Brightspace Learning Environment

Audio/Video – Manual transcoding option to optimize video files | New

Depending on the file format of audio and video files, they might not play in a web browser by default. Previously, all uploaded audio and video files were transcoded; now, transcoding only occurs when necessary, All MP3 and MP4 video files are saved in their original form because they can play in a browser without transcoding. Other files, such as WMV and AVI, which would not play by default, continue to be automatically transcoded.

With this update, the new Optimize for Streaming option in the editing tool enables users who want to manually transcode original versions of the files, for example, to reduce the file size or enable multi-bitrate streaming.

Note: This feature applies to uploading audio and video files in Content, Lessons, and Video Note upload. Original versions of videos are used for editing and playback. This feature does not apply to Video Note web cam recordings, which continue to be transcoded automatically.

This change also moves the Language selector to the Table of Contents and Closed Captions area.
 

Figure: In your Video Topic properties, access the Edit > Advanced Editing option.


Figure: The Video Editing tool showing the new Optimize for Streaming button, and the Language selector in the Table of Contents and Closed Captioning area.

This feature has accessibility impacts, including:

• WCAG 2.1 Success Criteria 1.2.1 Audio-only or Video-only (Prerecorded)
• WCAG 2.1 Success Criteria 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) 

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators and instructors who have more options on how to control video quality for MP4 file types.
• Slight impact to learners due to the improved usability of those videos with the Table of Contents and Captions. 

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients.

To Enable:

• This functionality is automatically enabled for Content and Lessons users. 

Audio/Video – Media player now uses the Download Content Topics permission | New

The Content tool and Lessons tool now use the Content > Download Content Topics permission to control a user's ability to see the Download button in the Video and Audio media player. The change from configuration variables to permissions improves the user experience and allows more control over who can download media files. If you already have this permission granted to any user roles, they now automatically have this added functionality.

Previously, the MediaPlayer.ShowDownloadButtonInLessons and MediaPlayer.ShowDownloadButtonInContent configuration variables controlled the display of the Download button. These configuration variables have no affect on the visibility of the Download button, regardless of their previous settings. You must set the new permission to replace the configuration variable settings.

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators who now have greater control over what user roles can download media files.
• Slight impact to instructors and learners who only see the Download button in the Media Player if they have the Content > Download Content Topics permission. 

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients.

To Enable:

• Ensure the Content > Download Content Topics permission is provided to all user roles who should be able to download media files in the Media Player in Content. Be aware that this is not a new permission, and any user roles that already have this permission automatically have access to the Download button. 
• Note: The previous configuration variables are no longer valid and are deprecated from Brightspace Learning Environment. 

Awards – Awards task excludes evaluating non-learner roles | Updated 

The Awards task was being evaluated against “All Enrollments”, which returns a list of all users enrolled in a course, regardless of roles or permissions. This list included users with the role setting “Display this role in the classlist” disabled.  

Now when evaluating an award, the user list is limited to only users with the role setting “Display this role in the classlist” enabled. This is in line with the Awards UI configuration settings. 

Role Permissions for earning certificates and badges are still respected. 

Technical Details 

Impact:

• Low impact to instructors due to the ability to correctly view their classlist and configure the display settings.

​​​​​Availability 

• This feature is available to all Brightspace clients. 

To enable: 

• This feature is automatically enabled.
   

Brightspace Learning Environment – Updated default font and color stylings for improved accessibility | New 

This feature introduces a color change to fonts and icons in Brightspace Learning Environment to meet WCAG guidelines.

Previously the dark grey font #494c4e did not meet the 3:1 contrast ratio with the color of our links. The new font #202122 (still grey!) is darker and meets the WCAG link contrast criteria for accessibility. This change is visible in most locations in Brightspace Learning Environment.

  
Figure: Before and after showing the updated font color visible in the My Courses widget. 

  
Figure: Before and after showing the updated font color visible in text and inline links. 

