Start of the Semester: Top 10 Brightspace Tips!

Top tips for start-of-semester in Brightspace

Every course at Stony Brook University (with the exception of the School of Medicine) has a Brightspace course and your students are automatically added (and removed if they drop) for you.

By default, your course is unavailable to your students. If you wish to use Brightspace this semester, please make your course available before the semester starts. 

 Request that cross listed sites be merged by submitting a ticket if you are teaching a cross listed course and want to only maintain one course site (Keep in mind that all students from all sections will appear in your Grade Book if we merge your courses)

 Add content (including your Syllabus).   We highly recommend you utilize the Learning Objects Repository (LOR) to add syllabi statements

 Add your TA to your class

 Create an Announcement to greet your students (or send an email from the "Classlist" tool

 Make sure your students know about the Brightspace Mobile App, Pulse

 Set up your Grade Book early so that your students keep on track and save yourself time at the end of the semester

 You can reuse course information from a previous semester 

 All Fall 2021-Spring 2023 Blackboard courses are available in Brightspace so you can copy content to your new course shell.  If you taught during those semesters, you should see  courses starting with "STB" in the Conversions tab.

 Third Party tools, such as Echo360 & VoiceThread, will need to be re-linked.  Directions are available here

 Make sure you remove any old content from your new Brightspace site

 Manage your deadlines and dates with Manage Dates

 You can use View as Learner to view your course from a Student perspective


SUNY and Academic Technology Services are here to help you!
online.suny.edu/help | service.stonybrook.edu
1-844-673-6786 | 631.632.9800 (option 2)

Additional Information


KB Details
This KB Article References: Brightspace, Brightspace for Instructors
This Information is Intended for: Instructors, Staff
Created: 08/02/2022
Last Updated: 05/03/2024

Supported By


Brightspace Support via SUNY Helpdesk
Phone: 1-844-673-6786
Customer Engagement and Support