Brightspace help guide

To access Brightspace, visit https://bright.uvic.ca and enter your Netlink ID and passphrase.

Watch the Brightspace video on navigating Brightspace as an instructor. Edit your user profile, notifications, and account settings by changing your personal settings.

1. In the My Courses widget (left), hover over a course
2. Select the three dots in the right corner, then Pin

Please refer to the D2L documentation on internet browser compatibility and troubleshooting. If you have trouble interacting with something on Brightspace, please ensure that your browser is up to date and supported, or email us 

The New Content Experience uses the terminology of units (modules/folders) and lessons (sub-modules/subfolders)

Adding content tutorials:

1. Create a new unit
2. Create a new lesson
3. Create a page with a template for more accessible content. Note that adding a template will overwrite any existing content, so have a copy of your content elsewhere just in case. Settings information for pages is available (Create new content and Format your document).
4. Existing Brightspace content (e.g., a quiz, assignment you built)
5. Add files from your computer/device

1. Select Content in the navigation bar, then the unit you want to add the tool to.
2. Select Add Existing, then External Tool Activity.
3. In the pop-up window, select the tool you wish to add.

Hiding content

• Select Content in the navigation bar, then the thing you want to hide.
• Select the Visible toggle (left of Add Existing button) until it says Hidden. It will then show an eye with a slash through it.

1. Create a new module/sub-module
2. Create a new topic (including adding existing Brightspace activities)
3. Create a page with a template for more accessible content (video on adding a template from 0:00 to 1:24). Note that adding a template will overwrite any existing content, so have a copy of your content elsewhere just in case.

1. Select Content in the navigation bar, then the module you want to add the tool to.
2. Select Existing Activities, then External Learning Tools.
3. In the pop-up window, select the tool you wish to add.

• Click the eight dots icon to the left of the module/sub-module name.
• Drag it to the desired location.

• Locate the item in Content
• Select the drop-down menu to the right of its title, then Edit HTML
• Make your changes.
• Select Save and Close when finished.

If you have the Instructor, Supplemental Instructor, or Program Administrator role, you can activate your course with these steps (or watch the video tutorial):

1. Navigate to your course
2. In the Course Tools drop-down menu, select Course Admin and then Course Offering Information
3. Under Active, select the checkbox beside Course is active. A checkmark should appear
4. Under Start Date, ensure that the course start date is correct (e.g., the start of the term or a couple of days before)
5. Click Save at the bottom of the page

1. Navigate to your course
2. In the Course Tools drop-down menu, select Course Admin and then Course Offering Information
3. Do one of the following:
   • Under Active, uncheck the checkbox beside Course is active, OR
   • Under End Date, check the box next to Course has end date.
   • Click Save at the bottom of the page

1. Navigate to the new Brightspace course page you wish to copy content to
2. Select the cog wheel in the top right corner and select Import/Export/Copy Components
3. Under Copy Components from another Org Unit (selected by default), click Search for offering
4. In the Select Course Offering pop-up window, type the name of the course you want to copy content from, then select Search
5. When you locate the course in the list, select it using the button to the left of the course name, then click the Add Selected button
6. In the Import/Export/Copy Components window, choose either Copy All Components to copy over all course components or Select Components to choose which components to copy over
7. If you choose Copy All Components, the copying process will start automatically and you will be notified when the copying is complete
8. If you choose Select Components, you will need to specify which items you wish to copy over
9. Click Continue until you reach the Finish button - a page will appear showing you the progress of the copying
10. After the copying is done, you can use the View Content button to check what was copied over

1. Navigate to your course
2. Select Classlist and find your demo student
3. Select the drop-down menu next to their name, then Impersonate
4. Select Yes in the pop-up window
5. To exit the demo student role, select your name in the top left corner, then X

1. Navigate to your course
2. Select your name in the top left corner, then View as Learner
3. To exit the learner role, select your name in the top left corner, then X

• Created automatically (mid‑May for Fall/Spring; mid‑February for Summer)
• Students are added automatically as they register
• Hidden from students until you activate the course (and start date, if set)

