Brightspace
Start here
Use the Start Here menu to find key Brightspace instructor resources, including how to log in, navigate the platform, access your courses and classlist, review accommodations, prepare your course for the start of term, and connect with additional training and student support.
Login: Access Brightspace by logging in with your NIC credentials.
Navigation: Learn how to navigate courses and tools in Brightspace. (Create new video)
Access Your Courses: Learn the difference between ‘Live’ and ‘Master’ courses and how to pin them for easy access.
Classlist and Accommodations: Manage your students and view accommodations through the Brightspace Classlist.
Course Design: Create Brightspace courses with clear navigation and engaging tools for student success.(Create new video)
Term Start Checklist [PDF]: Use this Term Start Checklist to prepare your course for the beginning of the term.
Make Course Active: Activate your course in Brightspace to make it visible and accessible to students. (Create new video)
Activate Welcome Widget: Set up the Welcome Widget — a pop-up that students see when they first enter the course. (Create new video)
Data Retention Policy: Learn how long course data is kept, when it is deleted, and how NIC manages this information.
Textbook (or Technology) Integrations: Outlines NIC’s approval process for integrating external resources.
Brightspace Basics Course: A training course within Brightspace to help you learn and practice the platform.
Student Brightspace Support: Explore the Learn Anywhere website, where students can find guidance on Brightspace.
Content
Use the Content menu to learn how to build and organize course materials in Brightspace, including uploading and managing files, copying course content, using Course Builder and HTML templates, adding documents and media, setting dates and release conditions, and backing up your course.
Content Tool Overview: Explore the Content tool and how it helps organize and deliver course materials.
Upload Files: Learn how to upload and manage your course files in Brightspace. (Create 2 new videos)
Import or Copy Course Materials: Learn how to copy an entire course or selected components in Brightspace. (Create new video)
Course Builder and HTML Templates: Use Course Builder and HTML templates to create engaging course content. (Create 3 new videos)
Adding Documents (PDFs, Word Docs, PowerPoints, Google Docs): Learn how to add documents for easy student access.(Create a new video — combine 2 into one)
Adding Media and Links: Learn how to add media and links to enrich your Brightspace course content. (Create a 2 new videos — combine others)
Adding Dates and Release Conditions: Learn how to set dates and release conditions to control course content access.
Backup Your Course: Learn how to back up your Brightspace course by exporting it. (Create new video for entire course export and add images to 2nd accordion)
Communication
Use the Communication below to explore tools in Brightspace that help you connect with students, including Announcements and the Activity Feed, Email and Instant Messages, and the Welcome Window.
Announcements and Activity Feed: Learn how to use announcements and the activity feed to keep students informed. (Add images to accordion, create new video for Activity Feed)
Email and Instant Messages: Learn how to send emails and instant messages to communicate with students.
Welcome Window: Activate the Welcome Window to make it the first thing students see when entering your course.
Assignments
Use the Assignments menu to learn how to create and manage assignments in Brightspace, including setting up assignments, attaching rubrics, grading submissions, and viewing assignments from the student perspective.
Create an Assignment: Learn how to create assignments for students in your Brightspace course. (Create 2 new videos — make one an Overview Assignment Tool)
Create and Attach a Rubric: Learn how to create and attach rubrics to assignments in Brightspace. (Create a new video)
Grade an Assignment: Learn how to grade student assignments in Brightspace.
Student Submission View: See your course from a student’s perspective in Brightspace. (Create a new video)
Discussions
Use the Discussions menu to learn how to create and manage discussion activities in Brightspace, including setting up discussion forums and topics, moderating posts and visibility, attaching rubrics, and grading discussions.
Create a Discussion: Learn how to create discussions to engage students in Brightspace. (Update PDF & Create new Overview video on group discussions, create 1:1 discussion video, create overview video)
Moderate or Manage Visibility Restrictions for Discussions: Learn how to moderate discussions and manage visibility. (Create new video)
Create and Attach a Rubric: Learn how to create and attach a rubric to a discussion in Brightspace.
Grade a Discussion: Learn how to grade student discussions in Brightspace.
Quizzes
Use the Quizzes menu to learn how to create and manage quizzes in Brightspace, including building and editing quizzes, grading attempts, and printing quizzes.
Create and Edit a Quiz: Learn how to create and edit quizzes in Brightspace. (Create 8 new quiz videos — see where embeds are, fix blurry video embeds, add to edit attempt)
Grade a Quiz: Learn how to manually grade quizzes in Brightspace. (Create 1 new quiz video showing how to manually grade quizzes)
Print a Quiz: Learn how to print hard copies of quizzes in Brightspace, for DALS or other needs.
Grades
Use the Grades menu to learn how to set up and manage the gradebook in Brightspace, including configuring grade items, entering and releasing grades, attaching rubrics, and submitting final grades.
Grades Tool Overview: Explore the Grades tool to track and manage student performance in Brightspace. (Create 3 new videos, fix blurry video in accordion)
Gradebook Setup: Learn how to set up your gradebook in Brightspace. (Create 6 new videos and fix blurry video embed)
Pass/Fail Grade Items: Learn how to create pass/fail grade items in Brightspace. (Create new video and PDF)
Add a Rubric to a Grade Item: Learn how to add a rubric to a grade item in Brightspace.
Entering Grades: Learn how to enter grades manually in Brightspace.
Release Final Grades: Learn how to release final grades to students in Brightspace. (Create new video and PDF)
Submitting Final Grades: Learn how to submit final grades, either by exporting to SIS or entering them manually to myNIC. (Update 3 PDFs)
Other Tools
Use the Other Tools menu to explore additional features in Brightspace, including Groups, Surveys, Quick Eval, Manage Dates, Class Progress, activity logs, Checklists, and Bulk Edit.
Groups: Learn how to create and manage student groups in Brightspace. (Create new video)
Surveys: Learn how to create and manage surveys to gather student feedback in Brightspace. (Create new video)
Quick Eval: Learn how to use Quick Eval for course-wide or Brightspace-wide submissions. (Create new video)
Manage Dates: Learn how to use Manage Dates to bulk update course dates in Brightspace. (Create new screenshots to match arrows, create new video for Overview)
Class Progress: Learn how to track student progress in content and activities using Class Progress in Brightspace. (Create new video)
Logs (Tracking Activity History): Learn how to use logs to track activity history and troubleshoot submission errors. (Create new video)
Checklists: Learn how to use checklists in Brightspace to help students stay on task. (Create new video)
Bulk Edit: Learn how to use the Bulk Edit tool in Brightspace to update assignments, quizzes, grades, and dates efficiently. (Create new video)