Updates to D2L Brightspace
This page showcases the latest features and improvements in D2L Brightspace. For information about course availability and D2L access information, please see our D2L Information for Faculty & Staff page.
What is New in D2L for Fall 2023?
- August 2023 Updates -
Pin Announcements (feature improvement)
D2L now allows you to pin announcements so that they will remain at the top of the list in the Announcements widget in your course.
Rubric Instructor View (interface improvements)
- Mobile App Evaluator View To reduce scrolling and offer more control over display in the mobile app, instructors can now collapse the containers for Rubrics, Grades & Feedback, Outcomes, and Competencies. Each component is open by default but can be toggled open or closed by selecting the triangle beside the name of the container.
- Pop-out Rubric Details To provide a more complete context for learner evaluation, rubric pop-outs now provide activity details including activity title, course name, and learner name. These details were not previously visible in pop-outs.
Class Progress (interface update)
When looking at Class Progress, the Absent Period information has been added to the top of the screen for Login History, Course Access, and System Access reports. Absent Period indicates the number of days since the learned last logged into Brightspace.
- Login History indicates a login to Brightspace, not the course
- Course Access indicates a login to the course
- System Access indicates each Brightspace access via browser or Pulse app
- begins at login, app launch, or return after 30 minutes of inactivity
- access ends after 30 minutes of inactivity
Previously Announced Updates
- July 2023 Updates -
Improvement to Quiz Timing Features
D2L is updating the quiz creation and quiz taking experiences to simplify existing workflows and add useful new quiz timing options. These quiz timing improvements are available to you now.
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- Quiz Timing Improvements & Auto-submission – The changes include auto-submission, simpler quiz setup, and the removal of obsolete quiz timing options such as the grace period.
- Quiz Taking Improvements – Improvements to the Quiz taking experience including show/hide quiz timer and improvements to the Quiz results view.
- Synchronous Quizzes – The D2L Quiz Tool now supports both asynchronous and synchronous quizzes. The new addition of synchronous quizzes enables instructors to set up a quiz where the quiz timer starts on the start date for all learners rather than when the learner launches the quiz (asynchronous). The quiz timer then ends for all learners at the same time.
For detailed information, please visit the KSU Knowledge Base and search “D2L Quiz Timing.”
D2L Media Library
D2L Media Library provides a central access point for all audio and video created
within D2L and for some uploaded media. It provides basic editing capabilities such
as adding chapters or captions and selecting sections of video to hide from viewers.
Any change made to a video file in D2L Media Library will be reflected anywhere that
video file appears in D2L Brightspace. For this reason, extreme caution should be
used when editing or deleting media files using D2L Media Library.
While D2L Media Library provides convenient access for quick video recording and editing
tasks, the recommended app for instructional video is Kaltura MediaSpace due to:
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- superior editing and captioning capability
- capacity for adding instructional elements such as quiz or hotspot link
- ability to collaborate, organize content, and share public links
For detailed information, please visit the KSU Knowledge Base and search “D2L Media Library.”
Minimum Versions for Supported Browsers
The July update increases the minimum supported browser versions to: Chrome 112+, Edge 112+, Safari 16+, and Firefox 112+. The minimum legacy browsers remain at: Chrome 74, Edge 74, Safari 13, and Firefox 67. For an optimal experience that offers better performance, accessibility, and security, D2L recommends that all users access Brightspace with the latest version of their supported browser.
Minor Interface Improvements to Note
- Edited images now retain their original name + time stamp
- Discussion availability information is displayed below the Topic title; hovering provides more settings detail
May 2023
There are some exciting changes coming to D2L tools in May of 2023. Please see information about each below:
New Quiz Experience will become the default on May 12, 2023
As part of the D2L commitment to provide consistent workflows, the D2L Quiz Tool interface has been updated to look more like the Assignments Tool interface. Instead of tabs, expandable menus are now arranged for a one page view. For detailed information, please visit the KSU Knowledge Base and search “D2L Quiz.”
Please note that beginning May 12, 2023, the new D2L Quiz Experience will become the default interface for the Quiz tool and the opt-out option will no longer be available.
New Discussions Experience becomes available with an option to opt out
In keeping with the recent goal of standardizing workflows, D2L has released the New Discussions Experience. This new interface aligns with the Assignment and Quiz Tools and will become available to you in May of 2023. You will have the option to opt out (and provide feedback directly to D2L) until the new experience becomes the default interface in a few months. An overview of the interface is available here. Information about opting out if available here.
Assignment Tool – update to availability options
The Assignments Tool availability options will soon include additional options when a start or end date is set. These options determine visibility and access. There is also a checkbox to select whether to add start and end dates to the calendar.
In addition, you may set default visibility/access settings for assignments and discussions in your course. You will find this option at Course Admin > Site Setup > Availability Date Defaults. As always, these global settings can be adjusted for individual activities
