Brightspace
Dates, Deadlines, and Availability
), nothing will be visible to students regardless of date, deadline, or availability settings.Understanding Brightspace Date Terminology
Due Date
A due date indicates when an activity or assignment should be submitted or completed.
Key characteristics:
- Due dates do not prevent access or submission
- Students can submit after the due date, but Brightspace marks the submission as late
- Due dates automatically appear in the course calendar
- Students receive notifications about approaching due dates (unless they’ve turned off notifications)
Start Date (Availability)
A start date controls when content or activities become accessible to students.
Key characteristics:
- Students cannot access the item before the start date
- Start dates can be combined with visibility settings to control what students see before access opens
- Useful for sequencing content or preventing students from working ahead
End Date (Availability)
An end date acts as a firm deadline that prevents further access.
Key characteristics:
- End dates completely close access – students cannot view or submit after this time
- There is no option for late submissions after an end date passes
- End dates override due dates when both are set
- Use Special Access to provide extensions for individual students
Special Access
Special Access allows you to create exceptions for specific students, providing different due dates or availability windows.
Common uses include accommodations, extended deadlines for individual circumstances, or different timing for different sections.
Display to Calendar
The Display to Calendar checkbox controls whether dates appear in students’ course calendars. Most due dates automatically appear in the calendar, but some availability dates (like discussion start/end dates) require you to check this box.
Setting Dates for Assignments
Assignment folders allow you to set both due dates and availability windows (start and end dates).
Recommended Approach: Due Dates with Optional End Dates
- For most assignments: Set a due date to track on-time vs. late submissions. This allows students to submit late while Brightspace marks the submission accordingly.
- To completely close submissions: Add an end date after the due date. This creates a window for late submissions before the assignment folder closes entirely.
- Avoid confusion: Using both due dates and end dates can confuse students. If you set both, make sure the purpose of each date is clear in your assignment instructions.
Example scenario:
- Due date: Friday, March 28 at 11:59 PM (on-time deadline)
- End date: Sunday, March 29 at 11:59 PM (late submissions accepted until this time, then folder closes)
Visibility Settings for Assignment Folders
When you set start or end dates for assignments, you can control what students see before or after those dates:
Visibility Options
Visible with access restricted (before start / after end):
- Students can see the assignment name and dates
- They cannot click to open it or view details
- They cannot see the description, attachments, or rubrics
Visible with submission restricted (before start / after end):
- Students can see and open the assignment
- They can view the description, attachments, and rubrics
- They cannot submit files or mark as complete
- Useful for letting students prepare before the submission window opens
Hidden (before start / after end):
- The assignment is completely hidden from students
- Calendar events and notifications are also hidden
Add availability dates to Calendar: Check this box to add the start and end dates to the course calendar.
Setting Dates for Quizzes
Quiz settings allow you to set due dates, start dates, and end dates. However, you should typically use either due dates OR availability dates, not both, as this can confuse students.
When to Use Due Dates
Use due dates when:
- The quiz is low-stakes or formative
- The quiz is available throughout the semester
- You want to allow late attempts
How due dates work:
- Students can attempt the quiz after the due date, but it’s marked as late
- Due dates automatically appear in the calendar
When to Use Start/End Dates (Availability Windows)
Use start and end dates for controlled access, especially for:
- Higher-stakes assessments or exams
- Timed quizzes that must be completed within a specific window
- Ensuring academic integrity by limiting access
How availability dates work:
- Start and end dates control when students can begin the quiz, not how long they have to complete it
- Example: A 90-minute exam with a start date of April 6 at 10:00 AM and an end date of April 6 at 10:30 AM means students can begin anytime between 10:00 and 10:29, then get the full 90 minutes to complete it
- Start and end dates do NOT automatically appear in the calendar – check “Add availability dates to Calendar” to include them
Our Recommendation
Setting Dates for Discussions
Discussions work differently than assignments and quizzes when it comes to dates.
Due Dates for Discussions
To set a due date for a discussion:
- Add the discussion to a Content module as a link (go to Content > Existing Activities > Discussions)
- Click the dropdown arrow next to the discussion link
- Select Edit Properties in Place
- Set the due date
This due date will appear in the course calendar and remind students to complete the discussion.
