Learning management systems, and Brightspace

I just attended an excellent workshop on the Brightspace platform (courtesy of WNE). Here are thoughts on how it compares to other learning management systems (LMS) I’ve used.

I went into the workshop with the following impressions. Brightspace differs from Blackboard primarily by looking better on a computer screen. Editing what students see also is more point-and-click in Brightspace. It seems to be designed to work nicely on smartphones (more on that below), but I didn’t yet see how.

The key to Brightspace is dividing a course into units, then subdividing those units into discrete tasks, then putting the instructions and tasks and associated content in-line. This is where some say “no duh.” Any good syllabus has units.

The difference with successful deployment of Brightspace is taking Brightspace into account when designing the course. It is highly visual and probably was designed to accommodate a heavily visual course. This doesn’t mean it should be reading-free. PDFs, web pages, and Google Docs can be included (sometimes HTML-embedded) in the in-line display.

One might say it is designed with the smartphone user in mind. This is good.

I used Canvas briefly in 2018 and Blackboard in most other settings. Units can be set up in these too, but the interface is clunkier.

I also liked the idea of internal rubrics. These can take a course in the direction of “ungrading” if appropriate/desirable.

I haven’t yet tried the associated app. Tonight I learned that it is called Pulse.

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