Brightspace
Brightspace Essentials for Student Success
Whether you’re teaching face-to-face, online, or hybrid, these three essential practices create a consistent foundation for student success. They support clear communication, transparent assessment, and organized workflow – helping students understand what’s expected and track their progress throughout the term.
1. Post Regular Announcements
What this means: Use the Announcements feature to keep students informed about upcoming activities, deadlines, and important course information.
Why it matters: Regular communication reduces student anxiety about what’s coming next and helps them prioritize their work. Even in face-to-face courses, announcements keep students connected between class sessions.
Getting started:
- Post at least weekly (or match your course pacing)
- Highlight key deadlines and activities
- Keep announcements focused and action-oriented
- Consider scheduling announcements in advance
Resources:
- Create announcements and welcome messages
- Using the Announcements tool
- Help students set up notifications so they receive your announcements
2. Set Up Your Gradebook Before Term Starts
What this means: Configure your gradebook to match your syllabus – including all categories, weights, and grade items – before classes begin. Make sure students can view their current grade and track their progress.
Why it matters: When students can see where they stand, they can make informed decisions about where to focus their effort and when to seek help. A transparent gradebook reduces “what’s my grade?” emails and enables early intervention when students struggle.
Getting started:
- Create grade categories that match your syllabus (e.g., Assignments 40%, Quizzes 30%, Final Exam 30%)
- Add all grade items students will be assessed on
- Double-check that weights and calculations are correct
- Configure settings so students can view their current grade
- Test the student view to confirm everything displays correctly
Resources:
- Grades tool overview and setup instructions
- Need help? Book a consultation with EdTech at edtech@langara.ca
3. Use Assignment Submission Folders (When Appropriate)
What this means: For major assignments and assessments, have students submit their work through Brightspace rather than via email or paper.
Why it matters: Digital submission creates consistency across courses so students know where to submit work. It provides a clear record for both you and your students, enables better feedback tools (like inline comments and rubrics), and keeps student work secure within a single system.
When to use Brightspace submissions:
- Major assignments and projects
- Essays and written work
- Digital portfolios or presentations
- Any assessment where you want a documented submission record
When paper might make more sense:
- Quick in-class activities or exit tickets
- Short reflection responses during class time
- Assignments where immediate hands-on feedback is part of the learning process
Best of both worlds: Even for paper-based or in-person assignments, you can still create an Assignment folder in Brightspace and set the submission type to “On paper” or “Observed in person.” This gives you the benefits of linking to your gradebook and providing feedback through Brightspace while still collecting physical work or observing in-person demonstrations.
Getting started:
- Create Assignment folders for your major assessments
- Link them to your gradebook items
- Set clear due dates and submission requirements
- Attach rubrics when applicable to clarify expectations
- Communicate clearly to students how each assignment should be submitted
Resources:
- Creating assignment submission folders
- Creating and using rubrics in Brightspace
- Adding dates and deadlines to assignment folders
Quick Start Checklist
Use this checklist to ensure your course includes the essentials for student success:
Before your course starts:
☐ Post a welcome announcement introducing yourself and the course
☐ Set up your gradebook with categories, weights, and all grade items
☐ Configure gradebook settings so students can view their current grade
☐ Create assignment submission folders for major assessments
☐ Link assignment folders to gradebook items
During the term:
☐ Post announcements at least weekly with upcoming activities and deadlines
☐ Enter grades in a timely manner
☐ Monitor assignment submissions and provide feedback
Support and Resources
Need help meeting these essentials?
- Review the Essentials to Excellence: A Brightspace Companion for Instructors self-paced course
- Attend an EdTech workshop (check the EdTech website for upcoming sessions)
- Book a one-on-one consultation with an EdTech Advisor
- Contact EdTech at edtech@langara.ca
Contact edtech@langara.ca for more information.
