objects in the repository,

 Search and Retrieve (import, download, static- or dynamic-linking),
 Publish objects (including add/edit metadata)
 Administer the LOR and all objects within in (update object status, verify metadata)

An LOR can be open to all users in the entire organization, or be restricted to one or more specifically selected org
units such as departments or semesters.

Repository Search Retrieve Publish Administer

Example: D2L Admin D2L Admin D2L Admin D2L Admin

Main LOR D2L Instructor D2L Instructor D2L Instructor

C O M M U N I T Y V E RS U S CO N T RO L L E D A PP ROAC H

An LOR can be customized so that it is open to all users in the organization or locked down to a select
department or two. There are various costs and benefits to either approach, the final solution may lie
somewhere in between. An organization may have multiple LORs that vary between controlled and
community-oriented.

 A Community approach promotes sharing of Learning Objects across the organization as well as
externally, regardless of the user’s department or role. Users typically are given additional
permissions to publish, edit, tag and classify objects. This approach is useful for promoting
sharing and collaboration.
 A Controlled Approach results in an LOR that is locked down to certain departments or roles.
Objects may have to go through an approval and verification process before being made
available to a select group of users. This approach may be useful for storing material which have
restricted licensing and usage rights.

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Viewer Consume Creator

Permissions Admins
s rs s

View Objects in the LOR X X X X

Search the LOR + X X X

See the details of objects in the LOR X X X

View Metadata X X X

Edit metadata + X X

Add Classifications + + X

See LOR reports and stats X X X

Open and view an object’s files in the LOR + + X

Retrieve objects from the LOR + + X

Create links to objects in the LOR X X X

Publish to the LOR X X

Manage my objects in the LOR X X

Overwrite my objects in the LOR + X

Add reviews to objects in the LOR + X X

Manage reviews of objects in the LOR + X

Delete reviews of objects in the LOR X

See all hidden object in the LOR X

Manage all objects in the LOR X

Overwrite all objects in the LOR X

+ denotes permissions commonly associated with a Community approach (more permissions) vs a Controlled
approach (fewer permissions).

Task 3: List any additional considerations

This initial workbook is designed to promote structured thinking and planning of an LOR implementation. However
every institution has different requirements. List any additional considerations.

Examples:

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1. A repository that is shared by multiple Desire2Learn instances

2. Access to MERLOT and other Federated Search repositories
3. Integration with Library Services
4. Public repository

Appendix A: Learning Environment Permissions

Learning What the setting What users see Additional permissions
Repository allows users to do required in LOR and LE
tool
security
setting

Publish to Publish LOs and A publish link in the Files Manage Content
the LOR assets to the area the Manage Content permissions (in the Content
Learning Repository. page and in the Learning area.)
Repository pages. OR
Manage Files permissions
(in the Files area.)

Upload SCORM 1.2- The Upload To LOR link in

compliant packages, the My Admin Tools widget.
or an asset to the
Learning Repository.

Search the Find LOs and assets The Learning Repository None
LOR based on user-input link on the navigation bar.
search criteria.
Basic Local Search link on
the Learning Repository
search pages.
Advanced Local Search link
on the Learning Repository
search pages.

The Import from Learning Create Course permissions

Object Repository link on (in the Manage Courses
the Create Course area.)
Summary page.

The Add Learning Object Manage Content

link in Manage Content, and permissions (in the Manage
Content area.)
the Learning Object
Repository link in the Files OR
area.
Manage Files permissions
(in the Files area.) and
Create Link permission

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Learning What the setting What users see Additional permissions

Repository allows users to do required in LOR and LE
tool
security
setting

The Insert Image/Object HTML editor permissions

from Repository button in AND
the HTML editor.
Create Link

The “Learning Object Various permissions,

Repository” category on the depending on access
Insert QuickLink page. points.

From Learning Object Course Import permissions

Repository option on the
Import Course Package
area.

Federated Search link on Configuration variables

the Learning Repository d2l.Tools.LOR.
search pages. PerformFederatedSearch
and d2l.Tools.LOR.
MERLOTKey

Retrieve Import LOs and The Retrieve Object link Search the LOR
objects from assets published in next to a learning object or
the LOR the LOR to content asset, after search results
or Files area of the are returned.
org unit.
Export copies of
published LOs and
assets to desktop.

Create links Allows dynamic or The Retrieve Object link Search LORs, Create and
to objects in locked links that next to a learning object or Edit Modules and Topics in
the LOR point to LOs or asset, after search results Learning Environment,
assets in the LOR to are returned. Manage Content
be created in the org
unit’s content tool. LOR link in the HTML
editor on creating a new file
Allows the user to
in the content tool.
create dynamic or
locked QuickLinks. LOR listed in the QuickLink
drop-down menus for
Allows the user to
creating a link within a
create direct, locked
topic, creating a new topic,
links to images and
creating a new file.
media objects from
inside the HTML
editor.

