Category: Brightspace Small Plates

1) Assignments – Flexible text or file submission options for enhanced learner choice

This feature enables instructors to create a new assignment type that accepts submissions in the form of an uploaded file, text entered in Brightspace Editor, or both.

To create this new type of assignment, instructors must go to the New Assignment page, expand the Submission & Completion panel, open the Submission Type dropdown, and select the new File or text submission option.

For these assignments, learners can choose how they want to demonstrate their learning. For example, if the assignment is an essay, learners can upload a file, paste a link to an external file in the text box, or type the entire essay into the text box. For assignments restricted to only one file, learners still have the option to add a text submission. Learners will also see an expanded Brightspace Editor for text submissions on the assignment submission page.

Previously, the available Submission Types were: File submission, Text submission, On paper submission, and Observed in person.

Note: Text submissions are not supported by the Annotations tool.

This feature implements the following PIE item:

• D4773 (Assignment Folders should accept BOTH a file and a text submission type not just one or the other)

2) Groups – All group enrollments now processed via background job

To support upcoming changes to increase group enrollment limits planned for August 2025, all group enrollment workflows are now consistently handled by a background job.

Previously, group enrollments created through the Groups tool, APIs, and course copy operations were processed asynchronously to reduce timeouts and errors. With this update, all group enrollment methods (through the Manage Users tool, Classlist enrollments that add users to groups, enrollment APIs, Banner integrations, and Self Registration) are processed using the same background job mechanism.

For end users, this update ensures that when they complete an enrollment in a course offering, any corresponding group enrollments within that course are also processed automatically. This background process may take one to two minutes to complete.

This feature provides consistent and efficient group enrollments across tools and workflows, ensuring a seamless experience as enrollment limits increase, and preventing timeouts and errors during high-volume events.

For more information about planned enrollment changes, refer to the Improving groups with increased enrollment limits blog post.

3) Groups – Bulk enroll and unenroll users by CSV file import

Instructors can now bulk enroll or unenroll learners in existing groups using a comma-separated values (CSV) file in the Groups tool. This feature adds a new Import button to the Manage Groups page and an Import option in the Category drop-down menu. Clicking Import opens a guided workflow with detailed instructions for correctly formatting the CSV file. Each line in the file must represent a single action: either enrolling or unenrolling a learner from a specific group in the course. CSV file modifications are limited to learners currently enrolled in the course.

Once uploaded, the system validates the CSV file. If the file contains no errors, the enroll or unenroll actions are performed, and once completed, the import results are displayed immediately. If there are any errors found in the file, the process stops and generates a list of errors found.

Cancelling the process does not reverse completed actions. Only one import process can run at a time.

Administrators can configure the CSV file format in the Form Elements tool using the new form element BulkGroupEnroll. The following form element properties are customizable:

• Username
• Org Defined Id
• Group Name
• Group Code

Either Username or Org Defined Id, and Group Name or Group Code, are required to ensure there is enough information to complete the enrollment or unenrollment action.

The new workflow is available to roles with the Groups and Sections Management > Create/Edit/Delete Groups and Categories permission enabled.

This feature implements the following PIE items:

• D8710 (Group enrollment from a file)
• D7963 (Improve Group enrollments for 100+ students)
• D294 (Create Groups and/or enroll students in Groups using a CSV Spreadsheet)
• D6790 (Enrolling students in groups)
• D11671 (Allow instructor to bulk enroll students across ALL group categories at once)

4) Quizzes – New Quiz Evaluation Experience is the default

Initially introduced in September 2024/20.24.9, the New Quiz Evaluation Experience is now enabled by default for all clients.

5) Quizzes – Full HTML Editor for Question Feedback

This update introduces the full HTML editor for question-level feedback in Quizzes, enhancing the instructor experience and aligning it with the editors already available for Attempt Feedback and Overall Feedback, including support for the equation editor and file upload features.

Previously, instructors could provide feedback on individual questions using only the inline HTML editor, which offered limited formatting and functionality. With this update, instructors can now:

• Upload files securely
• Insert equations
• Use advanced formatting and media tools

This feature implements the following PIE item:

• D12335 (Add the equation editor to the question feedback in the new quiz evaluation experience)

6) Quizzes – Reopen a submitted quiz attempt

Instructors can now reopen the most recently submitted quiz attempt, allowing learners to resume from where they left off. The new feature supports scenarios where learners run out of time or submit their attempt by mistake, reducing frustration from auto-submissions and improving overall quiz management flexibility.

Previously, instructors could not reopen a submitted quiz attempt. This update introduces the ability to return quiz attempts to an unsubmitted state and adjust time limits if needed.

This feature implements the following PIE items:

• D1993 (Allow instructors the ability to unsubmit a quiz attempt)
• D6069 (Re-Open a Quiz)
• D6230 (Resume Quiz with Set Time Limit)
• D7653 (Un-submit quiz option for instructor)
• D7804 (Change Reset Quiz Attempt Workflow)

7) Quizzes – Statistics available for rubrics on written response questions

Instructors can now view rubric statistics for rubrics associated with written response questions across all learners’ first attempts in a quiz. Both Overall Statistics and Criteria Statistics are included with this update.

Previously, rubric statistics were limited or inconsistent for written response questions. With this update, the rubric statistics display data per quiz question for all users, not just the quiz overall.

The user interface clearly indicates that only first attempts with text are included in the stats.

This update provides instructors with consistent rubric statistics across all assessment types for better insight into how learners perform on written response questions in particular.

