General Questions

How do I login to Brightspace?

Login to My Red Dragon and go to the red Student tab at the top of the page. You should have a link to access Brightspace. If you still need help, please contact The Help Center.

 

What browser should I use to access Brightspace?

Most browsers work with Brightspace.  You can log into Brightspace, choose Brightspace Resource then System Check to make sure your browser is compatible.  If you need assistance downloading an alternative browser please contact The Help Center.

 

I'm used to Blackboard and am confused about Brightspace. Where can I get more help familiarizing myself with it?

Log in to My Red Dragon, then select Tech Help in the navigation bar at the top of your page. Next you'll look for the Knowledge Base option in the red navigation bar at the top of your page. Click on that and a page will open. You want to select Teaching and Learning > Brightspace > Learner/Student and a selection of helpful tutorials will be available to help you. If you still need help, please contact The Help Center.

 

I am receiving a message that my account has been locked, what does this mean?

If you are receiving a message that your account has been locked, this means that you have unsuccessfully attempted to login to the Brightspace Learning Environment six times. Try logging in again in 15-30 minutes.

 

How do I add my preferred pronouns in Brightspace?

• When inside Brightspace, click on your name in the upper right corner.
• From the drop down menu, select Account Settings.
• When the new page opens, enable the Allow others to see my pronouns check box.
• Then enter your preferred pronouns in the Use different pronouns field.
• Click save and close.

 

How do I access a course?

After you login to Brightspace, you can access a course by doing one of the following:

• From the red navbar, click the waffle icon, and choose a course from the list or search for it.
• From the home page, click the course from the My Courses widget.

 

How do I pin a course to the top of my Course list?

To easily access the courses you are enrolled in, you can pin them to the top of the Select a course list by following these steps;

• From the navbar, click the waffle icon. Type the name of the course that you want to pin or find it by searching in the Search for a course field. Click the Pin icon beside the course.
• From the home page, scroll over the top right corner of the course image in the My Courses widget. Three dots should appear. Click the three dots. Then click the word pin at the bottom of the drop down menu.

 

Why is there no content in a course I'm registered for? 

If you are unable to view content in your course, do the following:

• Check the course syllabus and/or your instructor's announcements. Do they mention any prerequisites for viewing the content? If yes, make sure you have met the prerequisites.
• Ensure you are using a recommended browser to access the site.
• Contact your Instructor.
• ​If you are still unable to view content, please contact The Help Center.

 

How do I find my instructor's email address?

Some good places to find your instructor’s email address are:

• Your Course Syllabus. This may be posted in the Content tool in Brightspace Learning Environment.
• Your class list or roster inside Brightspace (this tool may not be available to you).

 

Which issues should I contact my instructor for help with?

• Extensions on assignments, quizzes, discussions, exams, etc.
• Requests for additional quiz attempts and technical difficulties while taking a quiz
• Specific details or questions about course material, for example, instructions
• Grade inquiry for assignments, discussions, etc.

Discussions

Why can't I edit a discussion post?

Your ability to edit discussion posts is determined by the permissions granted to you. To edit a discussion post, contact your course instructor as instructors have permissions to edit discussion posts.

 

Why can't I delete my discussion posts?

Students do not have permission to delete discussion posts or discussion threads. Contact the instructor if you need a post deleted as instructors have permission to delete discussion posts.

 

The discussion topic is missing, what do I do?

If you can’t locate a discussion topic or it’s missing, the instructor has either hidden it or had set a start and end date for discussion visibility that has now passed. Contact the instructor for further options in accessing the discussion topic.

 

Why am I unable to post in a discussion I have access to?

If you can access a discussion but can’t post in it, the discussion’s permissions are set so that the discussion is visible for viewing but is locked and not available for posting. Check to see when the discussion was due. If the due date has passed, contact the course instructor for further information.

 

What's the difference between a discussion forum, topic and thread?

A forum is equivalent to a folder which contains a collection of one or more discussion topics. You post to discussion topics and each post within the topic is called a thread.

