To help instructors keep up with all the monthly improvements myCourses has to offer, we’re launching a new blog series dedicated to highlighting recent updates and new features.
One of the many excellent features of myCourses is that new features and improvements are rolled out monthly. This space will highlight key updates that we feel are the most impactful and noteworthy for our community. For a full list of updates, see the Brightspace Release Notes.
Restore Groups and Categories with the new Recycle Bin feature
A new update to the Groups tool in myCourses brings a much-needed enhancement: the ability to restore deleted group units and categories using a new Recycle Bin feature. This update simplifies group management and ensures that accidental deletions no longer result in lost data or disrupted workflows.
The Recycle Bin allows instructors to restore both individual groups and entire group categories within a course. When a group is restored, any existing enrollments and lockers associated with it are also reinstated. This ensures a seamless recovery process without the need for manual re-enrollment.
The Recycle Bin button is now available on the Manage Groups page, located to the right of the New Category button.
Note: Groups and categories deleted before the introduction of this feature (November 2024) will not appear in the Recycle Bin.
Increased module depth in New Content Experience
The New Content Experience now supports nested modules up to a depth of five levels. (Previously, the nesting limit for modules was set at three levels.) This enhancement allows instructors to more easily migrate content or courses with complex module structures.
Locate modules or topics with search functionality in New Content Experience
Instructors and students can now search through the table of contents in the Content tool. With the new search field, you can locate modules or topics by their titles and descriptions.
The search field is positioned above the table of contents, allowing users to quickly enter a search term to locate relevant course materials. This feature significantly improves navigation and content discovery, especially for courses with extensive module structures.
Authoring tools menu in Brightspace editor
Instructors can now find Authoring Tools under a new dedicated icon. These tools used to fall under “Other Insert Options”. These authoring tools allow instructors to add interactive elements such as flip cards and practice elements such as multiple-choice questions directly into the page content.
Add topic descriptions in New Content Experience
Instructors can now add topic descriptions in the New Content Experience to set expectations and provide context for learners. These descriptions appear directly on the activity page to guide learners. Additionally, they are visible in the Search bar, enabling learners to find the correct topic more easily.
The following topic types support descriptions:
- Files
- Web links
- External tool links
- SCORM, including imported content
Attach rubrics to written response questions
Instructors can now attach a rubric to written response (long answer) questions on a quiz. Students can see the rubric while they are taking the quiz which helps clarify expectations of how they will be assessed. Instructors can easily use the rubric to provide feedback and grades.
New quiz evaluation experience
There is a new quiz evaluation experience that can be turned on in the quiz page an instructor is grading. Instructors can click on the down arrow on the top right of the page to expand the dialog box to turn on or off the new quiz evaluation experience.
In the new quiz evaluation experience, instructors can easily navigate through the quiz submissions of students using the left and right arrows. They can also view the attempts and the completion summary of each student. The new quiz evaluation experience now has two panels which is consistent with other updates in myCourses.
HTML document renamed to “Page”
In the New Content Experience, the HTML Document content type has been renamed to “Page”. This simplifies the terminology and clarifies the type of content being created in myCourses.
Need more information?
Explore Brightspace’s full list of Release Notes to stay up to date on all feature enhancements and updates.
For step-by-step guides and detailed information on using myCourses tools, visit the Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base.
Still have questions or want help integrating new features into your course? Book a consultation with an Educational Development and Digital Learning Designer—we’re here to support you in making the most of these updates to enhance teaching and learning.
Image Credits: Brightspace
