| Brightspace Terminology | Description | USC Blackboard Terminology |
| Activity | A gradable Content item like an Assignment, Quiz, or Discussion Board. | Assessment |
| Activity Feed | Activity Feed is like your very own course social media feed. Activity Feed is a Homepage Widget and will be front and center in your Learners’ experience of your course. Activity Feed can open three different communication paths for your course: you to your Learners, your Learners to you, and your Learners to each other! | N/A |
| Add Participants | Located within Classlist, Add Participants is used to enroll users in the course. | Add User |
| Adjusted Final Grade | Adjusted Final Grade is more flexible, where both the numerator and denominator can be edited to suit your needs. However, the Adjusted Final Grade will never update automatically. This is a good option to choose if you wait until the end of the course to show the Final Grade. | N/A |
| Announcement | Announcement is a quick and easy form of communication that is front and center in your Learners’ experience of your course. Announcement is a Widget on your course’s home page. | Announcement |
| Assignment | Creates a link where Learners can upload, link, or type submissions. | Assignment |
| Awards | Brightspace Awards are a great way to give students instant feedback and to reward them for the work they do in your Module/unit/course. The tool lets you set up and issue Badges and Certificates. | Badges |
| Badge | Badgesare awarded based on any criteria determined by the instructor. They are meant to provide digital markers that represent accomplishment throughout a course or program. Badges do not contribute to achieving a passing grade; however, Badges are awarded for achievements that also can contribute to the type of work ethic that results in a passing grade. | N/A |
| Brightspace Editor | Brightspace Editor is one of the central tools that you will use while building and editing Content in your course. This is the main box used in Brightspace where you can enter and format text, Insert Stuff, check word counts, and more. Note: When pasting text from a Word document into the Brightspace editor, some of the document’s text styling will copy over. This will clash with the styles that are carefully crafted for existing Templates. We recommend pasting the text without formatting. | Blackboard Content Editor |
| Calculated Final Grade | Calculated Final Grade cannot be directly modified and is automatically updated when new Activities are completed and published. This is a good option if you want your Learners to know their Final Grade from early in the course as it will be updated as the Learner progresses. | Weighted Total/Total |
| Certificate | Certificatesare also awarded based on criteria determined by the instructor. Certificates are like Badges; however, they include a PDF that users can print. Certificates typically indicate an official statement of Certification or Award at the end of a program but can be awarded during the course for other criteria as well. Certificates can be awarded based on achieving a milestone that a Learner can use for further academic or career success, such as passing a practical exam. Certificates also do not contribute to achieving a passing grade. | N/A |
| Class Progress | A visual dashboard to track student’s individual progress and Class Progress toward course goals and assessments. | N/A |
| Classlist | Classlist provides an overview of all the users enrolled in the course. Classlist can be used to email users and to set course level accommodations. | Roster/Photo Roster |
| Competencies | An older version of Learning Outcomes in Brightspace. | N/A |
| Content | This is the core tool for both course design and learning. It is used to create, edit and organize course materials. It also allows users to navigate course content, learning Activities and assessments. Contentis organized by Modules, Sub-modules, and Topics/Activities. In Content, you can create a hierarchy of up to four levels: Unit, Lesson, Folder, and Topic, to add your materials to. | Build Content |
| Content Module | Weekly or thematically created Modules to place Content in. Content Modules appear in the Table of Contents area of the course. | Course Menu Content Area |
| Content Sub-module | Sub-modules organize Content within Modules. | Content in Content Areas |
| Content Topic | Content Topic refers to any Content and Activities (e.g., Assignments, Files, webpages, videos, etc.) placed within the Modules and Sub-modules. | N/A |
| Context Menu | Accessed by the downward facing chevron Content items in the course, the Context Menu gives access to more settings for the Content item. | N/A |
| Copy Components | This is a way to copy different items from one course to another. | Course Copy |
