Welcome to the monthly summer edition! We're excited to share some updates and helpful tips as we embark on the spring/summer term.

Your DLE Weekly Update is Changing

We're pleased to announce that starting next month, our newsletter will be renamed the "Brightspace Update." Same great content, but now with a friendlier name – no more acronyms!

New Distribution Schedule

To streamline communication and respect your inbox space, the Brightspace Update will now be sent out monthly during the summer (May, June and July). Rest assured, any critical updates or changes to Brightspace will still be promptly shared outside of this schedule.

Summer Schedule for In-person Support

• Virtual appointments (desktop sharing or phone) with the DLE Support team are available all summer long, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Walk-in support and in-person appointments are available Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, until May 17.
• From May 20 to Aug. 6, the new schedule for in-person appointments and walk-ins will be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Extended exam support hours for the 24S semester will be available throughout the final assessment week. More details will be posted in July.

Enhancing Integrity in Exams

We have noticed a rise in requests for assistance in handling instances of academic dishonesty. The Digital Learning Environment team has been collaborating closely with our partners at D2L to explore solutions and improvements to the quiz experience, ensuring it aligns with the highest standards of integrity.

We would like to let you know that we'll be devoting time throughout the summer to refine and enhance our recommendations for quiz settings to ensure it meets the required standards.

We encourage you to participate by voting on the "Prevent multiple sessions taking one quiz attempt simultaneously (D11297)" product idea on the Brightspace Community site. Remember, you'll need to have an account to cast your vote.

Getting off to the Right Start

Check out the knowledge base article on Common Questions at the Beginning of the Semester for helpful information and answers to your questions, such as how to copy course content over, update course start dates, add users and more. In addition to this article, please check the Brightspace Overview article that provides you with a brief overview of Brightspace, what to focus on at the beginning of the term and links to instructions explaining how to navigate Brightspace.

Friendly reminders:

• Give students a tour of your Brightspace course (either during the first day of class, or by creating a short video tour); show them where to find key information, so they can focus on the important course content you have to share.
• Remember to send an early email communication; announcements won't distribute to students until after the course open date, but you can communicate with students via emails using the tools/classlist.
• Use the built-in accessibility checkers in Brightspace and in Microsoft PowerPoint or Word to ensure your content is accessible for all learners. Well-designed content benefits everyone!
• Set up the course gradebook early. A proper setup gradebook helps avoid grade inaccuracies and student emails in the future. If you need help with your gradebook setup, or want to review some ideas for grading, please check How To Set Up Grades Using the Setup Wizard article.

Need Help?

If you have any questions or need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to the DLE Team. We're here to support you every step of the way. 

Have a wonderful start to the spring/summer term!