This feature has accessibility impacts, including:  

• WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.4.1 Use of Color 
• WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) 

Technical Details  

Impact: 

• Slight impact to all users due to updated font and color stylings across Brightspace Learning Environment to meet accessibility guidelines. 

Availability:  

• This feature is available to all clients. 

To enable: 

• This functionality is automatically enabled for all users. 

Brightspace Pulse – Added @mention push notifications | New 

Brightspace Instructors (depending on their role definition within their institution) can now use @mention push notifications to direct a message to Learners using Pulse. Originally, @mentions came through Brightspace Learning Environment but were only visible if the user opened Pulse and viewed their Subscriptions tab under Notifications. Now, the new functionality sends a push notification to the user when they are @mentioned. 

Note: These notifications are available in the Pulse Notifications > Subscriptions area and are still available in Discussions. @Mentions are currently not supported in Activity Feed. 

Technical Details 

Impact:

• Slight impact to instructors who can now receive push notifications when they are tagged in a Discussion topic. 

• Slight impact to learners who can now receive push notifications when they are tagged in a Discussion topic. 

Availability 

• This feature is available to Brightspace Pulse clients in all regions who downloaded the Brightspace Pulse app and who have the latest update. 

To Enable: 

• This function is automatically enabled with the latest update for the Pulse app. It is available in the Pulse Notifications > Subscriptions area and still available in Discussions. 
   

Brightspace Pulse – Updates and subscriptions now align with all update subscription Alerts in Brightspace | Updated 

In Brightspace Pulse, the Updates and Subscriptions tab is now aligned to show the same items as the Alert Bell and Discussions in Brightspace Learning Environment. 

All Brightspace alerts now display within the Pulse Updates and Subscriptions tab. Improved logic in how alerts are sent to Pulse ensures that alerts are no longer sent from courses that are inaccessible (courses that are inactive or past their end date).

Technical Details 

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators due to the ability to consistently view alerts across the Learning Environment. 

• Slight impact to instructors due to the ability to consistently view alerts across the Learning Environment. 

• Slight impact to learners due to the ability to consistently view alerts across the Learning Environment. 

Availability

• Available for all clients who have the Brightspace Pulse app. 

To Enable: 

• Automatically enabled for all clients with the latest update for Brightspace Pulse. 
   

Bulk Admin Tools – Improvements to Bulk User Management administrative workflows | Updated

Bulk user management is a key administrative workflow that is integral to implementation and ongoing user management by users who may not typically have a Student Information System (SIS) or Human Resources Information System (HRIS). With this release, administrators can increase their understanding and ease of use of the Bulk User Management workflows. Updates include:

• Bulk User Management now includes a downloadable CSV template to add the required information more easily and accurately to the Brightspace Learning Environment. The CSV input format now accepts CSV or TXT files that contain a header row, and the CSV template includes a header row that is dynamically updated based on the Bulk User Form Elements configuration. 
• The page headers in the Bulk User Management process now includes better information to define and describe pages of the workflow more clearly. In addition, the page layout better supports the workflow with improved links to instructions which reduces the need for prior understanding of the Bulk User Management process, and less need to review documentation to verify the steps involved prior to or during the implementation or update workflows. 
• The new ability to download results from the Preview and Summary pages to review data and correct errors. The ability to download a file to review in your CSV/TXT editor provides features of the editor that can help you find missed, failed entries, or errors that you can more easily communicate to colleagues supplying the data. You can also download a CSV to compliment the onscreen table information available within the preview (prior to running/review stage) and summary (completion of running/end of run stage). The downloadable CSV file contains data from the original upload along with the line number, status (Success, Error, Critical Error, or Warning) and a summary of the error/warning text to help troubleshoot and correct errors. 

This feature implements PIE item D2660 - Output log files from Bulk User Management.


Figure: Updated headers and additional instructions


Figure: The Download Results button enables you to validate your CSV/TXT file

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators who can more easily use the Bulk User Management workflow.

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients.

To Enable:

• The existing See User Management Tool permission must be selected for any user using the Bulk User Management tool.