| Course Admin | You can find this link on your course Navbar. It provides access to all the tools you use when building and maintaining your course, and it is not available to Learners. | Course Tools |
| Course Builder | This is a tool that can be used for course design. It is ideal for planning and building entirely new courses. Course Builder is great for anyone who wants more guidance in designing courses. | N/A |
| Course Homepage | The page where students entering your course will land. Your Course Homepage can have Widgets which act as displays of information for Learners. Common Widgets are Announcements, Calendar, and Content Browser. | N/A |
| Course Selector | The part of the Mini Bar that allows you to search for courses that you are enrolled in. | My Courses Module |
| Course Shell | The official course site/on-line classroom where students, instructors and TAs collaborate for shared learning. Course Shells are created by ITS and students/instructors are added via Banner registration. | Course |
| Course Template | A File that can be imported into a course to automatically set up specific course Elements, such as Modules, Discussion Forums, Quizzes. | Course Template |
| Create a File | A Content building option available under the Upload/Create button in Brightspace Modules/Sub-modules; Used to build course web (HTML) pages. Create a File creates a link to a new page in the course where Content items, such as images, videos, text, and Templates can be added. | Create an Item |
| Discussion Forum | The Discussion Forum is like a folder: it organizes all your related Discussion Topics. All Discussion Topics must be in a Forum. Discussions must always be created in a Forum. Nothing can be written at the Forum level. | Discussion Board |
| Discussion Replies | These are responses to Discussion Thread posts to Discussion Topics. There can be multiple Replies to a Thread. | N/A |
| Discussion Thread | Threads are the name for initial posts made to a Discussion Topic. These are the conversation in action and what Replies respond to. | Discussion Thread |
| Discussion Topic | Activity used for asynchronous, text-based communications within a course. Topics provide instructions and are where the conversation lives. Topics can inherit settings from a Forum or can be set independently. | Discussion Forum |
| Due Date | The Topic or Module should be completed (viewed) by this date. Overdue Content will appear in the Course Schedule area of the Content tool with a direct link to that Topic/Module. | Due Date |
| Element | The Creator+ Insert Element tool allows Content creators to add dynamic components with a user-friendly authoring experience that does not require HTML coding knowledge or experience. | N/A |
| End Date | The Topic or Module is no longer available on this date. If there is no Due Date, this event will show up in the calendar. | Display Until Date |
| Enter Grades | The Enter Grades tab is where you will go once your course assessments are up and running. If you are responsible for grading, you will return to this area often to look at user grades, find statistics for Grade Items, and Enter Grades. | N/A |
| External Learning Tools | Creates a link to third party integrations such as ARES, MediaSpace, Zoom, Poll Everywhere, and BigBlueButton. External Learning Tools is accessed via the Add Existing Content button in a Module/Sub-module. | Tools |
| Grade Book | The Grade Book contains your course’s Grade Items. You must set up a Grade Book before you can use the Grades Tool by choosing your Grade Book settings. | Grade Center |
| Grade Categories | Grade categories allow you to organize related Grade Items. This becomes very important in Weighted Grade Books, as you can decide what percentage the Final Grade Categories are worth (e.g., Quizzes may be worth 20% of the Final Grade). | Categories |
| Grade Items | Grade Items represent all the work that you want to evaluate in a course. These can be learning Activities like Quizzes, Discussions, and Assignments, or they can be offline items like presentations. Each Activity has a separate Grade Item (e.g., Quiz 1, Quiz 2, Quiz 3). | N/A |
| Grade Schemes | Grade Schemes help you organize Learners’ performance on Grade Items into levels of achievement. Each achievement level is a set range, with an associated symbol such as a numeric value, letter, or text description. By default, Brightspace uses a percentage Scheme to represent Grade Items. You may choose to set up your own Grade Scheme, or use one set up by USC. For example, you could choose to represent a Grade Item range of 0-50% as F, Fail, or Below Expectations. | Grading Scheme |