 

Quizzes

How do I start a quiz?

• Access the quiz through the navbar Quizzes link or through Content
• On the Quiz List page, click on the quiz you want to take.
• Read the instructions and details for the quiz, and when you're ready, click Start Quiz!

 

Why can't I access a quiz?

If you are unable to access a quiz and are receiving a “Not Authorized” or “Internal Error” message, this can mean one of the following:

• The quiz is not available.
• The quiz has ended.
• The maximum number of attempts for the quiz have been reached.

 

Why can't I access the next quiz attempt?

The next quiz attempt cannot be accessed until the previous quiz attempt has been submitted. Submit the first attempt in order to access the second attempt. If you started a second attempt for a quiz but didn't intend to, you must still submit the second attempt. You should also contact your instructor about the accidental second attempt.

 

How do I request additional quiz attempts?

To request additional quiz attempts, contact your course instructor.

 

I lost connection to the Internet/the page won't load/the page froze while I was taking a quiz, what do I do?

• Important: If you exit a timed quiz, time will continue to run on the quiz timer.
• If you encounter technical difficulties while taking a quiz, such as a lost connection to the Internet, the quiz won't load after you click Start Quiz, or the page froze while you were in the middle of taking a quiz, exit the quiz and re-enter the quiz. Questions that have been saved will remain.
• If time to complete the quiz has run out or you still encounter technical difficulties, contact your instructor and explain the issue.

 

Why am I unable to submit a quiz?

• If you are unable to submit a quiz, try to re-enter the quiz and submit it (if time is still available). If time is not available, contact your instructor for further help.
• If answers were saved during the quiz, the attempt is set to “in progress” and will be available for your instructor to view. Contact the instructor and explain the situation.

 

How can I view my past quiz submissions?

If the instructor has set up submission views, you can view your past quiz submission by doing one of the following from the Quizzes tool:

• Click on the drop-down arrow beside the quiz name, select Submissions, and click on the attempt you wish to view.
• Click on the name of the quiz, click the Submissions tab, and click on the attempt you wish to view.

 

Content / Assignments / Modules

My instructor said I have to submit my assignment in .doc or .docx format and I am on a MAC (or am using Google docs).

If you are using Pages and need assistance in converting your documents to .doc or .docx format use the conversion information provided by Apple.  For a google doc, head to Google drive and locate the document. Click File > Download As and select Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint format depending on the type of document it is. Your browser will download the file to your computer.

 

A Content module I'm looking for is missing, what do I do?

There are several reasons why a module would be missing from the Content section:

• The module is associated with a start date that has not yet been released or it is associated with an end date that has passed. Contact the instructor of the course for further information on whether there are start and/or end dates set around the content module.
• The module’s release conditions are not met. Instructors can set modules to only appear once certain criteria is met by the individual learner (for example, a learner must pass “Quiz A” before they are able to view “Module B”). You can contact the Instructor for further information on whether there is a release condition attached to the module that is missing.
• The module is hidden. Contact the instructor of the course to verify whether you are supposed to be able to view the module.

 

Why can't I click on certain/any content topics?

There is a date restriction on the content topic which the instructor has set. Once the start date has passed, you will be able to click on the topic and view the item. If the start date seems incorrect, contact your instructor.

 

Grades / Feedback

How do I view my grades?

Use the Grades tool on the navbar to check your grades on assignments and tests. You can see your individual grades, as well as the grade formula used to evaluate you. Depending on how your grades are set up, you might be able to view comments and overall class performance statistics as well.

 

Where do I go to view feedback for quizzes, assignments, and discussions?

First, verify with your instructor that feedback is available for viewing. If your instructor informs you that feedback is available for the activity, you can view the feedback from the respective tool. For example, to view assignment feedback, go to the Assignments tool, Class Progress, or Content.

 

Who do I contact about grade inquiries for assignments, discussions, etc.?

For inquiries about assignments, discussions, and other course content, contact the course instructor.