The university’s transition to Brightspace is underway! This fall, 34 faculty members are teaching 90 courses in Brightspace. These early adopters participated in training over the summer; they then migrated their courses to Brightspace or built new ones in the Brightspace platform.
These early adopters are improving our understanding of the support systems that will make this transition successful. They’re helping identify technical issues and testing system integrations with Banner and third-party tools, such as Ally, Respondus, textbook publishers and potential plagiarism tools.
Insights from Early Adopters

We’ve already gathered a few perspectives from this group, including the following:
- The Brightspace module templates and interactive layouts allow for easy course builds and more flexibility than a static folder structure. Brightspace layouts include features that are commonly used in web design platforms, which makes organizing course content easier.
- Brightspace includes built-in video tools with closed captioning and media storage. This eliminates the need for extra systems to create videos and closed captioning, and faculty will no longer need to house video content on YouTube or other platforms.
- The Brightspace system includes 24/7 live chat help. Early adopters are enjoying the ability to ask questions and receive answers or documentation in real time.
Brightspace Implementation Timeline
- June 2023
The project kicks off and the system is configurated — Complete ✅ - July/August 2023
Early adopters and support staff train on the system — Complete ✅ - Fall 2023
Early adopters pilot teaching courses in Brightspace — Complete ✅ - October 2023–April 2024
Brightspace training sessions are held for faculty — Complete ✅
Courses are migrated to Brightspace — Complete ✅ - Spring 2024
Brightspace launches, while Blackboard remains available — Complete ✅ - May 2024
Final course migrations are completed — Complete ✅
Final data and gradebooks are pulled from Blackboard — Complete ✅
Blackboard is officially phased out — Complete ✅
Intersession begins with Brightspace — Complete ✅ - June 2024
Summer semester begins with Brightspace as the sole learning management system — Complete ✅
Prepare for the Brightspace Transition
All faculty will have access to Brightspace beginning Monday, October 16. This access includes a sandbox course, where you can learn the system and explore its capabilities while participating in training. After October 16, you can use the class dashboard to request a source course for building your courses.
Faculty who want to use Brightspace in Spring 2024 can attend training sessions this fall. During the spring semester, there will be trainings for faculty who plan to begin using Brightspace in Fall 2024. On-demand resources are currently in development; these resources will be available within the Brightspace platform to assist faculty as they’re in the process of building their courses. All Missouri State courses will be transitioned and live in the Brightspace system by May 13, 2024.
Training Schedules
Faculty can use My Learning Connection to register for the following virtual training sessions:
Fall Semester Trainings
- Brightspace Instructor Essentials
October 17, 1–3 p.m.
A D2L virtual training event where faculty learn to access and navigate the Brightspace Learning Environment. - Session 1: A Student’s Life
October 19, 9–11 a.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on the student experience in Brightspace. Introduces a variety of instructor tools and features that are used to create engaging learning experiences for students. - Session 2: Grading a Course
October 23, 9–11 a.m.
A D2L virtual training event working through how an instructor grades a variety of assessments in Brightspace. Includes effective practices for grading as well as student progress reporting. - Session 3: Communicating
October 24, 9–11 a.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on using Brightspace to communicate with students, support learning and apply communication strategies that can motivate and engage students. - Session 4: Can We Build It?
October 24, 1–3 p.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on building key course elements, setting up the gradebook, copying existing content into courses and building new content materials. - Session 5: Yes, We Can!
October 31, 1–3 p.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on building course activities and assessments. Includes effective practices and how to use the assignment, quiz, and discussion tools to reflect course objectives. - Session 6: The End is the Beginning
November 2, 9–11 a.m.
A D2L virtual training event designed to take your course to the next level. Dives deeper into practices and tools that are of high interest to participants and answer questions that may not have been covered in earlier sessions.
Spring Semester Trainings
- Brightspace Instructor Essentials
January 31, 1–3 p.m.
A D2L virtual training event where faculty learn to access and navigate the Brightspace Learning Environment.
- Session 1: A Student’s Life
February 6, 1–3 p.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on the student experience in Brightspace. Introduces a variety of instructor tools and features that are used to create engaging learning experiences for students.
- Session 2: Grading a Course
February 8, 9–11 a.m.
A D2L virtual training event working through how an instructor grades a variety of assessments in Brightspace. Includes effective practices for grading as well as student progress reporting.
- Session 3: Communicating
February 14, 1–3 p.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on using Brightspace to communicate with students, support learning and apply communication strategies that can motivate and engage students.
- Session 4: Can We Build It?
February 16, 9–11 a.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on building key course elements, setting up the gradebook, copying existing content into courses and building new content materials.
- Session 5: Yes, We Can!
February 22, 1–3 p.m.
A D2L virtual training event focused on building course activities and assessments. Includes effective practices and how to use the assignment, quiz, and discussion tools to reflect course objectives.
- Session 6: The End is the Beginning
February 27, 9–11 a.m.
A D2L virtual training event designed to take your course to the next level. Dives deeper into practices and tools that are of high interest to participants and answer questions that may not have been covered in earlier sessions.
Around Campus…

On August 31, officials from Missouri State and Missouri S&T signed a memo of understanding that reinforced the institutions’ strong commitment to the cooperative engineering program. This partnership extends back to 2006. It was expanded in 2016 and will continue to train the engineers of tomorrow.
“It has been my honor to lead the cooperative program since its start in 2006 and to work with such an outstanding collaborative partner as Missouri S&T,” says Dr. Tamera Jahnke, dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. “I’ve watched how this cooperative program benefits students, faculty and engineering firms in southwest Missouri. Today we celebrate this continued partnership.”