Learning Management User Guides & Tutorials

Faculty and Staff Resources
  • How do I access Brightspace? 
    Go to www.cuny.edu > Select Brightspace > Select Log into Brightspace > On the CUNY Login page, enter your CUNY Login username and password (firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu). If you are not able to login, contact the John Jay Helpdesk at 212-237-8200 or email: helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu
     
  • What is the recommended browser for Brightspace? 
    Access Web Browser Recommendations in Brightspace.
     
  • I do not see my course(s) I am teaching in Brightspace, what do I do? 
    If after logging into Brightspace you do not see a course you are teaching, please check CUNYfirst to verify that the course has been officially assigned to you, and if it has not, have your department reach out to the Registrar.  Official course assignments must be recorded via CUNYfirst to display in Brightspace. John Jay LMS Support cannot manually assign instructors. 
     
  • My students cannot see my course in Brightspace, how do I make it Active?
    View Activate Your Course instructions. 
     
  • My students cannot access the Discussion Topic through Content even though the link is available.
    Check on the Discussion Tool page that the Forum is not hidden. This setting will override and hide any topics within that forum. Go to Discussions. Go to the Forum. Select the drop-down arrow and select Make Visible to Users. 
     
  • My students cannot see course materials in Content. 
    Make sure that the module or item is not hidden. Any time you see an eye icon with a slash through it, this means it is hidden to students. Click on the eye icon and toggle to Visible. If the icon is not clickable, navigate to the title of the item, select the drop-down arrow and select Make Visible to Users. 
  • Image of Eye Icon.
  • How do I copy from one semester course to another in Brightspace? 
    View Copy Course Components instructions.
     
  • How do I see the course as my student's see it? 
    View Creating a Demo Student in Brightspace instructions.
     
  • How do I export my Blackboard Course and Import it into Brightspace?
    View Export Course from Blackboard and Import Course in Brightspace instructions. 
  • How do I email students in my course?
    View Send Email in Brightspace instructions.
     
  • How do I request access for an Observer, Teaching Assistant or Supplemental Instructor for my Brightspace course? 
    View Brightspace Manual Enrollment Form instructions.
    Note: Instructor and Student enrollment is automatically processed through CUNYFirst. John Jay LMS Support cannot manually enroll students into courses. 
     
  • How do I request an Organization in Brightspace? 
    View Organization Request Form 
     
  • How do I request a Development Course in Brightspace? 
    View Developmental Course Request Form
     
  • I teach two sections of the same course, how do I merge these sections together?
    View Course Merge Request Form
    Note: This form is for section merges only. Cross-listed courses, for example LAW 313 and POL 313, John Jay LMS Support Team will merge those courses manually under the prefix that is first alphabetically. In the above example, the LAW 313 would be the Target course where all materials and students would reside. 
     
  • I am not sure what the icons and symbols mean in Brightspace, is there a glossary? 
    View Brightspace Glossary of Icons 
  • View Brightspace Manual Enrollment Form (Send completed form to Associate Provost office for approval at: apfaculty@jjay.cuny.edu )
     
  • View Course Merge Request Form 
    Note: This form is for section merges only. Cross-listed courses, for example LAW 313 and POL 313, the John Jay LMS Support Team will merge those courses manually under the prefix that is first alphabetically. In the above example, the LAW 313 would be the Target course where all materials and students would reside. Instructors who teach cross-listed courses will be alerted once their courses are merged via email.
     
  • View Developmental Course Request Form 
    Note: Developmental courses are used for developing course materials and structure for later use in live courses. DEV courses do not include student enrollment. 
     
  • View Organization Request Form 
    Note: Organizations are used for department or specific program use that exist outside of individual courses. Allows departments and programs the ability to provide resources, training, communication and collaboration opportunities. 

 

 

Blackboard Course Export

CUNY will retire Blackboard on December 18th, 2025, after which it will no longer be accessible.  While CUNY will maintain course archives as required under university policies and by applicable law, faculty may wish to download from Blackboard personal copies of their course content before that date.