• Need to be requested. Please fill out our non-CRN course request form
• Require manual enrollment (course site administrator or self-enrollment)
• Hidden from students until activated and the start date (if set) has passed

• Teaching Assistant
• Super Teaching Assistant
• Supplemental Instructor (an instructor other than the Instructor on Record)
• Supplemental Learner (most often used when students officially registered in the course are not in the Classlist yet)

1. Navigate to your course
2. Select Classlist in the navigation bar
3. Select the Add Participants button, then the Add existing users option
4. Search for an individual by typing their name or V number in the search bar and using the search icon (magnifying glass)
5. Select the user you would like to enroll by checking off the box next to their name
6. Use the drop-down menu next to their name to assign a role
7. Select Enrol Selected Users (bottom left). You will be taken to a confirmation page

If you need to adjust the role you have given someone, follow the steps above and choose a different role from the drop-down menu (step six), then click the Enrol Selected Users button.

To remove someone from a course:

1. Navigate to your course
2. Select Classlist in the navigation bar
3. Search for the participant(s) you would like to remove and click on the box next to their name
4. Once all the participant(s) have been chosen, select Unenrol (top of the list of names)
5. Confirm your choice and the participant(s) will be removed

1. Select Online Tools (top right corner)
2. Select Instructor Services (blue bar at the top). If this is not available, contact the Computer Help Desk. If your course is not listed, contact your department
3. Select Course management under Administrative tools.
4. Under Enrolment options, use the drop-down menus to select your preferences for waitlist and auditing access.
5. Select Continue, then Confirm. Their Brightspace access should then update within 24 hours.

1. Select the Course Tools drop-down menu, then Groups.
2. Select New Category.
3. Add a title and select the Enrollment Type from the drop-down menu (descriptions of group types are available here).
4. Specify other group settings as needed (e.g., group assessments, discussions).

• Go to [insert your Brightspace course name here].
• Near the top, select the Course Tools drop-down menu, then Groups.
• At the top left of the page, select View Available Groups.
• Find the group you want to join, then select Join Group under the Actions column.

1. Select the Course Tools drop-down menu, then Assignments
2. Next to the title of your group assignment, double-check for a group activity icon (three people clustered together) and a grade item icon (ribbon/badge)
3. Hide both the assignment and the grade item to ensure students do not receive notifications about their grades when publishing results
4. Publish the assignment feedback
5. At the top of the page, select Grades
6. In Enter Grades, locate the grade item
7. Select the drop-down menu icon next to its name, then Enter Grades
8. Locate the student and adjust their feedback as needed
9. Select Save and Close

The Classlist tool can be used to send emails and add existing Brightspace users.

More information on the Classlist.

Use announcements to share important updates, reminders and course information with students. Announcements appear on the course homepage and can also be sent to students by email if they have opted in to receive notifications. Students can choose to receive email notifications of announcements to their preferred email (this may or may not be an @uvic.ca email address). Emails for announcements are only sent out when the Brightspace site is active, the start date (if set) has passed and the student has chosen to opt in to emails for announcements.

Other resources

• Create or schedule announcements
• Delete or restore an announcements
• Edit announcements
• Reorder announcements
• Pin an announcement to the top

1. Select the Course Tools drop-down menu, then Groups
2. Follow the instructions on setting up self-enrollment groups - In step 3, choose # of Groups, Capacity of # - Self Enrollment if you want to limit how many students can sign up for a particular group (e.g., 10 groups with a maximum of 3 students each)

1. Go to Content in your Brightspace course
2. Select the module/sub-module (or unit/lesson in the New Content Experience) you want to add the sign-up sheet to
3. In the Classic Content Experience, select Upload/Create and Create File (if using the New Content Experience, select Create and Page)
4. Add a title (e.g., “Sign up sheet for [activity]”)
5. Select the Quicklink icon (quicklink icon of three chain links) in the editor, then scroll down and select Self-Enrollment Groups
6. Select the relevant self-enrolling group
7. Reformat the text and make any other changes as desired
8. Select Save and Close

1. Create a discussion forum and topic through
   • The New Content Experience
   • The Classic Content Experience
   • The Discussions tool
2. Manage discussion forums and topics (e.g., start date, hiding)
   • Set up group discussions 
   • Set up individual blogs/reflective journals 
   • Evaluate discussion topics

