D2L Brightspace: Student Introduction to the Tools within the Learning Environment

D2L Brightspace is a platform that can enhance and drive learning for students. It is also available to support classes should there be a need to close school for an emergency.

Instructors can use many tools in the learning environment, the tools that follow are tools that are frequently used by many of our faculty.

Contact for help

Academic Technology Services can supports students in D2L Brightspace. If you are having trouble with submission of assignments, posting of discussions, or trouble taking a quiz, we are here to support you and glad to answer your questions. Please feel free to reach out to us at 651.793.1240 or by email at service.center@metrostate.edu.

Accessibility

If you need accommodations, please contact Center for Accessibility Resources at 651.793.1549 or by email at accessibility.resources@metrostate.edu.

• About Brightspace Accessibility (KA #1213)
• Brightspace accessibility for Learners (KA #1215)

Content is found in your course under the Materials dropdown menu.

Students can use the Content tool to access course materials, complete required activities, and monitor your completion progress on topics contained within each course module.

Video: Navigate Content

Additional Resources for Content:

• Content navigation for students (KA #1306)
• Metro State employs Anthology Ally with alternative formats in course content

Discussions are found in your course under the Communications dropdown menu.

The Discussions tool is a collaboration area where students can post, read and reply to threads on different topics, share thoughts about course materials, ask questions, share files, or work with their peers on assignments and homework.

Instructors use the Discussions tool in a course to encourage students to share thoughts on course material with their peers. Instructors can set up forums and topics for students to ask questions, discuss course content and assignments, and work together in assigned groups and sections.

• Post, reply to, read, subscribe to, and print discussions (KA #869)

Assignments are found in your course under the Assessments dropdown menu.

Students use the Assignment tool to upload and submit assignments to assignment submission folders in D2L Brightspace, eliminating the need to mail or email their work to instructors.

Instructors use the Assignment tool to see students' submission times, download assignment submissions, and return submissions with grades and feedback. Instructors can view students’ submission dates, eliminating the need to collect assignments and making it easy to track when files were submitted.

• Submit an assignment (KA #879)
• Upload files from OneDrive (KA #1716)

Quizzes are found in your course under the Assessments dropdown menu.

Students use the Quizzes tool to take a quiz, review your quiz results, and see class statistics for a quiz.

Instructors use the Quizzes tool enables to create and manage points-measured assessments. As part of quantifiable assessment procedures, instructors can use quizzes to help evaluate students’ learning progress and learning outcomes.

• Some quizzes may use Respondus Monitor
• How to take a Quiz (KA# 957)
• View Quiz results and feedback (KA# 958)
• Setting your notifications for upcoming Quizzes (KA #1249)

Grades are found in your course under the Assessments dropdown menu.

Students use the Grades tool to check your grades on assignments and tests. Students can see your individual grades and comments, as well as class averages and feedback. Students can also view your final grade and grade formula used to evaluate students once your instructor releases their grades.

• Student’s view of Grades (KA #893) – Note that this article talks about “Dropped” grades, which may be common in courses where an instructor has set up a grade category where they plan to drop one or more grade items.

Zoom is a web conference solution provided by Minnesota State for use by faculty, staff, and students. This tool is simple to use and works well at delivering features that faculty wish to use in an online collaborative solution. Zoom has the ability to record the session. Through an integration with Kaltura MediaSpace, students can revisit the recording of a lecture or collaboration session.

• Web Conferencing: Zoom