Getting Started

1. Open a web browser and go to http://elearning.gfcmsu.edu.
2. Click in the Net ID box and enter your Net ID. (The Net ID looks similar to a12b345)
3. Click in the Password box and enter your password.
4. Click the Login button.
5. You're logged in!

Home Button and Logo - Clicking either of these icons will always bring you back to this page. 

Course Selector - Click on the Course Selector to view your list of current, active courses. Click on a course title to go to that course. Click on a "pin" next to a course title to keep it near the top of the list.

Notification Icons - These icons alert you to new events within Brightspace. Mail alerts you to new emails within Brightspace (note: this is not your student email, but a separate email system within Brightspace). Subscription alerts lets you know when someone has replied to one of your discussion posts. Update alerts provides notifications for things like announcements, release of grade items, and course content updates.

Personal Settings Menu - Within the Personal Settings Menu you will find a link to your personal profile (this is visible by all of the students and instructors enrolled in your courses so do not post personal information here), notification settings to enable email and text message notifications for events within Brightspace, and account settings which allows you to change some things about the way Brightspace looks to you. 

Grades Widget - The Grades Widget will show all of your current, active courses and it may also show your current final grade in any courses where the instructor has made the grade visible during the term.

Announcements - The announcements posted here are important but will not relate directly to any of your courses. 

Brightspace Support - The Brightspace Support Widget provides directions to locate our live chat feature and hours for live chat support.

Calendar - The Calendar Widget should show upcoming Assignments, Quizzes, Discussions, etc in your courses, if your instructor is using it. 

Student Resources - The Student Resources Widget links to a list of useful resources for current students.

Brightspace Support Live Chat - Staff from the Technology Assistance Center provide support for Brightspace and other technical questions and issues throught this chat feature. 

Mini-bar - The bar that runs across the top of the window does not change, except for the addition of the course name. The course name is a link that will always take you back to the Course Home from anywhere within the course.

Navigation Menu - The Navigation Menu contains links to the course tools. Please note that not all of the tools listed under Communications and Toolbox are used in every course. The commonly used tools include: Content, Discussions, Assignments, Quizzes, Email, Classlist, and Grades.

Course Title & Code - This area typically contains the Course Title and the Course Code. For example "Tech Essentials - ACT_094_180_202130".

Instructor Widget - Your instructors should include some information about themselves in this area. This might include their picture, contact information, office hours or virtual office hours, and a short bio. 

Announcements - The announcements posted in this area are posted by the instructor and are directly related to your course. It's very important that you check this area in each course on a regular basis so you don't miss important information from the instructor.