1. To create a new quiz, select Course Tools in the Navigation bar and select Quizzes
2. Select the New Quiz button
3. To administer a quiz to students, add it to Course Content

View the video tutorial

1. Navigate to Course Tools and select Quizzes
2. Select Question Library
3. Create a New section, from the dropdown menu; a new folder/quiz section will be created and named
4. Select Save and continue to the new section that you just created
5. Select Import and choose Browse Existing Questions from the dropdown menu. A popup will open on your right
6. Select Source and choose the name of the quiz you want to be imported
7. Select the questions to be added by selecting Add
8. When finished, select Done Editing Questions

1. Select Course Tools in your navbar, then select Quizzes
2. Select the Question Library tab
3. Select Import, under the Import drop down menu, select Upload a File
4. Underneath the file drop, box you will see an option to Download template CSV. Select this to download a CSV template
5. Download the CSV template from Brightspace
6. Delete unused question types
7. Add your questions using the template
8. Copy and paste and then edit to add more questions using the same format

1. Select Course Tools
2. Select the Quizzes tool from the drop-down menu
3. Select the drop-down arrow beside the quiz that you want to preview
4. Select Preview

1. Navigate to the Quick Eval tool on the navbar
2. Find the quiz you wish to publish feedback for and select Submission List
3. Select Show Search Options next to the search bar
4. Navigate to the drop-down menu under Restrict to
5. Select which users (learners) you want to grade
6. Select the magnifying glass search icon to apply the search options
7. You can select individual students’ submissions or select the checkbox at the top-left of the list to select all students
8. Select Publish Feedback
9. Select OK/Yes when prompted by Brightspace to confirm your choice

1. Navigate to the Quick Eval tool on the navbar
2. Select Activities in the View by options
3. By default, Brightspace will show you the Completion and Evaluated status information. Hover over the quiz you want to mark for the option to Evaluate All to appear.
4. Check Quiz Results to verify that the Score is correct and add any missing scores that were not auto-graded
5. If you want to add feedback for question:
   1. Expand the Expand question feedback tab
   2. Add your written feedback into the box that appears
   3. Collapse the feedback box by selecting Collapse question feedback
6. When you are done grading a student, you can evaluate the next student by using the arrow at the bottom-right of the page.

1. Navigate to Course Tools > and select Quizzes
2. Select the quiz you want to edit
3. Go to the Assessment tab
4. Leave the Automatic Grade option unchecked

1. Navigate to the Quick Eval tool in the navbar
2. Select Evaluate All for the quiz you wish to grade
3. Grade and verify answers for each quiz
4. Select the Save Draft button at the bottom right of the evaluation screen
5. Navigate to the next student’s submission by selecting the forward arrow at the top right of the screen

When manually grading short answers, you should double check the score as the system does not consider spelling or capitalization differences between the students’ answer and the answer key. When grading written answers, the system will not auto-grade.

You have the option to either publish the individually graded quiz or save it as a draft and continue marking the remaining quizzes.

1. Select Course Tools and then Assignments from the navigation bar
2. Select the New Assignment button
3. Enter the name of your assignment (required), its score in points (if relevant), due date, instructions, and any files (if relevant). If you input a value (score) in the Grade Out Of box, an extra setting will appear. It will let you link the assignment to a grade item in the gradebook.
4. To upload a file, select the File Upload button (small cloud icon with upward-facing arrow) and select the appropriate source from the pop-up window
5. Once you have selected your file location or dropped the file in the window, select the Add button
6. Select Save and Close

1. From the New Assignment or Edit Assignment page, expand Availability Dates & Conditions
2. Enter a Start Date and/or an End Date
3. Select Add Release Condition, if desired
   1. Select Release Condition and select Create New
   2. Select a Condition Type
   3. Select the Assignment Submission Folder
   4. Select Create
   5. Select Save and Close
4. Select Manage Special Access, if desired
   1. Select an access option
   2. Select Add Users to Special Access
   3. Configure due and availability dates
   4. Select Save, then select Save and Close

1. Navigate to the Course Tools drop-down menu and select Assignments
2. Select More Actions, select Preview
3. Select an assignment
4. Select Allow this preview submission to be available in the folder
5. Select Add a File and upload a test submission
6. Select Submit
7. Select Exit Preview

New assignments are hidden by default. Visibility controls whether an assignment is published, based on the availability dates and conditions set by the instructor. To avoid student confusion, publish assignments only when they are ready.

