Organize Your Course Materials via Modules and Sub-modules

It is easy to place content and other resources into your Brightspace course. You can organize or group content by using modules and sub-modules.

Begin with Modules, then use Sub-modules

Modules in Brightspace are the first level of organization for your course content. Modules are like “textbook chapters” in your course and are used to organize, group, and order files. So, why bother to use modules to organize materials? When you teach, you present the material a topic at a time, and you can organize your course in Brightspace the same way.

Sub-modules are groupings within a specific module. These are subchapters of your course and can be used to organize your course content further.

The contents of a module or sub-module, i.e., a lesson, should not be a mystery to a learner. Let’s use the analogy of a textbook for a minute. Each chapter of a textbook begins with an introduction or chapter overview. Similarly, a Brightspace lesson is accessed by clicking the link, which is the folder’s name, and ‘descriptions’ can be used to provide an overview of the topic. Set the stage for the learner and prepare them for what they will find when they enter the module or sub-module.

Sample Course Modules and Sub-modules

Faculty actively teaching in Brightspace have found that this layout of modules and sub-modules makes it easy for students to navigate the course and find needed materials. Please note that the Course Overview section cannot be viewed in the Pulse mobile app. It is recommended that if the syllabus is included in the Course Overview area, you also include it in another section.

COURSE ORIENTATION (module)

  • Syllabus (sub-module)
  • Introductory discussion (sub-module)
  • Links to university resources (sub-module)
  • Required readings (sub-module)

WEEK 1 (module)

  • Week 1 Readings (sub-module)
    • Week 1 Reading 1 (content)
    • Week 1 Reading 2 (content)
    • Week 1 Reading 3 (content)
  • Week 1 Slides (content)
  • Week 1 Assignment

WEEK 2 (module)

  • Week 2 Readings (sub-module)
    • Week 2 Reading 1 (content)
    • Week 2 Reading 2 (content)
    • Week 2 Reading 3 (content)
  • Week 2 Slides (content)
  • Week 2 Quiz

Create a Module

Steps to Create Modules and Submodules
  1. On your course homepage, click on ‘Content.’
  1. On the Table of Contents page, enter the title of the new module into the box at the bottom left of the Table of Contents that says “Add a module…” Press Enter on your keyboard or click out of the box, and the module will be automatically created.
  1. Once a module is created, you can edit the settings, including the module title, by clicking the arrow next to the Module Name.   
  1. Add a module description by typing it in the ‘Add a description..’ box. Press Enter on your keyboard or click out of the box, and the module will be automatically created.
  1. Once a module is created, you can create a sub-module by typing the title of the sub-module in the box that says ‘Add a sub-module…’ within the module. Press Enter on your keyboard or click out of the box, and the sub-module will be automatically created.
Training Video to Create Modules and Submodules

Training Video to Upload Content to a Module

Add Content

Once you create your modules and sub-modules, adding content to a course is simple. You can add files, links, embedded content, assignments, quizzes, discussion forums, etc.

At this point in your course building, it’s all about organizing the materials within the modules so that the student is not overwhelmed. In the physical classroom, a time-tested formula is followed: introduce a topic, sequence the lecture to impart learning objectives, provide handouts, perform an exercise with students, collaborate and discuss, and test to see how well they have internalized the content. Within the modules of a Brightspace course, this general sequence can be used to replicate this sequence:

  1. Lesson Introduction
  2. Learning Objectives
  3. Upload Slides and Link to the Recorded Lecture
  4. Upload Handouts/Exercises
  5. Create the Turnitin or Brightspace Assignment
  6. Add Links to External Resources
  7. Include links to:
    • Discussion Boards
    • Quizzes

This does not have to be perfect the first time; it can be built as you go, throughout the semester, or from semester to semester, updating and improving as you continue to teach.

Additional Resources