| Grades | Grades is a central location for you to store evaluations tied to Activities within Brightspace or the classroom. Grades allows instructors and TAs to enter and Manage Grades in a course. When entering the Grades Tool, the default view will be the Manage Grades page –the page for setting up and administering Grades. Grades will be viewed differently depending on your course role. | Full Grade Center |
| Grades Tool (Grades) | The Grades Tool is the core of your course assessments. The first time you access the Grades Tool in your course, you will be directed to the Setup Wizard to create your Grade Book. | N/A |
| Groups | Used to divide a class into smaller clusters of students. Students can belong to multiple Groups within a course and can see all the same Content that other Learners in the course can see. Each Group can be set up with its own Discussion Forum, Assignments, and Group Lockers to share work. Groups can be graded as a group or individually. | Groups |
| Groups Locker | A shared storage space for uploading and distributing Files between group members within the same Group; Any member of the Group can edit/modify the Files. | Groups: Share File |
| Headings | Heading structure is important for learning navigation on Topic pages and for accessibility and screen readers. Make sure you are using proper heading hierarchies -h1 to h2 to h3, etc. You can use the accessibility checker below Headings to make sure your page design is inclusive (click the ellipses -“…” -in the far-right corner for this option to appear). | N/A |
| HTML Editor | A tool used to create course Content pages in Brightspace. The HTML Editor builds course web pages with formatting features such as text, Headings, bullets, images, File uploads, links and Templates. The HTML Editor is found throughout Brightspace. | Content Editor |
| HTML Template | Pre-structured page design or set of design Elements that can be added via Create a File in the Upload/Create Menu. HTML Templates allow users to add unique Elements such as tabs, accordions, custom layouts, and call out boxes. | N/A |
| Insert Stuff and Text Options | Insert Course Files, images, video, weblinks and many other types of Content through these buttons. | N/A |
| Intelligent Agent | Tool that allows instructors to set up criteria to identify if a student completed or did not complete an action within the course. | N/A |
| Learner | A role assigned to students in a course. Learner is the default role of all students in a course. The Learner can view all Content and participate in course Activities. | Student |
| Learning Outcomes | Learning Outcomes are pre-defined skills or areas of knowledge that a Learner should be able to demonstrate when they finish the Activities associated with the Outcomes. | N/A |
| Manage Dates | A tool to view, bulk edit, and bulk offset the date availability and calendar status of all Content Topics and Modules in a course. | N/A |
| Manage Files | The Manage Files tool allows you to upload and organize folders of Content in your course. This tool helps you to organize your Files quickly and easily. | N/A |
| Manage Grades | This area is where you build and Manage Grade Categories and Grade Items. If you are responsible for the grading in your course, you will use this area at the beginning of your course, or anytime you need to add a Grade Item. | N/A |
| Mini Bar | Top level navigational tool in Brightspace. Holds the Course Selector, personal settings, and notifications. The Mini Bar is located at the top of the screen, regardless of where you are in Brightspace. | N/A |
| Modules | Modules can be used to organize your course content. You can create sub-modules (modules within existing modules) to establish a deeper hierarchy. | Content Area, Folders, or Learning Module |
| Multi-select Question | This type of Quiz question allows the user to select multiple answers for a question. This is the same multiple answer question in Blackboard. | Multiple Answer Question |
| Navbar | Second level navigational tool in Brightspace. It holds the Course Selector, your personal settings, and notifications. The Navbar area can change depending on where you are in Brightspace (i.e., your organization’s Homepage versus in a course). This area also contains links to tools within your course, external URLs, or other Brightspace products, such as ePortfolio. | N/A |
| Orange Dot | When users see an Orange Dot in their notifications tab –it means there is something that they must pay attention too. They have a new Announcement, they have a new Grade, they have a Discussion Reply. | N/A |
| Points-based Grade | A Points-based Grade system accumulates the sum of all grade items to determine the overall course denominator. Grade Categories are not necessary but are often used to organize the Items and make your Grade Book readable. | Total |
| Pulse | Brightspace’s mobile app. | Blackboard Mobile |