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Learning What the setting What users see Additional permissions

Repository allows users to do required in LOR and LE
tool
security
setting

Manage my Edit or delete any The Edit, Multi-edit, For editing and deleting,
objects in LOs or assets that N/A.
Delete and multi-
the LOR they published to the
delete icons after search For moving, the user must
LOR.
results are returned. have the Manage all objects
Move a learning in the LOR or Manage my
The Visibility check box in
object or asset that objects in the LOR
the Publish Asset, Publish
they published from permission in the
Learning Objects, and
one LOR to another, destination LOR.
Publish by Upload pages.
provided that they
For publishing, Publish to
also have the
the LOR.
Manage my objects
in the LOR or
Manage all objects in
the LOR permission
in the destination
LOR.

See LOR Allows the user to Event Log tab on the View Search the LOR, See the
reports and view reports on the Contents page. details of objects in the
stats usage of the LOR.
LO/asset.

View objects View a learning The names of LOs and From within the LOR, Search
in the LOR object or asset from assets as links after search the LOR.
within the LOR, from results are returned.
From outside the LOR, none.
a link in Content or
The names of LOs, assets,
from a QuickLink.
and sub-objects as links on
the View Contents page.

See the View information The View Details link Search the LOR.
details of about a learning next to a learning object or
objects in object or asset, asset after search results
the LOR including its are returned.
metadata, the files
the LO or asset
contains, and reports
on its usage. If the
object is complex,
then it allows the
user to view the sub-
object structure of
the LO, as well as
the metadata of the
sub-objects.

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Learning What the setting What users see Additional permissions

Repository allows users to do required in LOR and LE
tool
security
setting

Manage all Edit or delete any The Edit, Multi-edit, For editing and deleting,
objects in LOs or assets in the none.
Delete and multi-
the LOR LOR.
delete icons after search For moving, the user must
Move any LO or results are returned. have the Manage all objects
asset from one LOR in the LOR permission in the
The Visibility check box in
to another, provided destination LOR as well. If
the Publish Asset, Publish
that they also have the LO/asset being moved
Learning Objects, and
the Manage all was published by the user,
Publish by Upload pages.
objects in the LOR then the Manage my
permission in the objects in the LOR
destination LOR. permission in the
destination LOR will suffice.
For publishing, Publish to
the LOR.

Overwrite Overwrite LOs or The Overwrite an existing Publish to the LOR.

my objects in assets that they learning object or asset link
the LOR published to the on the Publish Asset and
LOR. Publish Learning Objects
pages.

Overwrite all Overwrite any LO or The Overwrite an existing Publish to the LOR.
objects in asset in the LOR. learning object or asset link
the LOR on the Publish Asset and
Publish Learning Objects
pages.

Open and Allows the user to The file names are Configuration variable
view an click file names on presented as links on the “d2l.Tools.LOR.SeeFiles”,
object’s files the View Files page View Files page. Search the LOR, See the
in the LOR to open and view the details of objects in the
files. LOR.

See all LOs or assets that The LO/Asset Hidden icon From inside the LOR, Search
hidden were published and next to the hidden LO or the LOR.
objects in hidden by other asset after search results From outside the LOR, View
the LOR users. are returned. objects in the LOR.
Allows the user to
view a learning
object or asset from
a QuickLink or a link
in Manage Content
even if the LO or
asset is hidden and
was not published by
the user.

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Learning What the setting What users see Additional permissions

Repository allows users to do required in LOR and LE
tool
security
setting

Add reviews Allows the user to The Add Review button on Configuration variable
to objects in add a review to a the View Reviews page. “d2l.Tools.LOR.SeeReviews”
the LOR learning object in the
Search the LOR, See the
LOR.
details of objects in the LOR

Manage Allows the user to The Hide Comments and Configuration variable
reviews of hide or show “d2l.Tools.LOR.SeeReviews”
objects in comments on a Show Comments icons
on the View Reviews page. Search the LOR, See the
the LOR review for a learning
details of objects in the LOR
object in the LOR.

Delete Allows the user to The Delete Reviews icon Configuration variable
reviews of delete a review from on the View Reviews page. “d2l.Tools.LOR.SeeReviews”
objects in a learning object in
Search the LOR, See the
the LOR the LOR.
details of objects in the LOR

Can Manage Allows users to see Edit button on the

LORs in the and manage LORs in properties for LORs listed in
DOME the DOME the DOME

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