Importing Learning Portfolios from D2L

When creating portfolios or pages in PebblePad, you may wish to import and edit content from projects created in other learning portfolios, in this case, D2L. D2L was the primary learning portfolio tool previously used by McMaster University.

While there is no direct way to import presentations from D2L into PebblePad, it's still possible to carry over all its elements, such as images and text. These elements can then be arranged in a new PebblePad project.

1. Log into Avenue to Learn and click on the Learning Portfolio menu at the top of the page. Select Learning Portfolio (D2L).

2. This will open your D2L space, where you can open or create portfolio presentations. Find and open the presentation you wish to transfer to PebblePad.

3. Click on the small downward arrow/triangle beside the title of the presentation and click on the Export option.

4. When you click Export, you are given two options. Both will download as .zip files:

Export HTML version of the page: This will export the presentation as an HTML page, which can then be uploaded and viewed (but not edited) in PebblePad. However, it will also download folders with all the elements of the presentation, including images and text that can then be used in PebblePad to make a new portfolio page.

Export presentation to a Learning Portfolio package: This will also export all the content from your presentation. However, it is much easier to retrieve the files in your presentation with this method.

5. Download either option and open the .zip file.

Export presentation to a Learning Portfolio package: All your images and documents will have their own files in the “files” folder. However, the “files” folder will not contain any written text from the presentation.

6. To retrieve the written text, open the objects.xml link. This will open a new internet page that categorizes the elements of your presentation. Search for the desired text under the appropriate subheading (such as <Banner Text>, which will have beside it any text you put in for the banner). Copy and save this text for later use.

7. Create a new PebblePad portfolio or page. Upload all files and images as assets and create text blocks in the projects to paste in the saved text from the presentations.