8) Rubrics – Options to improve rubric management

To improve efficiency when reviewing assessments, instructors can now clear rubric scoring using the new Clear Selections option.

This update supports instructors who need to reset scoring and start from scratch. Clearing the rubric score does not remove any previously entered feedback.

Selecting Clear Selections requires users to confirm the action. The option to undo this action appears in a pop-up window for a brief amount of time after clicking Clear Selections.

Previously, to modify scoring, instructors had to manually clear each rubric level.

In addition to the Clear Selections menu option, the Set All Ungraded option is also updated. When no rubric levels are selected, the option now appears as Set All to Yes and Set All to No in the menu.

This improvement follows the recent release of the Set Ungraded option in the January 2025/20.25.01 release, to make it easier to manage rubric scoring.

This feature implements the following PIE items:

• D12054 (Reset/Clear Rubric)
• D9336 (Include a Clear All for Rubric Evaluation)

1) Awards – Replacement strings for award issuer on certificates

Administrators and instructors can now personalize certificates and certificate templates in the Awards tool using new replacement strings. The {IssuerFirstName} and {IssuerLastName} strings insert the first and last name of the user who manually issues a certificate to a learner.

For manually issued certificates, the issuer name will utilize the name of the user that issued the certificate. In cases where a certificate using these replacement strings is conditionally released, the issuer name areas of the certificate will utilize the name of the account set by the d2l.Tools.Awards.AwardUserId configuration variable.

Note:

• The replacement strings use preferred names if they are configured at the organization level.
• If the issuer updates their name, the name that displays on the certificate reflects the current name setting at the time of issuance. Previously issued certificates do not update.
• Depending on the certificate template, the inserted text may extend beyond the text box borders. Administrators and instructors may need to adjust the template layout to ensure issuer names appear correctly.

1) Assignments – Retract feedback in bulk on the Submissions page

The Submissions page in the Assignments tool now aligns with Discussions and Quizzes, allowing instructors to retract feedback in bulk. This enhancement improves consistency and eliminates the need to use multiple tools for retraction tasks.

The bulk Retract Feedback option allows instructors to choose how many learners to retract published feedback from.

Selective retraction is also supported. Instructors can select users by checking the box next to their names and then clicking More Actions > Retract Feedback.

The More Actions > Retract All option retracts feedback for all users, regardless of which users are selected.

After clicking Retract All, instructors are notified of the number of evaluations to be retracted and must confirm by clicking Retract.

Previously, instructors could only retract feedback individually in the Assignments tool.

This feature implements the following PIE items:

• D1361 (Allow method to bulk unpublish dropbox feedback)
• D5593 (Retract Assignment Feedback in Bulk)

2) Quizzes – Improved quiz monitoring with Session IDs in Attempt Logs

This release introduces the new d2l.Tools.Quizzes.ShowSessionId (Org Unit) configuration variable, which allows administrators to control whether instructors can view the Session ID column in quiz attempt logs.

When enabled, instructors can use session IDs to discern when learners have multiple sessions within a quiz attempt, helping detect potential academic dishonesty.

3) Quizzes – Enhanced Learner Submission View

The quiz submission page now features a sleeker, modernized layout. The previous banner image has been replaced with a checkmark icon, along with other visual updates.

4) Groups – Export group enrollment data

Instructors can now export group enrollment data from the Groups tool for group-specific class lists and contact list creation.

A new Export button now appears in the Groups tool for users with the Manage Groups and Categories permission. Instructors can use this button to export group data to a CSV file. The exported content includes:

• Group category details
• Group names
• User enrollment information
• Enrollment dates

You can choose a specific group or all groups within a selected category to include in the export.

Previously, there was no built-in method to export group data or user enrollment dates from the Groups tool.

This feature implements the following PIE items:

• D295 (Export Groups: Export Group Enrolments and/or Statistics to a CSV spreadsheet)
• D9175 (Add times and dates of students enrolled in groups created)

This feature partially implements the following PIE items:

• D7413 (Viewing Group Category/Group Enrollments Quickly)
• D345 (Show all Group Categories (or more than one Group Category) on the main Groups page)
• D5236 (Printing Groups)
• D454 (Group Statistics: View the date and time students self-enrolled in a group)

5) Quick Eval – Evaluate learners across Assignments, Discussions, and Quizzes

This release enables instructors to quickly iterate through their list of submissions in Quick Eval even if those submissions are sourced from different activity types or courses. For example, an instructor has activities to grade in Assignments, Discussions, and Quizzes and has been assigned items that appear in Quick Eval Submissions. The instructor directly accesses each submission to evaluate the items instead of navigating back to Quick Eval and going into each item again.

Previously, instructors had to click into each submission to view the evaluation and then click Back to Quick Eval to go to the Submissions view and then find the next submission to evaluate. With this release instructors are redirected to the next evaluation as listed in the Quick Eval.

This feature implements the following PIE items:

• D5475 (Add a "Next Item" button when grading from Quick Eval)
• D8199 (Auto Advance to next item in Quick Eval)

6) Pulse – View recurring events

Pulse now displays recurring events from the Events tab. This ensures that any recurring events that an instructor creates using the Calendar tool properly displays in Pulse. Previously, recurring events did not display in Pulse.

7) Notifications – Unsubscribe from all

To improve user experience and reduce unwanted emails, notification emails from Brightspace now include an Unsubscribe link. Selecting the link opens a confirmation screen that allows users to opt out of email notifications, including instant and summary notifications.

Previously, users without login access could not unsubscribe unless they logged in to adjust their notification settings.