Make Course Available to Students in BrS

Making your course available at the right moment can set the tone for the entire semester. But why are course shells initially left unavailable to students? The answer is simple: preparation. An unavailable status allows you the time and space to fine-tune your course materials, assessments, and interactive elements.

The timing of making your course available is not just a logistical consideration – it is also a pedagogical one that aligns with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. By providing students with early access to course materials, you offer multiple means of engagement and representation. Students with different learning preferences and abilities can take the time they need to navigate and understand the course structure, which assures inclusivity.

Ideally, you will want to open access a week before the semester starts. This gives students ample time to familiarize themselves with the course layout, review the syllabus, and prepare for the first week’s activities. However, if your course involves sensitive or time-restricted materials, you may opt for a different timeline.

This unit will guide you through the simple steps to make your course available in BrS, ensuring a smooth start to your educational journey with your students.

Quick Tips

Set Course Availability Timing

Aim to make the course available at least a week before the semester starts, after all preparations are complete.

Check Accessibility

Use this time to check that all your materials meet accessibility standards.

Make Course Available - How To

Read the instructions in your browser below, print them, or watch a video.

Check if your course is available in Brightspace.

Click on the home icon at the top of the page to access your Brightspace dashboard.

Locate the course on the My Courses widget on your dashboard.

If a course is not yet available, you will see a note labeled ‘Inactive’ above that course’s name indicating that the course is currently not accessible to students.

Courses not labeled ‘Inactive’ are accessible to students.

The "inactive" label in Brightspace courses

Option 1: Make your course available from the college landing page.

From the dashboard, hover over the course you want to make available and click on the 3 dots icon.

Select Course Offering Information.

Course offering information from the dropdown menu on dashboard

Checkmark the Course is Active option.

Click on Save.

Option 2: Make your course available from the course admin page.

From Brightspace dashboard, click on the course you wish to make available.

Click the Course Admin link in the top navbar.

Click on the Name button.

Click on the Course Offering Information link.

If you filter Brightspace tools by category, the Course Offering Information link appears under Site Setup.

Course Offering Information link from admin tools

Checkmark the Course is Active option.

Click on Save.

Take Action

Make your Brightspace course available to students.

References

D2L Knowledge. (n.d.). Activate your course.

CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines.

Brightspace Guidelines for Faculty
Log In To Brightspace Course
Course Content
Announcements & Emails
Online Discussions
Assignments & Plagiarism Detection
Quizzes
Grade Center
Make Course Available to Students
Online Classroom in Brightspace
Brightspace Support
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Ethical Use of AI Statement The development of this project has been assisted by the use of advanced AI tools, including ChatGPT-4o in the research, data analysis, and content drafting phases. The tool has been used in adherence to established academic and professional standards. All content has been thoroughly reviewed, and fact-checked by Ana Marjanovic and Wilfredo Rodriguez, and aligned with current educational theory and national standards. Revisions have been made to ensure accuracy, relevance, and originality, while also mitigating any potential biases of AI algorithms. No identifiable personal data was included in AI inputs. The final product represents a blend of AI’s computational efficiency with careful human oversight and expertise, adhering to the highest quality and integrity of these guidelines.