You might have a goal of what you want to do for students but how do you choose which tool to use?
We’ve broken our supported tools up into groups by usage goal. In the chart below, you can see which tools will help in each of these areas.
Scroll through the chart for each of these sections.
- Engage with students
- Communicate with students
- Content delivery
- Assessments
- Student collaboration
- Evaluate & monitor student progress
- Personalize learning
- Accessibility
(BSP) denotes a tool built into Brightspace
(I) denotes a tool that integrates directly into Brightspace
Access or print a Google Docs version of this table with your Meredith Google account.
**Last updated 6/24/22
| What do you want to do? | Tool you need | Learn more about it |
| Engage with students | Discussion (BSP) Text based discussion threads | Create & manage discussion forums Create a forum (video) |
| Flipgrid Video discussion platform. Students can respond with their own audio, video, or text. | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training module Getting started with flipgrid (video) | |
| Kahoot! Game-based quiz platform. You can use it for informal quizzing, review, attendance… | IDAT blog posts How to create a Kahoot! (video) Take a tour of the new Kahoot! (video) | |
| MindMup Mind mapping/ visual mapping software integrated with Google Drive | IDAT blog posts YouTube tutorials from MindMup (videos) | |
| VoiceThread (I) Multi-media discussions. Students can comment on a VoiceThread presentation or create their own | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training module Tutorials from VoiceThread (videos) | |
| Communicate with students | Announcements (BSP) Post announcements to your Brightspace course homepage | Make regular announcements (video) |
| Calendar (BSP) Add start,end, & due dates assignments, assessments, etc. Students can import into other calendar apps | Using Brightspace calendar and dates (IDAT blog) Create an event (video) | |
| Email (BSP) Directly email students/class from the Brightspace Classlist | Email learners in Brightspace | |
| Gmail Every student has a Meredith Gmail account that you should use for any email communication | Infobase Learning Cloud training module Gmail training & help (resource page from Google) | |
| Pulse (BSP) This app version of Brightspace puts the platform right on students phones to easily get alerts & communication | Download for Apple Download for Android Stay Productive while on-the-go with the Brightspace Pulse App (video) | |
| Survey (BSP) Setup quick surveys. They can be anonymous and have rating style questions | Set up a survey | |
| Content Delivery | Content (BSP) Set up modules and sub-modules to link and organize your course content in one place | Create course content with the Content tool (training list from Brightspace) |
| Flipgrid Video discussion platform. Present content in text and video form for students to watch and interact with | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training module Getting started with Flipgrid (video) | |
| Google Workspace (formerly GSuite) Use Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms to create content. Link in Brightspace or share through Gmail | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training modules Google Workplace learning center (choose training by tool) | |
| Kaltura (I) Allows for screen recording and video hosting. All videos machine captioned. Zoom cloud recordings automatically sent to Kaltura. | Taming Zoom video with Kaltura (IDAT blog) Kaltura training page (IDAT blog) | |
| VoiceThread (I) Multi-media discussions. Present content with slides, video, and/or audio | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training module YouTube tutorials from VoiceThread (videos) | |
| WeVideo Video editing software. Add image, text, callouts, audio, and more to your videos | IDAT blog posts WeVideo academy (tutorial videos) | |
| Zoom Video conferencing software. Present your live lectures, screen share, or administer polls | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training module Zoom video tutorials | |
| Assessments | Assignments (BSP) Students can upload and submit assignments directly in Brightspace. Included annotation to markup assignments online | IDAT blog posts Create assignments and assess submissions (training list from Brightspace) |
| Discussion (BSP) Text based discussion threads. Set up to be graded and added to Brightspace Gradebook | Create & manage discussion forums Create a forum (video) | |
| Lockdown Browser (I) Remote proctoring. Lock browser functions for students during quizzes | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training module LockDown Browser resources | |
| Portfolio (BSP) Provides an online space to collect learning evidence for students | Collect Learning Evidence with Brightspace Portfolio (training list from Brightspace) | |
| Quizzes (BSP) Assessment tool with multiple question types, some automatically graded. Shuffle questions or add proctoring for cheating deterrence | IDAT blog posts How To’s for Quizzes Creating and Managing Quizzes (training list from Brightspace) | |
| Self-assessment (BSP) An ungraded formative assessment tool for students to assess their learning | Allow learners to reflect on their learning (training list from Brightspace) Deciding Between Using Quizzes, Surveys or Self Assessments | |
| Turnitin (I) Checks originality and deters plagiarism for student submitted work | IDAT blog posts Assignments and Turnitin | |
| VoiceThread (I) Multi-media discussions. Set up Comment, Create, or Watch assignments to automatically link to Brightspace Gradebook | New VoiceThread assignment builder in Brightspace (IDAT blog) Infobase Learning Cloud training module YouTube tutorials from VoiceThread (videos) | |