| Question Library: Pool | Question Pools allow you to create Quizzes with randomized questions. Question Pools can be used to give students unique sets of questions during an online test. | Test Pool |
| Question Library: Section | An organizing feature of the Question Library that creates categories of questions. Sections in the Question Library might be set up to group questions of related content or of related difficulty. | N/A |
| Quick Eval | Widget that offers evaluators a single location to view all Learner submissions that are awaiting evaluation. Submissions made to Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions are displayed in a sortable list and can be selected to take you directly to their assessment page. | Needs Grading |
| Quiz | A graded assessment tool for testing. Quizzes feature a range of automatically and manually graded question types. Quiz questions are first set-up in the Question Library and then pulled into the Quiz too. | Test |
| Quiz: Question Library | A repository for storing and managing Quiz or Survey questions in Brightspace. Questions that are stored in the Question Library can be easily imported into a Brightspace Quiz or Survey. | Test Pool |
| Release Conditions | Allows Content to be made available based on specific parameters. For example, instructors can set Release Conditions to grant access based on Grades, Group, Due Date, and completion of other course components. | Adaptive Release |
| Rubrics | Rubrics are grading grids that use rows of grading criteria broken into achievement levels/columns. Rubrics can be built separately in the Course Admin panel and then attached to Activities, or a Rubric can be created within the Activity directly. Rubrics can be applied overall to quizzes and assignments, but are not available for specific questions. | Rubrics |
| Sandbox | A course development space where users can set up Content, and test course Activities, assessments, design and layout. | Sandbox |
| Self Assessments | An ungraded Quizzing tool that can be used for formative Assessment and Content reviews. | N/A |
| Self-enrollment Group Tool | Self-enrollment Group allows students to enroll into Groups in a course by clicking on Choose Group. | Self-enroll Group |
| Setup Wizard | The Setup Wizard is the first place you go in the Grades Tool. If you are in charge of creating your Grade Book, you will use this area at the start of the course. | N/A |
| Short Name | Way to abbreviate long Grade Book names. | Grade Center Name |
| Special Access | Allows user overrides and student accommodations, such as extra time on tests or extra attempts. Special Access can be granted at the Quiz level or at the class level which cascades to all Quizzes in the course. | Test Availability Exceptions |
| Start Date | The Topic or Module is available on this date. Learners can see the Topic/Module titles beforehand, but they cannot access the Content until the Start Date. | Display After Date |
| Survey | A non-graded feedback tool which allows instructors to gather anonymous and non-anonymous feedback from students. Surveys might be used to do midterm feedback or to gather student responses on a Topic. | Survey |
| Text Options | You will find many Text Options you are familiar with -bold, italics, color, font, and font size -and many of these options are available as a pop-up while writing. Text alignment and Bullets are also handy options located across the top bar. | Content Editor |
| Value | Each answer that you provide as a possible answer to a question is added as a Value. | Answer |
| View as Learner | Allows user to change their role in the course temporarily to see the course from another role’s perspective. To View as Learner, click your name in the Mini Bar. | Student Preview Mode |
| Weight | Weight is how you tell the system which answer is correct. When you add a Weight, you are telling the system what percentage of the total number of question points a specific answer is worth. So, if you have a question that is worth one point, the correct answer will have a Weight of 100% (i.e., 100% of the total possible points, or 1/1). You can also give partial points by adding a weighting of 50%. If the question is scored out of one point, and a Learner selects an answer with 50% weighting, they receive half a point. | N/A |
| Weighted Grade | A Weighted Grade system relies on categories to carry a percentage of the Final Grade regardless of how many Items are in those categories. However, Grade Items can also stand alone to represent a percentage of the Final Grade. | Weighted Total |
| Widget | Widgets appear on Homepages and are sections of content that provide information and links to tools, courses, and personal settings. Common Widgets on the Homepage include the Visual Table of Contents, Announcements Widget, and Help Widget. Instructors can customize which Widgets appear on their Homepage. | N/A |