August 1

Brightspace Binder

This week, a new feature appeared for our students in D2L Brightspace. It is a learning tool called Binder, and it unifies essential functions today’s students need: it places all course materials in one place, they can reach them from any device (lap top, tablet, phone) online and offline, they can highlight the documents and study directly from the app.

Here is a brief overview:

  • For our SCSU students, it appears directly on the course content page (there is a button “Send to Binder”)
  • It is a one step process to create a Binder account and it is linked to their D2L Brightspace
  • It allows for 2 GB of space
  • It supports a variety of document types
  • They can sort and filter documents
  • They can create annotations and mark up the documents

D2L Binder2

D2L Binder

 

 

 

 

Category: D2L Tip of the Month, How Does It Work?, Open Educational Resources, Product Watch, Spotlight on Ed Tech | LEAVE A COMMENT
June 21

D2L Brightspace Terminology Changes Effective August 6, 2016

D2L has changed the terminology for some Brightspace tools and features. Take a look at the screenshots of the changes at the bottom of this post.↓

  • These changes will take effect at all MnSCU D2L Brightspace Production sites as of Saturday, August 6, 2016.
  • MnSCU users will see these terminology changes in the learning environment and on D2L’s community site, including online documentation and help.
  • Students and faculty will be made aware of the changes through MnSCU Service Desk FAQs and Announcements (formerly News) at each school’s D2L Brightspace My Home page.
Current

Terminology

 New Terminology as

of August 6, 2016
News Announcements
Dropbox Assignments
Edit Course Course Admin
Pager Instant Messages
New (in Content tool) Upload/Create
Add Existing Activities (in Content tool) Existing Activities

D2L will be updating its Brightspace documentation to reflect the terminology changes, and MnSCU will implement the changes to be in sync with D2L’s documentation to help users make a smooth transition.  MnSCU will implement the terminology changes in D2L Brightspace on August 6, 2016.

D2L Terminology Changes Course Admin and ContentD2L Terminology Changes Announcements Assignments Instant Messages

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May 17

Creating Video Content Topic in D2L

MnSCU D2L Brightspace Service Desk

Having a variety of instructional materials is encouraged in your classes. It is easy to put videos on topics related to your class in your D2L Brightspace course shell. Here is a reminder how to do it (Click here for the full post with pictures).
Instructors can create a HTML content topic and insert an embedded video, or create a Quicklink content topic to a video URL.
Video topics are listed in modules with a RNT/assets/images/a1594_video_file_icon.jpg Video icon to distinguish them from other types of files and link topics.
– To create a video content topic, click New in a content module, then select Video or Audio from the drop-down menu.
– Two options: Upload: You can create your video using Mediaspace where you would use the embed code.
Web Video or Audio: paste URL in the field and after the video loads click save.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Note: Any web video can be used to create a video topic simply by pasting its HTML embed code in the Enter URL or Embed Code field. Additionally, D2L Brightspace provides shortcuts for some web sites, enabling users to create videos by simply copying and pasting the URL of the video instead of the HTML embed code.

The following table lists supported sites that were selected based on the most frequently used videos by D2L Brightspace clients today.

 Video Source  URL Support  Embed Code Support  Extract Title Support  Extract Author Support
 YouTube  Yes  Yes  Yes  Yes
 Vimeo  Yes  Yes  Yes  Yes
 D2L Capture*  No**  Yes  No  No
 Dailymotion  Yes  Yes  Yes  No
 Discovery  No  Yes  Yes  No
 Howcast  Yes  Yes  Yes  No
 Influxis  No  Yes  No  No
 Khan Academy  No  Yes  Yes  Yes
 MIT  Yes  Yes  Yes  No
 National Geographic  Yes  Yes  Yes  No
 SchoolTube  Yes  Yes  Yes***  No
 ScienceStage  No  Yes  Yes  No
 ScreenCast  No  Yes  No  No
 TeacherTube  Yes  Yes  No  No
 TED  Yes  Yes  Yes  No
 Adobe TV  No  Yes  No  No
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April 26

Brightspace Minnesota Connection Follow-up

Photo credit: www.brightspace.com

Photo credit: www.brightspace.com

As promised, we are giving the highlights from the Brightspace Minnesota Connection conference two weeks ago.  You can find the links to presentations, photos, and videos from various breakout sessions here. Topics varied from D2L Brightspace tools and pedagogical applications, to flipped classrooms, widgets, accessibility, and many more! Enjoy!

Category: Accessibility in Online Learning, Course Design, D2L Tip of the Month, Future Trends, How Does It Work?, Online Teaching Pedagogy, Open Educational Resources, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT
January 14

Library Widgets for D2L Brightspace

Instructors,

Our dear librarians have developed beautiful widgets that you can just add to your course page on D2L. It is very easy to find it: on the library homepage, under Find a Research Guide> By Subject/Topic choose Widgets for D2L Brightspace from the drop down list. You can see it on the screenshot below:

Library homepage Find a Research GuideThen, they give you a wide range of samples to choose from, depending on the course you teach. Further there are several documents that further explain how to add a widget you choose, and the embedded codes for specific widgets. The widgets give direct access to databases.

Library Widgets examplesYou can access the step by step description of how to add a widget to your D2L course here.

Big thanks to Cindy Gruwell and Melissa Prescott for developing this and making it available for our faculty and students.