1. Navigate to Course Tools > select Assignments
2. Either select the appropriate assignment or create a new assignment
3. Select the visibility slider to move it from hidden to visible
4. Select Save and Close

1. Navigate to Course Tools > select Assignments
2. Select all assignments you want to publish by checking the top-most left box in the assignments list
3. Select the More Actions menu
4. Select Make Visible to Users

1. Navigate to Course Tools and select Groups
2. On the Manage Groups page, select the New Category button to create new groups
3. Enter the group fields:
   1. Name
   2. Description
   3. Enrolment Type
   4. Number of Groups
   5. Restrict Enrollments To
   6. Group Prefix
4. Expand the Additional Options and select Set up assignments
5. Select the appropriate assignment type from the drop-down menu
6. Select Save
   • Note: You will be taken to the assignment set up page. Here you can set up your assignment. Notice that the Assignment type setting has been set to Group assignment, and the Group category has been filled out for you. As well, the type of submission setting has been set according to what you specified in the Groups Tool.
7. Select Save and Close

1. Navigate to Course Tools, select Assignments
2. Find the assignment you want to give feedback on
3. Select the downward-facing arrow to expand options for that assignment, then select View Submissions
4. Select the submission you wish to provide feedback to and select View Submission
   • The student submission will appear in the left-hand column of the page
   • The Grading and Feeback options will appear in the right-hand column
5. In the right-hand column, input a score, mark with a rubric (if relevant), and provide various forms of feedback using the text box or file, audio, or video options as desired
6. Once you are finished adding/editing grades or feedback, you can either:
   1. click Save Draft and continue marking more submissions by using the arrows at the top of the right column, or
   2. immediately Publish the feedback to the individual student.
   3. If you would like to publish feedback to all learners at once, select Back to User Submissions in the top left corner and select the Publish All Feedback button found under the assignment title.

1. Navigate to the Course Tools drop-down menu and select Rubrics
2. Select the New Rubric button, enter a name for the Rubric
3. Select the appropriate rubric type from the Type drop-down menu:
   1. Analytic provides the ability to add multiple criteria within a rubric
   2. Holistic provides a single criterion, you can also assess holistic rubrics using percent scores that are set for each rubric level
4. Select the appropriate Scoring type:
   1. Points results in each rubric level having the same score for each criterion
   2. No Score indicates that no point values are set
   3. Custom Points provides the ability to set unique point values for each level in each criterion
5. Select New Criterion to enter the criterion name, enter a rubric Level, and enter the point level
6. You can also do any of the following optional steps:
   1. To add more rubric levels, select the Add new level before (+) button
   2. To delete existing rubric levels, select the trash bin icon
   3. To add more criteria, select + Add Criterion and enter the criterion name
   4. To delete existing criteria, select Delete Row
7. Add a description of each criterion Level, as well as Initial Feedback for that level that will be applied when assessing learner submissions
8. Adjust the Overall Score parameters to determine the overall level and score that is mapped to achievement levels and assigned to learners based on their submission
9. Select Close to finish creating your rubric

1. Select Options, and customize the following:
   1. Rubric Visibility: Select the appropriate option:
      1. Rubric is always visible to students
      2. Rubric is hidden until feedback published
      3. Rubric is never visible to students
2. Score Visibility
3. Description
4. Advanced Availability

1. Navigate to Course Tools and select Rubrics
2. On the Rubrics page, from the context menu of the rubric you want to copy, select Copy
3. Select the new rubric to edit it (Note: It is also possible to copy a single rubric criterion to facilitate reusing criteria that have already been created)
4. Navigate to Course Tools and select Rubrics
5. Open the rubric you want to edit
6. On the Edit Rubrics page, select the action menu beside the criterion name
7. Select Copy Row
8. Rename the newly created criterion
9. Select Save and Close

