Start of the Semester: Top Brightspace Tips!

Before Semester

1. By default, your course is unavailable to your students. Please make your course available before the semester starts.
2. If you are teaching a course with multiple sections and want to only maintain one course site, you can request the sections to be merged by submitting a ticket

• Keep in mind that students from all sections will appear in your Grade Book if we merge your courses.

Course Setup

1. Set up your Grade Book FIRST so that you can easily attach assignments to it as you add them. 

• This will allow grades to be calculated automatically, which makes it easier for Final Grade calculation at the end of the semester.

2. Add content (including your Syllabus). We highly recommend you utilize the Learning Objects Repository (LOR) to add syllabi statements.
3. Add your TA to your class. 
4. Create an Announcement to greet your students (or send an email from the "Classlist" tool).
5. Make sure your students know about the Brightspace Mobile App, Pulse.

Reusing Previous Courses

1. You can reuse course information from a previous semester. 
2. If you have Assignments posted, you DO NOT have to manually update all deadlines.  Use Manage Dates to update quickly.
3. Third Party tools, such as Echo360 & VoiceThread, will need to be re-linked.

• Directions to relink Third Party Tools

3. Make sure you remove any old content from your new Brightspace site.

Useful Tips

• You can use View as Learner to view your course from a Student perspective.
• You can Pin Courses on your Brightspace home page.

SUNY and Academic Technology Services are here to help you!
online.suny.edu/help | service.stonybrook.edu
1-844-673-6786 | 631.632.9800 (option 2)