Create a shared class folder on Google Drive
Did you know that Google Drive can be used to share documents, spreadsheets, forms, as well as audio and video - which can be played directly in Google drive?
If you've decided to use Google Drive to share resources with your students, we recommend you start by creating a shared folder on Google Drive.
Once you create a folder and ensure the students have access to view the contents of the folder, all you need to do is upload the content to be shared!
Below, we have outlined two different ways of sharing this folder, depending on the nature of the content.
Google Drive can be found in my.ryerson.ca, under "Apps".
Important: If you plan to use Google Drive to have your students upload or collaborate on work, we recommend making the folder completely private.

- Click the "New" button in the top-left corner of Google Drive.
- Click "Folder" in the menu.
- Enter a name for the new folder. We recommend using a combination of your course code, term and section number (if appropriate).
- Click the "Create" button at the bottom.
Note: you can create folders within this folder to further organize the content you wish to share with your students.
Are your students emailing you to request access to a Google document that you know you have already shared with the class?
It may be that the student has another Google account that is conflicting with their Ryerson account, and is preventing them from accessing your shared resources.
Here is a workflow that should prevent this problem.
These instructions can also be found on the student guide to accessing content in D2L Brightspace - please feel free to share it with them.


These steps will help to ensure you can access content that is shared with you from Google Drive.
- Go to google.com, external link and click on the user icon in the top-right corner. Not only will this page tell you which account you are currently logged into, you will be able to logout or add your Ryerson account to this list.
- Once you get to this screen, you can either "sign out of all accounts" (the quick method) or click "add another account" and then proceed to login using your Ryerson email address and password. (In the example here, you will see that I have both my Ryerson account and my personal account listed)
- Go to my.ryerson.ca and log out completely. You're going to start the login process from scratch.
- After logging out, log back in at my.ryerson.ca. Complete the remaining steps within 30 minutes.
- Click on Apps and open Google Drive, just to ensure you have a new session in your Ryerson Google account.
- Proceed to the page or application from which you are trying to access shared Google content (D2L Brightspace, email, or another application used in your course).
The "quick method" (logging out of Google) is useful for a one-time access of materials, but adding your Ryerson account will ensure your access isn't impeded long-term. If your course relies heavily on materials shared from Google Drive, adding your Ryerson account may be the better option.
Another tip: use a different web browser for your Ryerson work than for your personal communications. We recommend using Chrome if you use Google tools at Ryerson frequently, so consider using something like Mozilla Firefox or Safari for your personal accounts.