1. Navigate to the Evaluate Submission page, in the Evaluation panel for an Assignment, select the rubric you want to use
   1. The score for the submission is populated automatically from the rubric in the Overall Grade field
   2. If more than one rubric is attached, the Overall Grade field is populated by the rubric in the Grading Rubric drop-down menu
2. Add or edit the Score for the submission, and any additional Feedback, including text, audio, or video files
3. Select Save as Draft or Publish

1. Make sure your grades are in whole numbers (no decimal places)
   • Navigate to the Grades Setup Wizard by selecting Grades from the navbar
   • Select the Setup Wizard tab
   • In Step 5 of the Setup Wizard, Managing View Display Options, change the value in the Number of decimal places to display field to zero
2. Access FAST Student
   • Sign-in to UVic.ca, select Online Tools, and select FAST (Note: if you are off campus, you will need to use the UVic Cisco VPN)
   • Administrators: select the Student Grades menu, select Enter Grades, and select the course from the drop-down menu, you can type the CRN into the search field to find your course in the list.
   • Instructors: select Student Reporting, then select the Student Grades drop-down menu, select Enter Grades, and then select the course from the drop-down menu.
3. Import the grades from Brightspace
   • In the FAST Grade Entry page, select the Import icon that has the orange “B” - a message will display, indicating that FAST is accessing Brightspace. If this is the first time that you’ve imported grades from Brightspace, you may be prompted to allow this retrieval.
   • The Brightspace Import window will display; when there is more than one grade available for a student, select the correct grade by clicking the radio button to the left of the grade.
     • FAST Grade: grades that have already been saved in FAST
     • Brightspace Adjusted Grade: if you have used the adjusted grade feature in Brightspace, those grades will display
     • Brightspace Calculated Grade: calculated grades from Brightspace will display
4. If a student appears in Brightspace but they don’t appear in FAST, that student is either not registered in this course or they were registered today and will appear in your grades list after the overnight system refresh. Contact studentsupport@uvic.ca to discuss registration options if necessary
5. Select the Import Selected Grades button to import and save these grades

• Navigate to the Course Tools drop-down menu and select Quizzes
• Find the quiz you want to publish the grades for and select the drop-down menu next to the quiz name and select Edit
• In the Assessment tab, ensure your quiz is associated with a grade item. Check the box for Synchronize to Grade Book
• Select Save and Close
• In the drop-down menu for the same quiz, select Grade
• Check the box that selects all users in the course (next to First Name, Last Name)
• Select Publish Feedback

1. Select Grades from the navbar
2. Go to Enter Grades
3. Select the drop-down arrow beside Final Calculated Grade
4. Select Enter Grades
5. Select the checkbox in the top left corner to select all users and select Release/Unrelease
6. Select Save and Close
7. Go back to Enter Grades to ensure that all the Final Calculated Grades have the open/visible eyeball beside them

1. First, check your gradebook settings:
   • Select Grades on the blue navigation bar at the top of your course. You will land on the Enter Grades tab
   • Select the Settings wheel in the top right
   • Select Calculation Options across the top
   • Scroll down to ensure that Adjusted Final Grade is selected under Final Grade Released
   • Select Save and Yes
2. Navigate to Grades on the blue navigation bar
3. Select the drop-down arrow beside Final Calculated Grade
4. Select Enter Grades
5. At the top of that page, select the drop-down arrow beside Final Grades
6. Select Transfer All to transfer all grades to the final adjusted grade - this step will override any grades previously entered in the Final Adjusted Grades
7. Select Yes on the pop-up box
8. Under the Final Adjusted Grade column, you can alter the grades of the students
9. When you are finished, Select the small box to the top left of all the students’ names to select all and click Release/Unrelease
10. To verify, make sure that all the boxes under Released (on the right hand side of the students’ grades) are checked off
11. Select Save and Close and Yes on the pop-up box
12. Check that the final adjusted grades have been released by scrolling all the way to the right-hand side until you see the Final Adjusted Grade - all the students should have a grade under that column with an open eyeball beside it