From Outcomes to Content: Your Complete Brightspace Course Setup Guide
This quick guide follows a backwards design approach to course development: we’ll start by establishing your course structure based on learning outcomes, then set up your gradebook to align with these outcomes, before creating specific content and assessments. This method ensures that all course elements support your educational goals.
Accessing Your Courses
The first step in building your Brightspace course is logging in and accessing your course shell. This is where all your teaching materials and activities will live. Learn how to access your Brightspace course shells.
Building from Scratch or Copying Content from Another Course
New to Brightspace? You can either start fresh or leverage existing content by copying components from a colleague’s course. Both approaches are valid, depending on your needs. Follow these steps to copy course components.
If you’re building from scratch or have copied existing course components, you’ll want to follow the steps below to ensure an optimal learner experience and make the course your own.
Creating a Logical Structure with Modules
The course structure is created within the content area of the Brightspace course shell.
Instead of generic titles like ‘Week 1’ or ‘Module 2,’ use descriptive names that reflect the key concepts, themes, or learning outcomes (e.g., ‘Introduction to Cell Biology,’ ‘Understanding Market Forces,’ or ‘Foundations of Literary Analysis’). These meaningful titles help students understand the purpose and progression of course content. The Content tool serves as a hub for course materials and activities, and a well-planned, consistent course structure helps students navigate your course with purpose. Learn how to create and organize modules.
Setting Up the Grade book
Begin with the end in mind: Configure your gradebook first to ensure alignment between learning outcomes and assessments. Linking your assessments directly to the gradebook ensures efficient grading and communication. Learn more about the grades tool and get instructions for setting up your grade book.
Creating Assessment Items
Add assignments, quizzes, discussions or other assessments and link them directly to the gradebook to streamline grading and feedback. Consider adding rubrics to clarify expectations and make grading consistent. how to create assessments here.
Learn more about the Assignments tool and how to create an assignment in Brightspace.
Learn why you should use the Question Library to create and store questions.
Learn how to set up a quiz in Brightspace.
Learn how to use the Discussions tool for graded and ungraded activities.
Learn how to create rubrics and grade with rubrics in Brightspace.
Adding dates to assessed items in Brightspace ensures that they’ll appear on the Work To Do widget and in the Brightspace course calendar.
Populating Moduleshttps://iweb.langara.ca/brightspace-instructor-help/course-admin-other/rubrics/
Use the Upload/Create button to add new content to your modules, including media-rich HTML pages.
Use the Existing Activities button to add previously created discussions, assignments, quizzes, checklists, etc. and documents to modules.
Use descriptive module overviews to guide students with clear instructions and links to readings and activities.
To learn more about best practices for populating modules and sharing content with learners, self-register for Langara’s Brightspace Foundations self-paced online course.
Creating Non-Assessed Activities
Support student learning and engagement by adding non-assessed activities like surveys, or checklists. These tools help build collaboration and keep students on track.
Learn how to set up a Brightspace survey.
Learn how to create checklist to support students’ progress through a module or assignment.
Learn how to create a survey or formative quiz using Microsoft Forms.
Using the Homepage to Welcome and Guide Students
Create an inviting digital entrance to your course through the homepage – it sets the tone for student engagement and success. Use the banner and announcement tools to welcome students and provide updates throughout the term.
A detailed welcome message or video at the beginning of the course introducing the instructor, course objectives, and what students can expect sets a warm, engaging tone and clarifies the course’s purpose.
Regular announcements or updates summarizing what will be covered each week, highlighting important dates or deadlines, and any changes to the syllabus. This keeps students informed and engaged with the course progression.
Quicklinks are direct links to existing files or activities in your Brightspace course or to external content. They can be added to announcements and module descriptions.
Checking Accessibility
Create an inclusive learning environment by utilizing Brightspace’s accessibility checker to ensure all students can engage fully with your course materials. Learn how to use Brightspace features and tools to increase the accessibility of your content.
Previewing Your Course on a Phone and Navigate using the Previous and Next Buttons
With most students accessing content via mobile devices, preview your course on a phone to ensure optimal viewing and navigation across all platforms.
Navigate Your Course Like a Student: Using Previous and Next Buttons
When students move through your course content, they primarily use the Previous and Next buttons – these are essential navigation tools in Brightspace. To test this navigation:
- Open any module in your course
- Look for the navigation buttons at both the top and bottom of the page – they appear as Previous and Next
- Click through your entire course using these buttons to experience it as your students will
Important: Some course elements can disrupt this navigation flow:
- Subfolders within modules
- Certain external activities or resources
- Improperly linked content
Take time to test the navigation thoroughly before your course goes live. If you encounter any spots where the Previous and Next buttons don’t work as expected, reach out to edtech@langara.ca. Our team can help you improve your course’s navigation experience.
Setting the Course to Active
Once your course is ready, set it to active so students can access the materials and activities. Activate your course with these instructions.
Other Things to Know
- Communicating with Students: Use announcements and email to communicate with students. Encourage our students to set up notifications.
- Contacting Students Before Classes Start: Send a welcome email message to introduce yourself and provide initial guidance before classes start.