Brightspace Frequently Asked Questions
Check out our newly updated Brightspace FAQs! This list runs through the most common questions the Brightspace Support Team gets throughout the year. If you have any questions not listed here, be sure to contact our Support team for assistance.
In Brightspace, there are two possible views to the Content section of a course. While the Classic Content experience is the default at Vanderbilt, there is a newer, alternative view available known as New Content Experience (formerly called Lessons View). If an Instructor is considering switching your course to the New Content Experience, they should reach out to the Brightspace Support team to enable this new view.
Examples
Here are two screenshots comparing the Classic and New Content Experiences.聽
Classic Content
New Content Experience
What makes New Content Experience different?
Compared to the Classic Content view, the New Content Experience is a more minimalist, clean design focused on pages and a more stylish view to course content. Below are some examples of what makes the New Content Experience unique.聽
Focus on HTML Pages
- The New Content Experience has a focus on creating HTML pages to house course content instead of just acting as a file storage system. This can allow for a more natural flow to course content, especially when combined with newer interactive features available through Brightspace Creator+ and Lumi Pro.
Embedded Activities
- Instead of opening linked activities on a new page, activities like Assignments and Quizzes that are linked in Content using the New Content Experience allow students to see their assignment or quiz instructions directly in the Content page. This allows students the ability to submit work to assignments or launch a quiz without having to go to other dedicated activity pages.
Color
- In the New Content Experience, Instructors can set colors for their Units and Lessons. This can either be set to the same default color for everything in the Content section, or it can be customized to be specific to a particular Unit or Lesson. 聽
Continued Updates
- Most importantly, the New Content Experience will continue to get updates and improvements from D2L (the company that makes Brightspace), while the Classic Content view will not.聽
Features exclusive to the Classic Content View
There are some pages that are currently unique to the Classic Content Experience. While some may be able to be duplicated in New Content Experience, others may not.聽
- Syllabus page
- This can be duplicated by uploading a course syllabus as its own page/file.
- Bookmarks
- Not currently available in New Content Experience
- Bulk downloading course content
- Instructors and students can still download content individually聽as needed.
- Course Schedule
- No dedicated page, but users can view the course calendar for upcoming dates and deadlines
- No integrated search option within a document.
- Users can still use the normal 鈥淔ind on Page鈥� tool available in almost all web browsers.
- No easy print option for HTML pages.
If you have questions about the New Content Experience in your course, contact the Brightspace Support team.