Category: Course Design, D2L Tip of the Month, How Does It Work?, Online Teaching Pedagogy, Open Educational Resources, Quality Matters | LEAVE A COMMENT
December 29

ATT Sessions at January Faculty Workshops

St. C_Logo-GroupJanuary 4-8, 2016 Faculty Workshops will be held on various topics concerning Student Retention and Success. Our ATT team will be holding several sessions regarding using D2L, incorporating research based and best practices to help faculty design and deliver their courses in the both teacher and student friendly way. You can view the Full Schedule here. Below are the sessions facilitated by the Academic Technology Team. All are on Monday, January 4, and will be held in Centennial Hall 455 Lab.

10:00–11:15
Concurrent Sessions A
Using the D2L Discussion Board
This is a hands-on session designed for the novice user. In this session participants will learn how to create a Discussion where you and your students can post, read, and reply to messages on different topics, share thoughts about course materials, ask questions, share files, or where students can work with peers on assignments and homework.
Best Practices will cover:
a. Setting expectations—substantive posts, appropriate tone and respectful language, due dates
b. Responding to student posts
c. Attaching a rubric. (Rubric will be provided)
d. Attaching a discussion to the gradebook.
11:30-12:45
CONCURRENT SESSIONS B
Using D2L Discussion boards to engage students.
This is a hands on session designed for the intermediate to advance user. In this session the participants will learn how to use the discussion board to:
a. Introduce students to themselves (works for online and F2F classes)
b. How to pose a good discussion question (student- led vs. instructor led)
c. Use in a Face2Face class
d. Discussion use in a cohort to develop community.
3:30-4:45
CONCURRENT SESSIONS D
Importing Final Grades From D2L Brightspace Into ISRS
Faculty can now import student final grades directly from D2L Brightspace into ISRS via the eServices Grade and LDA Entry interface. Attend this hands-on session and learn how to: Prepare the D2L Brightspace gradebook settings to enable import to ISRS. Use “Grade and LDA Entry” in eServices to import final grades from D2L Brightspace. This session is open to all faculty using D2L Brightspace. Before attending this session, faculty should request their class shell(s) at http://huskynet.stcloudstate.edu/instructional/d2l. Prerequisites:
-Have a class shell to work in during the hands on session.
-Have a developed gradebook
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December 16

MN IGNITE 2016 Proposals Accepted

Brightspace_logo_Stacked_RGB_300x275Join your colleagues and peers, and D2L staff at the annual MN IGNITE 2016 conference on April 15, 2016, from 7:45 AM–3:50 PM at Normandale Community College. Ignite is your opportunity to connect, exchange feedback, display best practices, and network with other D2L Brightspace users.
REGISTER NOW
Sponsored by D2L in collaboration with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and St. Catherine University, this conference will showcase many aspects of teaching and learning within the D2L Brightspace Learning Management System. Sessions will also feature related topics such as best practices in instructional design, technology integration and administrative management. A MN Ignite Conference is all about connection and collaboration. NEW this year is a featured keynote by Kenneth Chapman (Vice President of Market Strategy for D2L) and poster sessions including past Ignite Award Winners. With presentations, training sessions, and time for peer networking, attendees can discover how D2L Brightspace—our integrated learning platform—supports every individual’s unique pathway and potential.

Proposals will be accepted through January 29, 2016, from higher education and K-12 faculty and teachers, as well as staff and administrators. If you have a topic you are passionate about, some best practices you want to share with colleagues, or an education program you want to promote, and submit your proposal for sessions that fall into one of these five tracks:
1. Design and Development
2. Delivery and Instruction
3. Analysis and Management
4. Innovation and Engagement
5. Support, Training and Administration

This year’s sessions will be offered in the following formats:
· 50-minute Regular sessions
· 100-minute Extended sessions (may include hands-on activities)
· 30-minute Poster sessions
MN IGNITE AWARDS
Did you develop a bright idea for using D2L Brightspace to enhance your students’ learning experience? Or did your team collaborate on a project to address a student, faculty, or organizational need? If so, we want to hear from you!
The MN Ignite 2016 Awards, given out at the annual MN Ignite 2016 Regional Conference, recognizes educators or those in education who have used D2L Brightspace to deliver learning experiences that are innovative, collaborative, or have made an extraordinary impact on learning outcomes.
Please nominate yourself (or team) by February 28, 2016, for 3rd MN Ignite Awards.

Category: D2L Tip of the Month, Online and Distance Education, Online Collaborative Learning, Professional Development, Spotlight on Ed Tech | LEAVE A COMMENT
November 16

D2L Brightspace upgrade tomorrow

Brightspace_logo_Stacked_RGB_300x275D2L Brightspace is going to be upgraded to version 10.5.3 on Tuesday the 17th from 4:00am to 8:00am. So, whats new?

Here is our another D2L tip of the month or FAQ of the week, brought to you by MnSCU D2L Brightspace Service Desk.

Q:  What’s new in D2L Brightspace version 10.5.3 for students, teachers and campus site administrators?

A:  There are three FAQs to highlight the major changes for the update from version 10.5.0 to version 10.5.3.

What’s New for Students?   https://d2l.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1627

What’s New for Teachers?   https://d2l.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1628

What’s New for Admins?      https://d2l.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1629

 

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