Data Hub – Local Authentication Security Log Brightspace Data Set | New

This release adds the new Local Authentication Security Log Brightspace Data Set (BDS), which allows clients to confirm which users are configured for two-factor authentication.

Each row in the data set captures one of the following actions, the person who made the change, and the date/time of the action:

• Authorizing a user for local login
• Removing a user from local login
• Two-factor authentication enabled by a user
• Two-factor authentication disabled by a user

This feature implements PIE item D8311 (Dataset tracking Local Account Two-Factor Authentication).

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators due to the addition of a new data set.

Availability:

• This feature is available to Brightspace Insights and Brightspace Core clients in all regions. The Local Authentication Security tool must be enabled to see the new data set.

To enable:

• Ensure the Can Access Brightspace Data Sets permission is granted to administrators at the org level and the d2l.Tools.BrightspaceDataSets.Version configuration variable is set to version 7. New and changed data sets appear the first time the data set runs after the version update.

Data Hub – Outcomes Rubric Alignments Brightspace Data Set | New

This release adds the new Outcomes Rubric Alignments Brightspace Data Set (BDS), which returns information on which learning outcomes are aligned to which rubric criteria. Outcomes Rubric Alignments captures all historical alignments created from June 2021 onward.

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators due to the addition of a new data set.

Availability:

• This feature is available to Brightspace Insights and Brightspace Core clients in all regions. Learning Outcomes  must be used in at least one course with outcome alignments to a rubric to generate data in this data set.

To enable:

• Ensure the Can Access Brightspace Data Sets permission is granted to administrators at the org level and the d2l.Tools.BrightspaceDataSets.Version configuration variable is set to version 7. New and changed data sets appear the first time the data set runs after the version update.

Data Hub – System Access Log data set now includes Brightspace Parent & Guardian app access | Updated

In this release, the Brightspace Parent & Guardian app now sends system access events to the System Access Log Brightspace Data Set (BDS), marked with "BPG-mobile" in the Source column. This allows clients to determine which users are using the Brightspace Parent & Guardian app at their institution.

Previously, the Brightspace Parent & Guardian app generated rows with "Brightspace" in the Source column when users refreshed the app's homepage. Now, using the app generates two rows: one with "BPG-mobile" in the Source column based on the app being opened and closed; and one with "Brightspace" in the Source column when the homepage is refreshed.

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators due to the inclusion of explicit entries identifying app access for an existing Brightspace Data Set.

Availability:

• This feature is available to Brightspace Insights and Brightspace Core clients in all regions who use Brightspace Parent & Guardian.

To enable:

• Ensure the Can Access Brightspace Data Sets permission is enabled for administrators at the org level and the d2l.Tools.BrightspaceDataSets.Version configuration variable is set to version 7. New and changed data sets appear the first time the data set runs after the version update.

HTML Editor – Improved context link menu supports previewing of quicklinks in Brightspace Editor | Updated

This feature implements a new and improved context link menu in Brightspace Editor. The new menu has the same functionality as before – enabling users to highlight text and create a link, edit the link, remove the link, and preview the link – but now also enables support for the previewing of quicklinks that contain replace strings while editing their HTML. The new formatting context menu continues to allow users to highlight text within the editor and apply formatting or create links.

Previously, when a user created a new quicklink within the editor that contains a replace string, this proved not replaceable by the context menu. Clicking to preview the link resulted in a 404 Error. 

Figure: The layout of the new Content link menu.


Figure: The layout of the old Content link menu.


Figure: The layout of the new formatting context menu.


Figure: The layout of the old formatting context menu.

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators due to user interface updates and the ability to preview quicklinks in HTML Editor.
• Slight impact to instructors due to user interface updates and the ability to preview quicklinks in HTML Editor.

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients.

To enable: 

• This feature is automatically enabled.

Manage Files – Improved error message when invalid files are uploaded | Updated

Building on the Manage Files – Users receive warning message when uploading a file blocked due to security | New feature added in the November 2021/20.21.11 release, this feature adds an improved error message to the File Upload dialogue. When a user attempts to upload a file containing one or more illegal characters in the file name, this message explains to the user the reason why the upload failed.

