Product Idea Exchange

LMS Weekly Update: ELX Open House Reminder, New Support Hours, and PD sessions

Reminder: First ELX Open House: October 1st, 11:30 to 3:00, in C123

We are very excited to announce our first event showcasing the resources available in the Employee Learning Exchange space (C123), on Tuesday, Oct. 1st, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Staff and faculty will have the opportunity to tour the space, take part in our activities, demonstrations, ask questions and, most importantly, enjoy conversation, light refreshments and coffee.

Removing Users from your Course

Did you know that you can remove other users from your course and even yourself?

You can do this via Tools > Classlist for any course in which you are an instructor. Check the user you need to unenroll and then click on the Unenroll button. Please note that student enrollments are managed by GeneSiS – if students are enrolled in your course via GeneSiS and you try to unenroll them in Brightspace, they will be automatically re-added the next day.

Product Idea Exchange

Brightspace runs on a continuous delivery model, with monthly updates and improvements. The next couple of months will see major improvements to the grading workflow via Quick Eval, as well as more consistency in language and navigation across tools. The majority of these monthly improvements are in direct response to community submissions to the Product Idea Exchange. Check out our page to see the suggestions that we are currently following, and use the Essentials discussion forum to suggest new submissions or existing ideas that we should follow.

Brightspace Support Hours

Brightspace Support is available from 8:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Employees can book an appointment here, walk in to C123, call 613-727-4723 ext. 6943, or email brightspace@algonquincollege.com for support.

Brightspace PD sessions

Next week, we will be offering three workshops on how to configure your grade book and enter grades. You can find details about this in the PD Registration System. We’ll also be delivering some custom training via Zoom, as requested by a program chair. For further details on training and how to request custom sessions, please visit our website.

 

LMS Weekly Update: PIE and Nav Bar Updates

Here’s a preview of our second fun, food-filled event for Brightspace Pro Tips Week. On May 30, we are taking a deep-dish dive into the Product Idea Exchange (PIE), a community forum where Brightspace users share and vote on their improvement ideas for Brightspace.

PIE Drive

Spring is here and PIEs be near. On May 30 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, we are selling raffle tickets in C126 for a chance to win delicious pies! You can participate by purchasing tickets or showing off your baking skills – contribute your delicious creation to the PIE Drive. The event is free to attend, and all ticket proceeds will be donated to the Algonquin Food Cupboard.

Sign-up as a pie donor here by May 22. Please contact Justyne Jones @ Jonesj1@algonquincollege.com with your questions.

PIE Toss @ Boss ft. Farbod Karimi

From now until May 29, faculty who have submitted or submit an idea to the Product Idea Exchange will also be entered in our PIE Contest. One lucky winner will be chosen to throw a pie in the face of Farbod Karimi, Chair of the Learning and Teaching Services, after the PIE Drive! To enter the contest, click here.

We are using the PIE to drive change

Employees at Algonquin College are voting on PIE items to collectively change your Brightspace experience. Find out more on our website by clicking here.

We’ll be offering a session during Pro Tips Week on how to use the Product Idea Exchange. All attendees in this session will have an opportunity to enter the PIE Toss @ Boss Contest (after all, two PIEs are better than one). Registration opens next week. Stay tuned.

Improving Navigation for Users

Thanks to several user requests, there are some minor changes to the LMS this month. Grades is being moved from Progress and will standalone on the Course Nav Bar. The Help section is also being updated making it easier for Students and Faculty to find out where they can get help with using the LMS. These changes will be implemented before May 13, 2019.