Find answers to whether build new or migrate content in Brightspace
Faculty and staff who use Blackboard Learn for teaching, grading or instruction are encouraged to begin preparing for the transition to the new D2L Brightspace learning management system.
Brightspace will be the only learning management system in use on the West Lafayette and Fort Wayne campuses starting in fall 2020. Purdue Northwest will fully implement Brightspace by fall 2021.
Due to the volume of content being moved, the number of instructors involved and the significant difference between the two systems, all are encouraged to begin the transition now rather waiting until crunch time at the start of the new semester.
The following information is primarily for the West Lafayette campus. To learn more about getting started with Brightspace at Purdue Northwest or Purdue Fort Wayne, visit www.purdue.edu/learning-management and click on the appropriate campus.
Getting started with Brightspace – migrate content or build new?
To get started creating courses in Brightspace, instructors have two options: Build new course materials or request that their content be migrated from Blackboard Learn to Brightspace.
Building new content
To build content from scratch, instructors should request a course development shell by filling out this survey.
Instructors will then be able to log into purdue.brightspace.com and begin building their courses in a blank development shell. Live courses with student enrollments will be loaded for summer courses on February 28 and for fall courses on March 30. Courses built in development shells can then be copied into live courses.
Migrating content from Blackboard to Brightspace
To migrate content from Blackboard courses to Brightspace, instructors should start by following the instructions available here, which have instructors go into Blackboard to request the transfer of content.
Each course request will move course materials (but no student data or information) from Blackboard into a developmental shell within Brightspace. Instructors will then be able to log into purdue.brightspace.com and begin building their courses within the development shell. Live courses with student enrollments will be loaded for summer courses on February 28 and for fall courses on March 30. Courses built in development shells can then be copied into live courses.
Instructors who migrate content to Brightspace should examine their content within the new system, as some content – like embedded links to outside materials – may not transfer properly.
Brightspace is default system for summer; Blackboard users must opt-out
Summer courses on the West Lafayette campus will use Brightspace as their default learning management system. Summer course instructors can prepare to use the new system by creating course content, or migrating content from Blackboard, in Brightspace now.
Summer course shells will be loaded into Brightspace on Feb. 28. Instructors are encouraged to build their courses in a development shell before copying the information into the actual course shell.
Courses that are unable to use Brightspace for the summer session can request to continue using Blackboard Learn by completing the opt-out form found here.
Getting help beyond course creation and migration
Workshops and Open Labs
Personalized attention and a chance to ask questions and receive feedback are available during the weekly Brightspace Open Labs, held noon to 1 p.m. every Monday in Beering Hall, Room B286. Open labs are designed to be drop-in events, but registration is available.
Spend Spring Break with Brightspace
On campus during Spring Break? Use that time to get ahead with Brightspace by attending open labs and workshops designed to help instructors build and navigate their courses. Events are:
- March 16: Compare & Contrast Blackboard and D2L Brightspace, 10:30 a.m., webinar via WebEx.
- March 16: Transitioning Course Materials from Blackboard, 11:30 a.m., Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 277.
- March 16: Open Lab, 12:30 p.m., Stanley Coulter, Room 277.
- March 17: Brightspace Essentials, 10:15 a.m., Stanley Coulter, Room 277.
- March 17: Brightspace Gradebook, 11:30 a.m., Stanley Coulter, Room 277.
- March 17: Open Lab, 12:30 p.m., Stanley Coulter, Room 277.
Additional workshops scheduled for March and April can be found by clicking here.
Instructional videos
Don’t have time to attend a workshop or open lab? Get help here with instructional videos and recorded webinars:
- Learn to navigate Purdue's Brightspace system (4 minutes).
- Compare & Contrast Blackboard and D2L Brightspace (25 minutes).
- Brightspace Instructional videos (times vary).
Update on third party tool integration
Work is ongoing to ensure that third party tools – like Hotseat and WebAssign – will be fully function inside of Brightspace.
A webpage has been created to track when third party integrations become available, with the goal of having the tools integrated by the start of the summer term. To learn more visit: https://www.purdue.edu/learning-management/Integrations.php
Campus contacts
To stay up-to-date with implementation plans and to find resources for learning how to use Brightspace, visit www.purdue.edu/learning-management.
Have questions about the Brightspace implementation plan? Contact implementation team members at:
- West Lafayette: innovativelearningteam@purdue.edu
- Fort Wayne: adam.dircksen@pfw.edu
- Northwest: oit@pnw.edu
- Global: chiefacademicofficer@purdueglobal.edu
Writer: Dave Stephens, technology writer, Information Technology at Purdue, 765-496-7998, steph103@purdue.edu.
Last updated: February 18, 2020