Course Design and Set-Up | How to use the Content tool

Use the Content tool to post and organise course content so that information about course expectations, course syllabus, lecture notes and important dates display to users clearly.

Course materials you post in Content can include documents, images, media files, presentations, URL links and existing course activities. You can add release conditions, grade items and learning objectives to topics to ensure users navigate through course materials while fulfilling specific course requirements and learning expectations.

Content page overview

When you are already in your course page you can click on Content in the green navigation bar. This will take you to the course content overview:

Brightspace course page - Content

On the left side, the menu navigates to Overview, Bookmarks, Upcoming events and Table of Contents.

Overview

This is the first page when students click on the Content in the course green navigation bar. 

For the uniformity of the course structure in WUR Brightspace, we advise you to not put anything in the Overview as it will be overlapping with course information and announcements. The overview page will not be shown to the students if there is nothing in there.

Bookmarks

Course content items you bookmark appear in a list on the Bookmarks page. Click the Add Bookmark icon while viewing a topic to add it to your bookmarks list. The number beside the Bookmarks link indicates how many bookmarks you have.

The Bookmark tool is per course. So, if you bookmark something in one course it will only be bookmarked in that course.

Upcoming Events

This page lists course material Due dates, Start dates, End dates, and other course events for the next seven days. If you set availability dates or due date for a content item, it appears in the Upcoming Events page and the Agenda view in the Calendar tool.

The dates listed on this page are not exclusive to Content topics, upcoming events include all events within the course from the Calendar tool. Click Upcoming Events to view all past, current, and future course events. The number beside the Upcoming link indicates how many upcoming events you have.

Table of Contents view

The Table of Contents panel lists all modules you have created in your course. Modules in Brightspace are like folders, you can create them to group the content and activities by topic or week.

Click on a listed module to view and manage its details, topics, and sub-modules. All the content will be presented to the right side of the grey bar.

Additionally, in the main view, you will also see three grey buttons at the top of the page: Import Course, Bulk Edit, Related Tools.

Course Content page
1. Import Course button
Table of Contents - button Import Course

Using the button Import Course you have the option to either Copy an Existing Course into the opened course page or Import Course Package into your opened course page.

Copy Existing Course

For information on copying a course please visit: How to copy a course

Import Course Package

What is a course package?

  • A course package is obtained by using the "export" or "archive" function on the course. This creates an archive file format (usually a .zip file) that contains all the components of your course (content, quizzes, discussions, etc.). It is also often distributed by textbook publishers as a way to share their courses with institutions.
  • If you are trying to add a file to your course (for example, a document or an image), add a module in the Content tool and simply drag and drop your file into the topic area.
  • You can choose to import an entire course or only some components (for example, content, quizzes or discussions).

What is supported?

  • Import course archive files. You can obtain these files by exporting or archiving a course from another Learning Management System.
  • The file should be a .zip or another archive format. To add individual content (.doc, .ppt, .jpg, etc.), add a module in Content and place your file there.
  • You can upload files up to a maximum of 1 GB.
  • You can import from the following list of platforms and standards: Brightspace by D2L; Angel Learning 8; Blackboard Learn 9.1; Moodle 3.5 (.MBZ); Sakai (Archive Format); UCompass; IMS Content Packaging 1.2; IMS Common Cartridge 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; IMS Thin Common Cartridge 1.3, QTI 1.2, QTI 2.1 (Partial); SCORM 1.2 & 2004

 

2. Bulk Edit button

When you click the Bulk Edit button the content items' titles in modules, descriptions, and restrictions become editable. Since you clicked on the button from the Table of Contents view you will see all created modules (and its items) and be able to Bulk Edit all of them in this page view.

Bulk Edit option is also available per module or submodule. In that case you will only see and be able to bulk edit the items in that specific module or submodule.

Table of Contents - module(s) view

A module in a Content page view is like a container for topics grouped either by Week or Theme. When clicked its contents open to the right of the panel with the list of modules in Table of Contents.

Module content view

In the Content page, you can arrange your course content by dragging and dropping modules (and content items) using the module or topic's drag handle (the vertical dots before the name of the module/item).

If you drag a module or topic above or below other modules and topics, a grey line appears to indicate you can drop the module or topic there. If you drag a module or topic over another module, the module appears orange to indicate you can drop it there.

For more information on moving content items please visit: How to edit properties and move a topic in Content

1. Course information module

Your course comes by default with a Course information module on the Content page. It is intended for placing the Course guide, the Course schedule, and Course contacts.

2. Module options
module options

By clicking the downward arrow next to the title of the module (shown in the main view of the Content page) you can:

  • Edit Title - clicking this button the title becomes editable
  • Hide from Users the module (and set it back to Visible)
  • Set Default Path
  • Set all Completion - to adjust if and how you keep track of students viewing Content items
  • Move Down/Move Up the module in the Table of Contents list view
  • Move the module To a different location within the Content page
  • Edit Metadata - not used
  • Publish to LOR - only Course guides are published to LOR
  • Delete Module
3. Visibility
Module content view - visibility

By clicking the eye icon you can either hide or make visible a module. This action affects only the roles of Students and lower in the Brightspace course page. Roles higher than Student will always be able to see all the modules, even the hidden ones.

For more information please visit: How to Hide or Make visible the course content

4. Add dates and restrictions
Module content view - add dates and restrictions

With this function, you can add a Start date, Due date, and End date for your module and its content. If you add Start date the module will be shown but its content will not be clickable until the set date of start.

You are also able to add restrictions to your module, such as based on group enrollment, or other.

For more information please visit: How to set Restrictions

5. Add description
Module content view - add dates and restrictions

Here you can add a description for your Week or Theme module. By clicking on the space a text editor will become available where you can add text, links, images. 

For more information on the editor options please visit: How to use the Editor

This text is not visible, however, when course content is viewed by students via the Pulse App.

6. Upload/Create button
Upload / create button

The Upload/Create button allows you to add content to your module. You can Upload Files, Video or Audio, Create a file (a Brightspace HTML page), Create a link (add a URL), Add files from Manage Files, Add object from LOR (adding a Course guide to the LOR).

7. Existing Activities button

Under the button Existing Activities you will find the following items which can be added to the module by clicking on the option from the drop-down list:

8. Bulk Edit button
Module content view

By clicking this button you are able to bulk edit the titles, descriptions and restrictions of all the items in the current module. The function of this button is the same as the button in Table of Contents view, just applicable to the module view.

9. Drag and Drop files
Module content view - Drag and drop files

You can also automatically update your existing files by dragging the newest version of your file from your computer into the appropriate module. When a module contains no topics, an upload target displays. If you drag a file over an upload target, that area appears orange to indicate you can drop it there. When a module contains topics, you can still drag a file into it. A horizontal line indicates where the file will be dropped, allowing you to create new topics between pre-existing ones. You can also drop files from your computer directly into the Table of Contents panel.

When you drag files from your computer into a module's upload target to add or update topics, the files will save in the Manage Files tool. A dialog prompt will appear asking you where in Manage Files you want to save the new file.

10. Add a sub-module...
Module content view - add submodule

To add a submodule in the current module click in the space and name it. After you are done hit Enter key on your PC.

Be aware that you will have to set up a Default path for the newly created submodule. Please follow the instructions in the article How to set up a Default Path for a Content module.

For more information on how to manage your modules and submodules please visit: How to use the Content to structure your course in Brightspace

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You now know how to use the Content page in Brightspace!

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