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Checklists
Recommended Best Practices
- Use checklists to break down complex tasks or multi-step processes into manageable pieces
- Create weekly or module-based checklists to help students track required activities
- Add descriptions and use quicklinks to connect checklist items directly to relevant course materials
- Be thoughtful about adding due dates to checklist items, since these appear in the course calendar and the Work to Do widget alongside assignment deadlines
- Keep checklist items clear and action-oriented (for example, “Complete Module 2 Quiz” rather than “Module 2 Quiz”)
When to Use Checklists
Checklists work well when you want to:
- Guide students through multi-step processes: Break down complex assignments, research projects, or lab procedures into sequential tasks
- Organize weekly or modular activities: Help students track readings, activities, and assessments within a specific timeframe
- Support assignment preparation: Provide a checklist of steps students should complete before submitting major work
- Encourage self-assessment: Create reflection prompts or skill-building tasks that students can work through at their own pace
Creating a Checklist
Step-by-step instructions
- Go to Course Admin
- Under the Assessment section, select Checklists
- Click New Checklist
- Name: Give your checklist a descriptive title (for example, “Week 3 Tasks” or “Research Essay Preparation”)
- Description: (Optional) Add instructions or context for students about how to use this checklist
- New window option: You can check “Open this checklist in a new window when viewed” if you want the checklist to always open separately, though most instructors leave this unchecked
- Click Save
Categories help organize your checklist items into logical groups. For example, a weekly checklist might have categories for “Readings,” “Activities,” and “Assessments.”
- Click New Category
- Give your category a name
- Add a description if needed
- Click Save
- Repeat to add more categories if your checklist needs them
- Click New Item
- Choose which Category this item belongs to from the dropdown menu
- Name: Write a clear, action-oriented task (for example, “Read Chapter 4” or “Complete discussion post”)
- Description: (Optional) Add details or instructions
- You can use the Insert Quicklink button to link directly to course materials, assignments, discussions, or quizzes
- Due Date: (Optional) Consider whether adding a due date is helpful
- If checked, set the date and time
- You can also check “Display in Calendar” to show this due date in students’ calendars
- Keep in mind that checklist due dates appear alongside assignment deadlines in the Work to Do widget, so use them thoughtfully to avoid overwhelming students
- Click Save or Save and New to add another item
After creating your checklist, you need to make it visible to students by adding it to a module.
- Go to Course Materials > Content
- Navigate to the module where you want the checklist to appear
- Click Existing Activities dropdown
- Select Checklist
- Choose the checklist you created
- Click Insert
Watch this video to see the process for creating an itemized checklist
Managing Your Checklists
Editing Checklists, Categories, and Items
To make changes to an existing checklist:
- Go to Course Admin > Checklists
- Click on the checklist name you want to edit
- Make your changes to the checklist name, description, categories, or items
- Click Save and Close
You can also edit individual categories or items directly from the Edit Checklist page by selecting the checkbox next to the item and clicking Edit.
Reordering Items
To change the order of categories or items:
- On the Edit Checklist page, click Reorder
- Use the dropdown menus to select new order numbers
- Click Save
Previewing as a Student
Before making your checklist live, preview it to see what students will experience:
- Go to Course Admin > Checklists
- Expand the dropdown menu next to your checklist name
- Click Preview in a new window
Tips for Effective Checklists
Keep items actionable: Write each item as something students can complete and check off. Use verbs like “read,” “complete,” “review,” “submit,” or “participate.”
Use quicklinks strategically: When adding descriptions to checklist items, use the Insert Quicklink feature to link directly to the relevant assignment, discussion, reading, or quiz. This saves students time and reduces confusion about where to find materials.
Consider calendar integration carefully: While you can add due dates to checklist items, remember that these appear in students’ calendars alongside assignment, quiz, and discussion deadlines. Too many calendar items can overwhelm students, especially when they’re enrolled in multiple courses. Use checklist due dates when they add value beyond what’s already in your gradebook.
Group logically: Use categories to organize items in a way that makes sense for your course structure. Weekly categories work well for some courses, while topic-based or activity-type categories might be better for others.
Further Resources
- D2L: Create a checklist
- Dates, Deadlines, and Availability Quick Guide
- Set up release conditions (for advanced checklist options)
Contact edtech@langara.ca for more information.
