Administrator Documentation

Set up Lessons

Enable New Content Experience

The New Content Experience (NCE) gives you a modern, streamlined content workflow without requiring migration. All content available in Classic Content is visible in the New Content Experience as well making deciding to use the New Content Experience is as easy as flipping a switch.

Use this guide to decide how to enable New Content Experience across your organization.

Choose how to introduce the New Content Experience

You can roll out the New Content Experience broadly, or you can trial it first. No migration is required. All Classic Content remains visible in the New Content Experience.

Option 1: Instructor opt-in (course level): You allow selected roles to switch a course between Classic Content and the New Content Experience.
Option 2: Pilot with selected org units: You enable the New Content Experience only for specific departments, programs, semesters, or course offerings.
Option 3: Enable everywhere: You turn on the New Content Experience across the organization at the Organization level.

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Important: Changing the content experience for a course changes the view for everyone in that course, including learners.

Before you begin

Enable these settings regardless of which rollout option you choose.

To allow any course to use the New Content Experience across your organization

Go to Admin Tools > Config Variable Browser.
Search for d2l.Tools.Content.IsLessonsEnabled (Org).
Set the Org value to ON, and click Save.

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Note: This does not change the content experience for existing courses; it only allows the New Content Experience to be used.

To enable inline pages for assessable activities in the New Content Experience (optional but recommended)

Go to Admin Tools > Config Variable Browser.
Search for d2l.Tools.Content.LessonsRenderActivitiesInline (Org Unit).
Select Add Value > Select Org Unit.
Search for and select your Organization (top of the org unit hierarchy), then click Update.
From Value, select ON, then click Save.

Note: This enables inline pages for Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions in courses using the New Content Experience. Refer to New Display Pages for Assessable Activities in New Content Experience for details.

To enable the enhanced table of contents in the New Content Experience (optional but recommended)

Go to Admin Tools > Config Variable Browser.
Search for d2l.Tools.Content.EnableLessonsEnhancedTOC (Org Unit).
Select Add Value > Select Org Unit.
Search for and select your Organization (top of the org unit hierarchy), then click Update.
From Value, select ON, then click Save.

Note: This provides unlimited module depth, learner completion checkmarks, improved drag and drop, and an updated list that uses whitespace more effectively.

Option 1: Let instructors opt in at the course level

To allow selected roles to switch a course between Classic Content and the New Content Experience

Go to Admin Tools > Config Variable Browser.
Search for d2l.Tools.Content.ChooseContentExperience (Role) and select it.
Click Add Value.
From Role, select Instructor (and any additional roles as needed).
From Value, select ON, then click Save.

Note: Keep this setting at the Instructor level or higher. Switching affects the view for all users in the course.

Option 2 : Pilot with selected org units

To enable the New Content Experience only for specific org units

Click Admin Tools > Config Variable Browser
Search for d2l.Tools.Content.UseLessonsExperience (OrgUnit) and select it.
Click Add Value > Select Org Unit.
Select the org unit or units that should use the New Content Experience.
From Value, select ON, then click Save.

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Tip:

To efficiently enable New Content Experience for all future courses, but leave active courses using Classic Content, set UseLessonsExperience to ON at the Organization level, and add any org units that should remain on Classic Content with an OFF override.

You can combine this option with Option 1 so instructors outside the pilot can opt in at the course level.

Option 3: Enable everywhere

To enable the New Content Experience across the entire organization

Click Admin Tools > Config Variable Browser
Search for d2l.Tools.Content.UseLessonsExperience (OrgUnit) and select it.
Click Add Value > Select Org Unit.
Search for your Organization (top of the org unit hierarchy), select it, and select Update.
From Value, select ON, then click Save.
Remove any OFF overrides in child org units that would prevent inheritance of ON.