Course Builder Tool

What Is Course Builder?

At its core, Brightspace's Course Builder is an instructional design tool that helps you to lay out a course's structure in a single interface. With Course Builder, instructors & instructional designers can plan, design & build course content all in one tool.

Best yet, Course Builder makes moving content around really simple. Course Builder also makes quick work of copying structure so you can save time building out the perfect course.

Accessing Course Builder

Step 1

Select Course Admin in the NavBar.

Step 2

Under Site Resources, select Course Builder.

Course Builder Interface

Course Builder is comprised of three main areas, detailed below:

Toolbox (1)

You find the Toolbox on the left side of the screen. It contains three components:  

• Build Outline: allows you to insert modules and placeholders into the Course Tree in order to create structure for your course's content.
• Add Content: allows you insert content into the Course Tree.
• Browse Tools: allows you to use Brightspace tools to add items to your Course Tree. You can create new Assignments, Discussions and Quizzes as well as grade items from this option.

Course Tree (2)

The Course Tree area is found in the middle of the screen. It always includes a top-level node called the Course Node. The structure of your course content appears here.

Selected Node Panel (3)

On the right side of the screen you'll find the Selected Node Panel. This area displays useful information in a single panel, including links to the item itself or actions you can take next.

Adding Modules to Course Tree

Step 1

From Build Outline, select the Create a Module icon, which looks like an open book.

Step 2

Select a location in the next menu.

Step 3

Insert a name for the module.

Step 4 (optional)

If desired, enter any notes in the HTML box.

Step 5 (optional)

If desired, select the checkboxes and use the calendar tool to set any start and/or end dates & whether to display those dates in the course calendar.

Step 6  

When finished, select Create.

Inserting Placeholders into Course Tree

Step 1

From the Toolbox, select Build Outline.

Step 2A (Option 1)

Select the icon of the desired item from the available options:

• Link placeholder
• File placeholder
• Discussion placeholder
• Quiz Placeholder

Step 2B

Select the desired location to insert the placeholder by selecting on the applicable node in the menu. Use the Plus icon to expand a node that already has nested items.

Step 3 (Option 2)

Drag the icon of the desired option to the corresponding node where you want to place it in the Course Tree & drop it on the node.

Step 4

Give a name to the placeholder.

Step 5 (optional)

If desired, enter any notes in the HTML box.

Step 7

When finished, select Create.

Converting Placeholders into Content

Step 1

Select the desired placeholder node in the Course Tree.

Step 2

Choose New; depending on the type of item associated with the placeholder, the phrasing will be along the lines of New Assignment, New Link, New Quiz, New Discussion.

Step 3

Complete the required setup menu for the item type in question.

Inserting Content into Course Tree

Step 1

From the Toolbox, select Add Content.

Step 2A (Option 1)

Select the icon of the desired item from the available options:

• Create a Link
• Create a Page
• Create a Discussion
• Create an Assignment
• Create a Quiz
• Create & Associate a New Grade Item

Step 2B

Select the desired location to insert the placeholder by selecting on the applicable node in the menu. Use the Plus icon to expand a node that already has nested items.

Step 3 (Option 2)

Drag the icon of the desired option to the corresponding node where you want to place it in the Course Tree & drop it on the node.

Step 4

Depending on the item chosen, complete the required details:

• Link: select the desired item to place a QuickLink to. For more information, see QuickLinks (opens in a new tab).
• Page: insert a name for the page, as well as a name for the corresponding course file (can be the same name); use the HTML editor to create the page's content; apply any date restrictions.
• Discussion: select or create the desired Forum; insert a name; use the HTML editor to insert a description; select or create a grade item; if applicable, insert score value; use the checkboxes to select desired options; apply any date restrictions.
• Assignment: insert a name; use the HTML editor to input instructions; select submission type; attach any desired file(s); insert score value; select or create a grade item; apply any date restrictions.
• Quiz: insert a name; toggle the description on, if desired, & use the HTML editor to input the description; select or create a grade item; choose options to synchronize and/or publish results; uncheck the box if the quiz is to be made visible at creation; apply any date restrictions.
• New Grade Item: insert a name; select or create a category, if desired; use the HTML editor to input a description, if desired; set the points value; if applicable, select options for exceed, bonus or exclusion from Final Calculated Grade; apply any date restrictions.

Step 6  

When finished, select Create.

View, Add or Edit Content via Browse Tools

Step 1  

From the Toolbox , select Browse Tools.

Step 2

Select the desired option from the available menu:

• Course Files
• Discussions
• Assignments
• Quizzes
• Grade Items

Step 3

Depending on the item chosen, complete the applicable steps:

• Course Files: use the checkbox to select the desired item (or) use the Upload File icon to create a new file; select Add to Course on the next screen & choose the location to place the file.
• Discussions: select the desired discussion via the checkbox (or) use the New Discussion icon to create a new discussion; on the next screen, if edits are desired, select the item and on the next screen, choose Edit Discussion; select Add to Course & choose the location to place the discussion.
• Assignments: select the desired assignment via the checkbox (or) use the New Assignment icon to create a new assignment; on the next screen, if edits are desired, select the item and on the next screen, choose Edit Assignment; select Add to Course & choose the location to place the assignment.  
• Quizzes: select the desired quiz via the checkbox (or) use the New Quiz icon to create a new assignment; if edits are desired, select the item and on the next screen, choose Edit Quiz; select Add to Course & choose the location to place the quiz.
• Grade Items: use the radio button to select the desired grade item (or) use the New Grade Item icon to create a new grade item; on the next screen, if desired, select Edit Grade Item to make any edits; select Add to Course & choose the item to attach the grade item to.

Moving Nodes in the Course Tree

Step 1

From the Course Tree, locate the desired node.

Step 2 (Option 1)

Select the Action Menu button and choose Move Up, Move Down or Move To.  

Step 3 (Option 2)

Select on the desired node & drag it to the desired location; use the blue line above or below to indicate where you wish to place it (or) hover over a module until it turns orange; drop the item to place it.

Copying & Pasting Structure

Step 1

From the Course Tree, locate the desired module & select the Action Menu button.

Step 2

Select Copy Structure.

Step 3A (Option 1)

To paste the structure as a whole new module, select the Action Menu button on the course node at the top of the tree; select Paste.

Step 3B (Option 2)

To past the structure within a module node, select the Action Menu button on the desired node; Select Paste; choose Paste After, Paste Before, or Paste as Child (i.e. nested).

Deleting Nodes from the Course Tree

Step 1

From the Course Tree, locate the desired node and  select the Action Menu button.

Step 2

Select Remove.

Step 3

Confirm deletion on the next screen by selecting Remove.

Use the Selected Node Panel

Step 1

From the Course Tree, locate the desired node.

Step 2A (Course Node)

Select Edit Course Information to make changes to the course site name, course image, hide/show the course banner, course color scheme; select Save when done.

Step 2B (Module Node)

Select Edit Module to make changes to the module; select Upload Files to upload a new course file to include in the module; select Save when done. You can also toggle between Published or Draft status.

Step 2C (Assignment, Discussion or Quiz Node)

To open the item in Content, select the item name at the top of the panel; select Edit Notes to make changes to the notes; select Edit Assignment/Discussion/Quiz to make edits to the activity; select Save when done. You can also toggle between Published or Draft status.

Step 2D (Placeholder)

Select Edit Placeholder to make changes to the placeholder, selecting Save when finished; select New Assignment/Discussion/Quiz to replace the placeholder with an activity, selecting Create when finished.