New Content Experience FAQ

Overview & Purpose

What's Changed & What's the Same

Migration & Existing Course Sites

Support Options


OVERVIEW & PURPOSE


What is the New Content Experience (NCE)?

Answer: The New Content Experience (NCE) is an updated interface for viewing and navigating course materials in Brightspace. It introduces a more modern layout, improved accessibility, and a streamlined experience for both instructors and students when accessing course content. Some major improvements include: 

  • Simplified content creation and organization
  • Clearer headings and navigation for students
  • Drag-drop tools that reduce setup time
  • Improved insight into student progress

Why is the university transitioning to NCE?

Answer: The university is transitioning to NCE to take advantage of improvements in usability, accessibility, and long-term platform support within Brightspace. The updated experience provides a more streamlined interface for navigating course materials and aligns with ongoing enhancements made by the Brightspace platform. New features and updates from D2L Brightspace will be integrated into the New Content Experience. By embracing this transition, faculty will be positioned to leverage the latest advancements as they become available.


When will NCE be implemented?

Answer: The rollout will occur in phases to allow instructors time to explore the updated interface and provide feedback.

  • Spring 2026 7W2 Pilot: A small number of courses are participating in a pilot. These courses will use NCE in live teaching environments so the university can gather feedback on the experience for both instructors and students.


  • Summer 2026: Instructors will have access to a toggle option that allows them to switch between the current Classic Content view and the New Content Experience. This provides an opportunity to explore the new interface while still having the option to use the existing interface if preferred.


  • Fall 2026: The New Content Experience will become the standard and required interface for all courses. At that time, the toggle option will be removed, and all courses will use the NCE layout.

This phased rollout allows the university to gather feedback, support instructors during the transition, and ensure a smooth campus-wide implementation.


How does NCE benefit students?

Answer: Data from the D2L Brightspace Student Survey indicated that navigating different course designs requires unnecessary time and mental effort, diverting attention from learning itself. The NCE interface supports a clearer, more consistent, and more transparent structure across courses, such as:

  • Clear navigation: Visual cues and a clean structure make it easier to find and engage with learning materials.
  • Progress visibility: Learners can see where they are in their coursework and what’s next.
  • Accessible design: Focused on readability, screen-reader friendliness, and mobile accessibility.

How does NCE benefit instructors?

Answer: The NCE provides a more streamlined and modern interface for organizing and navigating course materials in Brightspace, such as:

  • Simplified workflows: Fewer menus and screens to create and reorganize course materials.
  • Responsive design: NCE is built for usability on phones, tablets, and laptops.
  • Integration with Brightspace tools: Assignments, quizzes, discussions, and other activities can be accessed from within the content area.
  • Ongoing innovation: New features and enhancements are being prioritized for NCE, positioning it as the future content platform in Brightspace.

WHAT'S CHANGED & WHAT'S THE SAME


What is different between Classic Content and NCE?

Answer: The NCE updates how course materials are displayed and navigated in Brightspace. While the way instructors create and organize content remains largely the same, the interface and navigation have been redesigned to improve usability, accessibility, and the overall experience for instructors and students.

Important

  • Your course structure, modules, and content files do not change.
  • The update primarily affects how content is displayed and navigated, not how instructors build their courses.

What are the Key Differences Between New Content Experience and Classic Content?

Answer: While the NCE offers a modernized approach, there are some differences in how certain features operate compared to the Classic Content Experience we are used to. It is helpful to understand the following differences between the two experiences:


Feature

Classic Content Experience

New Content Experience (NCE)
Visual Design Characterized by a traditional, list-based layout with prominent folder structures Features a modern, minimalist design. 
Content Organization Utilizes modules and sub-modules, allowing for extensive nesting. No change. Utilizes modules and sub-modules, allowing for extensive nesting
Add a module  Bottom of module list  Top of module list 
Editing the module title  Main module content area Click module>three dots at the top>edit 
Editing the module description Main module content area Click on module>three dots at the top>edit 
Options for creating new items  Upload/Create (dropdown at top left) Create New (button top right)
Options for adding existing items  Existing Activities Add Existing 
Navigation The Table of Contents sidebar may not always be visible, and navigating deeply nested items often requires multiple clicks. The sidebar is consistently displayed and easily expandable, facilitating smoother navigation with fewer clicks to access content.
Course Overview Page Includes a dedicated "Overview" page for general course information. Does not feature a standalone "Overview" page. Any content previously on this page would need to be incorporated into a module.
Individual Content Descriptions Descriptions for singular content items (e.g., files, external links) are often prominently displayed. Descriptions for individual content items are generally not displayed directly within the content view, although descriptions for folders or units will appear.
Bulk Content Editing Offers tools for performing bulk edits on multiple content items simultaneously. Bulk editing capabilities are not present; content items must be edited individually.
Scheduling and Visibility Start and end dates can typically be set for most content types directly within their settings. Scheduled start and end dates are not available for all content types (e.g., units, lessons, folders, HTML files, external links); visibility is primarly controlled through a simple toggle switch.
Activity Access Engaging with activities might often open them in a new browser tab or window Students frequently have the ability to interact with activities directly embedded within the content area, creating a more integrated learning experience. This is not the case for some items, such as checklists and external links 

While NCE offers a more streamlined and user-friendly interface, some advanced features from the Classic Content Experience are not yet available. Future updates are expected to bridge these gaps, bringing more functionality to the NCE. 


Will NCE be available in Community Brightspace?

Answer: Yes! Community Brightspace will also switch to NCE starting August 2026.


Migration & Existing Courses

Will my course content still be there? 

Answer: Your existing course materials, modules, and files will remain the same. The update only changes how content is displayed and navigated, not the underlying course structure.


Do I need to change my course design?

Answer: No redesign is required. Your content will automatically appear in the new interface. However, this may be a good opportunity to review the organization and labeling of modules to ensure the best experience for students.


Will students see anything differently?

Answer: Students in courses participating in the pilot will see the new content interface when accessing course materials. The goal is to provide a clearer, more streamlined navigation experience that makes it easier to move between modules, readings, and activities.

One feature of NCE is that students can view and complete activities directly within the module in the content area. This includes activities such as assignments, quizzes, and discussions. Students no longer need to leave the content area to view full assignment details or begin a discussion post. This streamlined experience helps students stay oriented within the module while completing course activities.


Why do the module titles sometimes not show a count of the items contained in the module?

Answer: You might be entering information in the folder descriptions rather than adding files to the folders. Place teaching materials and create new activities within the module as a new page/sub-module. You can drag-and-drop files from your computer to the desired location. Teaching from the module description area for large amounts of content can limit some navigation, viewing, and printing features that students rely on. It is best to keep module descriptions brief and use them only for short introductions or directions.


Support Options 


Where can I go for training and support? 

Answer: The Instructional Technology (InTech) team provides a variety of resources to help instructors learn about and transition to NCE.


  • Workshops and training sessions that demonstrate how NCE works and highlight best practices for organizing course content. See the UCATT events calendar to stay up to date. 
  • One-on-one consultations with an InTech team member for personalized guidance. Use the Contact Us Page to get started. 
  • The InTech Help Pages will be updated with NCE-specific content before the Summer 2026 Term. 
  • Subscribe to the Brightspace News mailing list to ensure you receive timely and relevant information. 

How can I practice with NCE and see it in action? 

Answer: The Instructional Technology (InTech) team can enable NCE in an existing or new playspace. Please submit a request via Enable New Content Experience in a Playspace (opens in a new tab).