Previously, users received a generic "Oops! Your file could not be uploaded" message, which did not explain the reason the file upload failed.


Figure: The File Upload dialogue with the new error message displayed.

This feature implements PIE Items D4412 (Improve error message for assignment submissions with bad file names); D4401 (DCS invalid file notification prior to upload); and D8757 (Clearer error message when file uploads are rejected due to illegal characters in file name).

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to instructors due to the improved clarity provided by the new error message.
• Slight impact to learners due to the improved clarity provided by the new error message.

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients.

To enable: 

• This feature is automatically enabled.

Manage Files – Shared Files renamed to Public Files | Updated

To better secure files by making users aware of the availability of files in the Shared Files area, this feature renames Shared Files to Public Files. In addition, when files are uploaded to the Public Files area, a warning message is displayed indicating that the files are publicly available. 

To avoid breaking any links referencing already-existing files with this change, the file path within Shared Files has not been renamed with this feature update. Permission language terms are updated but the internal permission name is not. The effect of this will be that Roles and Permissions exports will remain functional if they were exported prior to the name change. 


Figure: The renamed Public Files area with the warning message indicating the public status of uploaded files displayed.

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators due to the renaming of the tool area and the addition of a warning message.

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients.

To enable: 

• This feature is automatically enabled.

New Content Experience – New Edit pages for Lessons are now default | Updated

In this release, the new edit pages with date management are now default for New Content Experience (Lessons). The new create and edit experience was first released for Lessons in August 2021/20.21.8, and makes the experience of creating and editing activities more consistent across all of Brightspace.

The new experience is controlled by two configuration variables:

• d2l.Tools.Content.LessonsCreateExperienceOptIn default value is now On (Opt-In). Previously, the default value was Off.
  • This setting displays the new edit pages to instructors, but allows them to choose to revert to the old experience.
• d2l.Tools.Content.NewExperienceDisplayDates default value is now On. Previously, the default value was Off.

For clients who previously overrode the default value for these configuration variables, there is no change to their selected values.

For more details about what has changed with this new experience, refer to Updates to the New Content Experience in Brightspace Community.

This feature implements PIE items D5773 (Lessons: add release condition), D6000 (Update Release Conditions in New Content Experience), D7323 (Release dates & times in Content), and D5896 (New Content Experience pacing dates don't push to the calendar).

Technical Details

Impact:

• Slight impact to administrators due to a new default value for two configuration variables.
• Slight impact to instructors due to new options available on the content editing pages.
• Slight impact to learners due to visibility of availability and due dates.

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients who have Lessons enabled.

To enable:

• This functionality is automatically enabled for all users.

New Content Experience – SCORM grades copy correctly when changing grade item association | New 

When updating the grade item associated to a SCORM package in the New Content Experience (Lessons), existing scores are copied into the newly associated grade item.

Previously, when updating grade items associated with SCORM packages, grades were not transferred automatically. This is available for SCORM packages added through the Content Service, imported SCORM, and LOR based SCORM, and makes the New Content Experience and New Edit Experience consistent with Content Classic behavior.

As SCORM is auto-graded through the SCORM package, a scaled version of the users score is copied. For example, if a learner received 50/100 (50%) on a SCORM topic, and the instructor then changes the associated grade item and sets it to be out of 150 points, the learner's score is recalculated to 75/150 (50%) on the new grade item. This action occurs any time an associated grade item is modified through the Edit page in the New Content Experience.

Figure: Gradebook entry showing the scaled grade for the newly associated grade item.

Technical Details  

Impact:  

• Slight impact to Instructors due to the ability to change grade items associated to SCORM content in the New Content Experience. 

 Availability:  

• This feature is available to all clients who have enabled the New Content Experience and opted in to the new create/edit workflow experience. 