| Student Collaboration | Discussion (BSP) Text based discussion threads. Can use this with the Groups feature to create private discussion boards for group projects | Create & manage discussion forums Create a forum (video) How Do I Create Group Discussion Topics? |
| Google Workspace (formerly GSuite) Use the sharing feature in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Drive to share and real-time collaborate | IDAT blog posts Infobase Learning Cloud training modules Share and collaborate with files (Google Workplace learning center) | |
| Groups (BSP) Use groups to organize students for projects and assignments. Groups can even submit a single group assignment | Create group work areas for learners (training list from Brightspace) | |
| MindMup Mind mapping/ visual mapping software integrated with Google Drive. Sharing follows Google Drive sharing permissions | IDAT blog posts YouTube tutorials from MindMup (videos) | |
| VoiceThread (I) Multi-media discussions. Collaborate with other commenters and even let others add new slides to the presentation | Collaborating with commenters (video) | |
| WeVideo Video editing software. Now allows for real-time collaboration on video | IDAT blog posts WeVideo academy (tutorial videos) New feature: Collaborate & edit videos in real time (post w/video) | |
| Evaluate & Monitor Student Progress | Annotation Tool (BSP) Directly annotate assignments submitted to Brightspace. Add text, highlights, and notes | Using the annotation tool |
| Class Progress (BSP) View, track, and compare learner progress | Class progress tool for instructors (3 video playlist) | |
| Gradebook (BSP) Links directly to course content to record associated grades from content | IDAT blog posts Create a grading system Grades tool for instructors (13 videos playlist) | |
| Portfolio (BSP) Provides an online space to collect learning evidence for students | Collect learning evidence with Brightspace Portfolio (training list from Brightspace) | |
| Quick Eval (BSP) Gives a quick view of all ungraded submissions in one place | About Quick Eval Grade submissions using quick eval (video) | |
| Quizzes (BSP) Build quizzes with multiple different question types. Some can be automatically graded and added to the gradebook | IDAT blog posts Creating and managing quizzes (training list from Brightspace) Quizzes (16 video playlist) | |
| Rubrics (BSP) Helps lay out a set of criteria for fair and consistent grading. Also allows for quick grading when attached to an activity | IDAT blog posts Rubric basics Rubric tools (4 video playlist) | |
| Tool Statistics (BSP) View statistics on how students are accessing and engaging with your course components | Learn about statistical tools in D2L Brightspace | |
| Personalize Learning | Awards, Badges, and Certificates (BSP) Grant merit based awards in the form of badges or certificates. Can be automatically or manually awarded | Issue awards to recognize learner accomplishments (training list from Brightspace) Awards tool (5 video playlist) |
| Portfolio (BSP) Provides an online space to collect learning evidence for students. The style and content is personalized to the student | Collect learning evidence with Brightspace Portfolio (training list from Brightspace) | |
| Release Conditions (BSP) Attach conditions to content that must be met before the content is displayed | Create a custom learning path in a course (training list from Brightspace) | |
| Special Access (BSP) Add special access for students who need different access for content or quizzes such as extended time for meeting learning accommodations | Set up Brightspace accommodations by student for all quizzes (IDAT blog) Set release conditions and special access in Assignments Grant special access to users for a quiz (video) Add restrictions to an assignment (video) | |
| Accessibility | ALLY (I) Accessibility tool for Brightspace. Gives an score on the accessibility of content and allows you to generate alternative format versions of that content | Library of Accessibility Resources (ALLY module) Infobase Learning Cloud training module |
| Flipgrid Video discussion platform. Although focused on video, Flipgrid also has video and audio plus an immersive reader and captions | Empower learners with immersive reader in flipgrid Closed Captions: editing, changing the language, generating and disabling | |
| Google Meet Video conferencing software. Live captions are available during meetings | Google Meet training and help (Google Workplace learning center) Use captions in a video call | |
| ReadSpeaker (I) Text-to-speech program that will read text to you, highlight as you read, export as audio file, and more. Use it with text and docs in and outside of Brightspace. | Infobase Learning Cloud training module | |
| Kaltura (I) All videos machine captioned with tool for manually editing. Captions create a searchable transcript. Can order captions for videos in Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, German. | Editing captions – go to section 3. video options, editing, & captions (IDAT blog) Kaltura training page (IDAT blog) | |
| VoiceThread (I) Multi-media discussions. VoiceThread has an HTML site called VoiceThread Universal that is built for full screen readers | VoiceThread Universal (for screen readers) | |
| Zoom Video conferencing software. Now has live transcription. Also has a full transcription download if video is recorded. | Zoom Live Transcriptions (IDAT blog) |
Brightspace pieces modified from Mapping Brightspace Functionality (Higher Education)