Availability Dates for Discussions
You can also set start and end dates to control when students can post:
- Go to Discussions from the course navbar
- Click the dropdown menu next to the discussion topic and select Edit Topic
- Go to the Availability Dates and Conditions section
- Set start and/or end dates
Visibility Settings for Discussions
When setting availability dates for discussions, you can control what students see and do outside those dates:
Visibility Options
Visible with access restricted:
- Students can see the discussion title but cannot access it
Visible with submission restricted:
- Students can view the topic and read posts
- They cannot post new threads or replies (makes the discussion read-only)
- Useful for keeping discussions open for review after the posting deadline
Hidden:
- The discussion is completely hidden from students
- Calendar events and notifications are also hidden
Add availability dates to Calendar: Check this box to add the start and end dates to the course calendar.
Our Recommendation
Managing Dates Efficiently
Using the Manage Dates Tool
The Manage Dates tool provides a central location to view and edit dates across your entire course. This is particularly useful when:
- You need to review all dates at once
- You’re copying a course from a previous term and need to update dates
- You want to bulk edit or offset dates
To access Manage Dates:
- Go to Course Admin
- Under the Site Resources section, select Manage Dates
- Use filters to view specific tool types (Assignments, Quizzes, Discussions, etc.)
- Click on individual dates to edit them or use bulk editing tools
The Manage Dates tool shows:
- All content topics, modules, discussions, assignments, quizzes, and surveys with dates
- Start dates, end dates, and due dates
- Whether items are visible to students
- Whether dates display in the calendar
Learn more about the Manage Dates tool
Common Questions
What happens if I set both a due date and an end date?
End dates override due dates. If both are set, students can submit after the due date (marked as late) until the end date, when access closes completely. However, this can confuse students, so we recommend using one or the other, not both.
Can students access content after the due date?
Yes. Due dates do not prevent access – they only mark when work should be completed. Students can still view content and submit assignments after a due date (submissions will be marked as late).
Can students access content after the end date?
No. End dates completely close access. Students cannot view or submit anything after an end date passes. Use Special Access to provide extensions for individual students.
Why don’t my discussion availability dates appear in the calendar?
Unlike due dates, discussion availability dates (start/end dates) don’t automatically appear in the calendar. You need to check the “Add availability dates to Calendar” box when setting them.
How do I give one student more time on an assignment or quiz?
Use Special Access to create different dates or availability for specific students. This is commonly used for accommodations or extenuating circumstances. Learn more about Special Access
What’s the difference between Hidden and using an availability start date?
Both prevent student access, but they work differently:
- Hidden: Students cannot see the item exists at all
- Start date with “Visible with access restricted”: Students can see the item exists but cannot open it
Choose based on whether you want students to know upcoming work exists.
Will hiding a module hide the quizzes and assignments inside it?
Not automatically. Students can still access quizzes, assignments, and discussions through the navigation bar even if the module is hidden or unavailable. To fully restrict access, you need to set availability dates or hide individual items as well.
Best Practices
Be consistent with your approach: Choose a date strategy (due dates vs. availability windows) and use it consistently throughout your course. This helps students understand expectations.
Communicate clearly: If you use both due dates and end dates, explain the difference in your assignment instructions. Let students know when on-time submissions are expected and when the window closes completely.
Consider the student calendar: Remember that dates you add appear in students’ calendars alongside dates from all their other courses. Too many calendar items can overwhelm students and reduce the effectiveness of the calendar as a planning tool.
Use visibility settings strategically: “Visible with submission restricted” is useful for discussions you want to keep open for reading but closed for posting. “Visible with access restricted” can build anticipation for upcoming assessments.
Test your dates: Before your course goes live, impersonate a student (or use Student View) to verify that dates work as intended and that content appears or disappears as expected.
Plan for extensions: If you regularly grant extensions, consider using due dates without end dates for most assignments. This allows late submissions while maintaining clear deadlines.
Key Takeaways
- Due dates guide students about when work should be completed but don’t prevent late submissions
- End dates completely close access – there’s no option for late work after an end date
- Choose either due dates OR end dates for most items to avoid confusing students
- Hidden items are completely invisible to students regardless of date settings
- Use Special Access to provide accommodations or extensions for individual students
- The Manage Dates tool provides a central location to review and edit all dates in your course
Further Resources
- D2L: Add availability and due dates in Content
- D2L: Set availability and due dates for an assignment
- D2L: About Special Access for assignments
- D2L: Manage Dates
Contact edtech@langara.ca for more information.