To enable:  

• With the New Content Experience enabled, instructors can opt in to the new create/edit experience. For more information on updates to the new default state of the d2l.Tools.Content.LessonsCreateExperienceOptIn configuration variable see the New Content Experience – New Edit pages for Lessons are now default | Updated release note above.   

Rubrics – Rubrics in Brightspace Portfolio now use Brightspace Editor | Updated

To provide consistency with other Rubrics experiences, Brightspace Portfolio now uses the updated Brightspace Editor. Previously Brightspace Portfolio did not recognize Rubrics updates for Brightspace Editor because it was still using a previous version of HTML editor. 


Figure: Brightspace Editor now appears when evaluating a rubric through Brightspace Portfolio

This feature has accessibility impacts, including: 

• WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation

Technical Details

Impact: 

• Slight impact to instructors due to the updated HTML editor.

Availability:

• This feature is available to all clients.

To enable: 

• This functionality is automatically enabled for all clients using rubrics in Brightspace Portfolio to assess learner submissions. 

SCORM – Improved completion messaging to avoid confusion in SCORM embedded experience | New 

Upon completion of SCORM content a “This activity is complete” message displays. This change has been implemented to avoid confusion in the SCORM embedded experience as the old message was only relevant to content rendered in a pop-up window and did not account for other SCORM experiences.

Previously, the SCORM player would display the message: “The content has exited successfully, you may now close this window”.

This feature has accessibility impacts, including:  

• WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 3.2.4 Consistent Identification

Technical Details  

Impact:  

• Slight impact to learners as the completion message for SCORM content now reads “This activity is complete”.  

Availability:  

• This feature is available to all clients. 

To enable:  

• This functionality is automatically enabled for SCORM users. 

SCORM – Legacy SCORM Player no longer renders advanced HTML elements within the SCORM player sidebar | New 

In the Legacy SCORM Player sidebar, advanced HTML elements including iFrames, Images, CSS, and actions such as mouseovers now render as plain text.

Previously, when using Legacy SCORM (Manage Files Based SCORM) some advanced HTML content was not properly rendered. The values could include any type of text or HTML which could result in broken image icons or unexpected behavior. Elements such as plain text and enumeration continue to function as expected.

This change affects the sidebar titles displayed within a sequenced SCORM package.

 
Figure: Sidebar visible in sequenced SCORM packages.

Examples of functional vs non-functional sidebar information include the following: 
Functional Examples: 

• Bold text: <strong>Table of Contents<strong/> 
• Font style and size: <p><font face="Arial Black" size="6">TEST 101&nbsp; Table of Contents</font></p>   
• Enumeration Titles:
  • SidebarModuleFormatString  {Enumeration}{URLStart}{ModuleShortTitle}{URLEnd} 
  • SidebarTopicFormatString {Enumeration}{URLStart}{TopicShortTitle}{URLEnd} 

  
Figure: Example of enumeration titles is a SCORM sidebar. 

Non-functional Examples: 

• <IMG src=\content\Strategic_Thinking\images\puzzle_title.gif> 

Previously, a broken image link would display. Now the topic name displays as the plain text link.   

• <b style="text-decoration: none;" onMouseOut="style.backgroundColor=''#fff'';" style.textDecoration=''none'';" onMouseOver="style.backgroundColor=''#ff0'';">{URLStart}{TopicShortTitle}{URLEnd}</b>   

Previously, the mouseover would display some features. Now, the topic name displays as the plain text title.   

• <style type="text/css">@import url("/content/enforced/1111-Sandbox/css/table_of_contents.css");</style>{ModuleLongTitle}  

The name displays as the plain text <style type="text/css">@import url("/content/enforced/6933-Sandbox_ Username/css/table_of_contents.css");</style>{ModuleLongTitle}. 
  
This update only impacts SCORM packages uploaded to the legacy SCORM player. 

Technical Details  

Impact:  

• Slight impact to instructors using Advanced HTML in the title fields within SCORM content, as certain Advanced HTML content no longer displays. 

 Availability:  

• This feature is available to all clients  

To enable:  

• This functionality is automatically enabled for SCORM users.