Frequently Asked Questions
Which online learning platforms are changing across USC?
Existing and new Blackboard courses will use Brightspace as of Summer 2024. Schools and academic units that use other platforms such as Canvas will not be impacted at this time.
Who has access to Brightspace?
Active faculty and students have access to Brightspace as soon as they activate their USC NetID. Staff who previously had access to Blackboard will maintain access to Brightspace. If you need access, please reach out to brightspace@usc.edu.
What type of training and support will be available?
The USC Brightspace Help site provides guides on how to use Brightspace for instructors, staff and students. We recommend bookmarking this page and referencing the site whenever you have a question.
Facilitated training is available weekly for those who would like to learn how to use Brightspace. To sign up for a 1:1 Consultation with the Brightspace Support Team, view the calendar here.
View all training options available for faculty and staff here.
When will Blackboard become unavailable?
The USC campus will no longer have access to Blackboard after June 28, 2024. After June 28, all Blackboard content was archived by ITS. If you need access to any Blackboard content, fill out the following form.
What are some key features of Brightspace?
- Enhanced User Experience: Improved user experience with an updated and streamlined look and feel.
- Simplified Course Creation: Ready-made templates for faculty and instructional designers to quickly build high-quality content that is accessible and mobile friendly.
- Mobile Compatibility: Mobile app experience that mirrors Brightspace’s desktop version.
- Interactive content tools: Easily add user-friendly, accessible, interactive textual and multimedia elements to your course. No coding required.
- Accessible Learning: The platform provides accessible learning to meet the needs of all users, including those using assistive technology devices.
- Advanced Analytics: Robust analytics tools to help drive learning outcomes, student engagement, and assessment design with built reports and visual dashboards.
How will Brightspace increase collaboration amongst users?
Brightspace offers many collaboration capabilities including groups and group assignments, rich discussion boards, peer reviews, chat, polls, whiteboards, and integrations for Microsoft and Google collaborative document editing.
Who is on the Brightspace at USC Program Team?
The Brightspace at USC Program Team is made up of teaching and learning, technical and organizational change management professionals, primarily from the USC and D2L Brightspace team.
What is an LTI or integrated third-party tool and when will they be available in Brightspace?
Learning tools interoperability (LTIs) refer to a third-party tool that can be directly integrated with a learning management system such as Brightspace and Blackboard. Examples of LTIs include Turnitin, Zoom, and Gradescope. There are 36 third-party tools available in Brightspace – 30 of these tools were available in Blackboard, and 6 of these tools are net new. You can review the LTIs here.
Will all my Blackboard courses show up in Brightspace?
Currently, all Blackboard content from 2021 to Fall 2024 is available in Brightspace. After June 28, 2024, all instructor-generated Blackboard content from 2014 to Spring 2021 will be archived and available upon request using this ServiceNow form: Archived Course Request. All Spring 2024 Blackboard content will become available in Brightspace by late September. Should you need earlier access, you will need to submit a ticket here. Blackboard courses that appear in Brightspace will not have student submission data.
What content will be migrated from Blackboard to Brightspace?
Only course content will be migrated. Course migrations will not include student submissions, grades, and data from prior terms