Catherine Murphy
IT Project Manager – Educational Technology Services
Team Lead
What is the New Content Experience in Brightspace?
The New Content Experience is a refreshed presentation of learning content in Brightspace. Designed to streamline content creation, enhance collaboration, and create engaging and accessible learning experiences for faculty and students.
In keeping with our strategic objectives to advance digitally supported learning and the increasing demand for innovative teaching tools, UCD will begin the phased implementation of the New Content Experience in Brightspace in 2024/25 ahead of a full roll out in the 2025/26 academic year. This move reflects our commitment to staying ahead of the latest advancements in educational technology and providing faculty members with the resources to enhance their teaching practices.
While the New Content Experience looks different to our current content experience, you will still be able to utilise most of the current features available in Brightspace, however some trial and error may be required in order to get this to work for you and IT Services are here to assist you should you run into any issues.
By embracing the New Content Experience in Brightspace, UCD aims to foster engagement, collaboration, and innovation among faculty members, ensuring they have access to the latest releases in Brightspace and updates from D2L to create impactful learning experiences for students.
What is happening?
Phased Implementation in 2024/25:
UCD will begin the phased implementation of the New Content Experience in Brightspace within the next academic year. Undergraduate Stage 1 modules along with Graduate modules in particular are encouraged to adopt the New Content Experience within the academic year 2024/25. A full roll out is planned for the 2025/26 academic year. Support and training will be provided over the summer term to support the early adoption of the New Content Experience.
This move reflects our commitment to staying ahead of the latest advancements in educational technology and providing faculty members with the resources to enhance their teaching practices.
If you are interested in trying the New Content Experience you can do so in your Sandbox module in Brightspace now.
Figure 1: New Assessable Activities View
Six Reasons to Move to the Brightspace New Content Experience
- User-Friendly Interface: The New Content Experience offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface, making content creation and navigation easier for both instructors and learners.
- Clear learning pathways: The New Content Experience is designed to assist faculty in scaffolding the learning journey, thereby enhancing student engagement and accessibility. By structuring the learning process through clear pathways and signposting, it enables a more logical progression through learning materials.
- Clean Minimalist Design: With a minimalist design and simplified content structure, the New Content Experience provides a clutter-free environment, enhancing focus on learning material and ease of use for users.
- A Brand New Assessable Activities View: The Assessable Activities View provides a comprehensive overview to assignments, quizzes, and discussions, allowing both instructors and learners to track requirements, completion status, feedback, and grades within the “My Learning” area in Brightspace.
- Efficient Evaluation Process: Instructors can efficiently evaluate and review draft grades directly within the Assessable Activities View, streamlining the grading process and providing timely feedback to learners, fostering a more dynamic and interactive learning environment."
- Taking Advantage of New Features & Developments: By transitioning to the New Content Experience, faculty can take advantage of system developments, as all new features and updates will be implemented within the New Content Experience, ensuring access to the latest advancements in educational technology
What do I have to do?
Use your sandbox to explore the new features and make any necessary adjustments to your content layout, training materials, or any other aspects of your modules. In your sandbox you can toggle the New Content Experience on/off as needed to see how your content looks and decide on any changes you may wish to make in preparation for the 2025/2026 rollout.
If you are a stage 1 module coordinator or module coordinator on a graduate programme, you are encouraged to utilise the New Content Experience for the 2024/25 academic year. Only module coordinators will be able to turn the New Content Experience on in academic modules.
Figure 2: Screenshot showing the pull down tab to toggle the New Content Experience off and on in the sandbox.
Why is this being introduced?
D2L, the Brightspace providers, are moving all customers to the New Content Experience.
The New Content Experience is expected to enhance the student learning experience within Brightspace offering a cleaner and more user friendly visual layout for students, simplifying navigation. The New Content Experience also aligns with the roll out of the VLE Standards within the University ensuring a consistent and high quality experience for students across all modules.
Some important new features are only available in the New Content Experience, such as (opens in a new window)New Display Pages for Assessable Activities in New Content Experience
Timeline Key Dates
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May 2024
New Content Experience available to toggle on/off in all staff sandboxes
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Mid-July 2024
The 2024/25 academic year module containers will become available in Brightspace
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July/August 2024
Targeted Training & support for New Content Experience being rolled out
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September 2024
Recommended that all Stage 1 core modules at the undergraduate level and, where feasible, graduate-taught programmes, begin using the New Content Experience
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2025/25 academic year
Full rollout targeted for New Content Experience
Meet Our Project Team
Meet our project team, working together to achieve our goals with expertise.
David Kane
Project Manager – Educational Technology Services
Team member
Nicola Carrigan
Senior IT Specialist – Educational Technology Services
Team member
Rachel Hickey
Senior IT Specialist – Educational Technology Services
Team member
Martin Heduan
Senior Educational Technologist
Team member
UCD IT Services
Computer Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.Contact us via the UCD IT Support Hub: www.ucd.ie/ithelp