Start of the Semester Brightspace Checklist

Check content 

Do your files open? 

Sometimes files and embedded materials don't copy over as planned. It is important to check each topic to make sure it opens as expected. You may need to reupload documents.

Check your links (open in a new window). 

Make sure to check the hyperlinks are all functioning correctly. If the link is not functioning correctly, it may be that it is not set to open in a new window. To fix this, go to the link option in the tool bar (not the link button that shows up by the link), and select open in a new window.

Are your modules visible? 

Make sure students can access course modules when they need to. If you have set the dates for the module to open and close, you also need to set the module to be visible on the date it is scheduled to open.

Are your topics visible? 

Make sure that students can access assignments, discussions, and quizzes when they need to. If you have set the dates for the assignments to open and close, you also need to set the assignment to be visible on the date it is scheduled to open.

Are your dates correct?

Make sure to update the dates of material copied from another term. Use manage dates in the admin tools to quickly check and change dates.

Need to adjust the class start or end date?

When courses are created they are set to open on the first day of class and end 45 days after the last day of the course.  You may adjust the start and end date for your Brightspace course.

Gradebook 

Are your assignments, discussions, and quizzes added to the gradebook? 

Each graded item needs to be associated with the gradebook. It is a good practice to check each item because an assignment is not automatically associated with the gradebook in Brightspace.

Have you gone through the gradebook wizard?  

The gradebook wizard is used to set up your gradebook and make sure all the settings and calculations are correct for your gradebook.  If you want the total grade to show to students, make sure all three of the options on the wizard about grade updating and visibility are checked.  Also, make sure to check ungraded items to be counted as zero or to be left out of the grade total.

If you use weighted grades does your total equal 100%? 

Sometimes you may find that an extra assignment, discussion, or quiz may be in your gradebook calculations.  It is best to find these stray items before students submit the assessment because they cannot be deleted after student submission. To delete an item, first make sure it is removed from the gradebook and then delete the content.

Navigation 

Need help finding your courses? 

  • Use the my courses widget on the home page. The most recent courses are on the all tab. Select other tabs to find courses by term. 
  • Use the course selector waffle icon to search for courses. To search for a course, type a portion of the course code such as  “ECE 1000 FA” 
  • Pin a course to keep it at the top of your course list.

Have you added your contact information to the profile widget?

On your course home page, there is a single profile widget that can be customized with your contact information and picture. You can edit the widget by clicking on the three dots that appear as you hover over the widget.  If you don't want the social media icons, remove the text from the social media textboxes.

Do you have old Blackboard clutter ?

  • Delete the ILO rubrics that are used in assignments and discussions 
  • Delete all the old ILO and Gen Ed rubrics by going to course admin and rubrics and deleting rubrics
  • Clean out old versions of the Plagiarism Tutorial quizzes. 

Are your external learning tools connected correctly?

Inclusive Access Links

Read the Inclusive Access Guide for Instructors for instructions on how to add and troubleshoot the eCampus Inclusive Access link and to contact eCampus support. 

Reading and Resources 

Contact Jacobs Library for help using the Leganto Reading and Resources external learning tool to create your reading and resources lists in Brightspace. 

Textbook Software

Make sure you have completed the connection to your textbook software. You will find the links in the insert quicklink list and sometimes in the external learning tools section of the quicklinks. CETLA can help troubleshoot linking your text to Brightspace, but your best resource for adding deep links, importing grades, and other questions is to contact your Publisher representative.