What can I do with Assignments?

The Assignments tool in Brightspace can be used as a drop-box to gather any type of work (e.g., reports, question sheets, essays, audio, videos). Unlike standard examinations, the assignments designed with this tool allow learners to submit their work in more creative or technical ways and without the feeling of having to provide near-immediate answers. Moreover, having an entire class submit their work in a single location can make the marking process easier.

Learners can use the Assignments tool to upload and submit digital assignments directly in Brightspace. However, paper submissions and observed in person assignments can also be administered by the tool. Instructors can use Brightspace to first check off work that has been handed in or observed and then grade it and provide feedback to students.

Create and Edit Assignments

• Create or edit assignments to evaluate your learners and associate your assignments with a grade item for easier marking.
• Use the many options in the tool to make your assignments either individual or group assignments while choosing from different submission types.
• Create categories to group and organize assignments. You can also restrict access to assignments by date and time, group membership, or special access permissions.

View Student Submissions

• View and evaluate all submitted assignments directly in the Assignments tool. You may alternatively navigate to Quick Eval located in the blue Navigation Bar in your course to keep track and evaluate new submissions.
• For assignments that included file submissions, instructors can download the files to their computer for review offline.
• In the Submissions area for file and text submissions, instructors can view users’ submissions and submission dates, eliminating the need to collect assignments and making it easier to track when files were submitted.

Associate Assignments to Rubrics and Competencies

• To help your students understand assignment criteria, you can associate your Assignments with Rubrics or Competencies.

Return Submissions with Grades and Feedback

• Instructors can grade Assignments and provide student with audio, video, written, and/or annotated feedback.

Create an Assignment

The 2-minute video below addresses the basics of creating assignments in Brightspace. The FAQ links lead to more detailed information about the Assignments tool.