View Blackboard Course Export - (ODL LMS Support)

Download Blackboard Collaborate Recordings 

Blackboard Collaborate recordings will not be included in these course archives. We encourage faculty to download any Collaborate recordings they wish to retain.   

Please note: Blackboard Collaborate recordings contain student data and must be saved on CUNY storage platforms such as CUNY Microsoft Office 365 to comply with data, privacy, and security restrictions. For further assistance with CUNY Office 365 accounts please contact the DOIT Helpdesk at: helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu. 

View Download Blackboard Collaborate Recordings - (ODL LMS Support)

CUNY Resources

D2L Brightspace Resources

Join the Brightspace Community (registration page)

ODL LMS Support Resources

 

Adding Content

 

Send Email

Discussions

Groups

Video Notes 

Calendar

Media Library

Zoom Links 

Brightspace Assignments 

Turnitin Assignments

Third-party Tools: WeVideo, Turnitin, Perusall, VoiceThread

Special Access and Conditions

Quizzes 

Grade Book

Grade Assignments

Grade Discussions

Grade Quizzes

Grade Using Rubrics

Tracking 

Student Resources

 

How do I access Brightspace? 

- Go to www.cuny.edu > Select Brightspace/Blackboard Login > Select Log into Brightspace. On the CUNY Login page, enter your CUNY Login username and password (firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu). If you are not able to login, contact the John Jay Helpdesk at 212-237-2800 or email: helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu 

Note: John Jay LMS Support do not have the ability to reset CUNY Login passwords. 

I do not see my courses I am taking in Brightspace, what do I do? 

- First, confirm you are correctly registered for courses through CUNYFirst. Instructors have to set courses as "Active" in Brightspace for enrolled students to see and access them in the My Courses widget. Some instructors will wait until the first day of class to make the courses active. 

I am not receiving email from my Brightspace courses, what should I do? 

- First, check what email is set as your Campus Preferred email in CUNYFirst. In CUNYFirst, select Student Center > Select Profile. On the left side of the page, select Contact Details > Select Campus Email. If the email listed is not your John Jay email, update the email and mark it Preferred. Select Save to hold all changes. If you have done this and are still not receiving emails from Brightspace and you have attended previous CUNY schools that use Office 365 access this link to check if your emails are going there: https://outlook.office.com/mail

I am trying to submit a Turnitin assignment but there is an error message "Invalid or Missing State", what do I do? 

- This error is most likely due to the browser you are using or blocked third party cookies. ODL LMS Support recommends using Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome as your browser when accessing Brightspace. Please review Web Browser Recommendations in Brightspace.

Navigate Brightspace and Find your course (D2L Help)

Self-enroll into a Brightspace Organization (ODL LMS Support)

Brightspace Virtual Assistant (video - D2L Help) 

Glossary of Terms (D2L Help)

Brightspace Pulse App (D2L Help)

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

Announcement Overview (D2L Help)

CALENDAR TOOL: 

Calendar Overview (D2L Help)

Manage course events with Calendar tool (D2L Help)

CLASS PROGRESS: 

Class Progress Overview (D2L Help)

Class Progress Overview (video - D2L Help)

DISCUSSIONS: 

Discussions in Brightspace (ODL LMS Support)

Create a Discussion Board Post (video - D2L Help)

GROUPS: 

Enroll in a Group (video - D2L Help)

SEND EMAIL: 

Email Tool (D2L Help)

APPS: 

Brightspace Pulse App Overview (D2L Help)

Brightspace Pulse App Overview (video - D2L Help)

 

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Assignments Overview (video - D2L Help)

Assignments in Brightspace (ODL LMS Support)

Submit and manage assignments (D2L Help)

WeVideo Assignments (WeVideo Help)

VoiceThread Assignments (VoiceThread Help)

QUIZZES:

Using the Quizzes Tool (D2L Help)

How to Take a Quiz (video - D2L Help)

Troubleshooting issues with Quizzes (D2L Help)

GRADES AND FEEDBACK: 

Understanding Grades (D2L Help)

Contact Us

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