Course Types and Roles

Types

This section will break down the various course types and roles that are associated with the implementation of Brightspace. Continue reading to learn more.

Instructors should have a basic understanding of the different types of courses you may be working in as well as some of the key features. These courses are important for understanding how content development and sharing in the learning environment should be done.

There are three types of Brightspace courses instructors should be aware of:

Shared Model
Personal Model
Live Course

Learn more about the types of Brightspace below.

Types of Brightspace Offerings

Shared Model

Shared models are the equivalent of what we call Division Masters in Blackboard. The shared model is intended to be the primary course development environment. Each course at the college has one Shared Model.

Each shared model will be assigned, one Model Instructor. These Model Instructors will be assigned via a request from the Associate Dean sent through the Service Desk.

Once a Model instructor is enrolled, they will have the option to enroll instructors to help develop and edit the Shared Model, and to enroll Viewers (this will soon become an automated process) to view and copy the Shared Model into their Personal Model. Note: No students are enrolled in Shared Models.

Important: Content developed in a Shared Model (SM) will be automatically copied into the corresponding live course 14 days prior to the official start date of each course section. Contact your department chair for details about the content of your Shared Model.

Enrollment Options

Model Instructor - can edit and copy from the Shared Model
Instructor - can edit the Shared Model, but CANNOT copy FROM the Shared Model
Viewer - CANNOT edit the Shared Model, but CAN copy FROM the Shared Model

Note: There is only 1 Model Instructor per Shared Model. If an Instructor is helping with course development in the Shared Model and would like to copy FROM the Shared Model for any reason, the Model Instructor would need to change their role from Instructor to Viewer.

Personal Model

Personal models are the equivalent of what we call Instructor Masters in Blackboard. The personal model is intended to be the course environment where you can develop your own version of a course. Two Personal Models are created for each you teach, Model A and Model B. Instructors of the Personal Model will have the option to enroll other faculty into their shell.

Note: No students are enrolled in Personal Models.

Enrollment Options

Librarian
Instructor
Viewer

Live Course

Live courses are the course offerings students will be enrolled in, and will be created for each section two weeks prior to each semester. Content from the Shared Model will be auto-copied into the live course upon their creation. If you prefer to use the content you developed from your personal model, you can perform a course reset (the equivalent to Bulk Delete in Blackboard), and then copy your Personal Model content.

More information for course combinations coming soon!

Enrollment Options

Note: Faculty assigned in colleague will be enrolled as Instructors in Live Courses.

Sandbox

Sandbox are personal models created for faculty by ITS. Faculty can test features, practice their Brightspace skills, and experiment without risk to course types. Contact the ITS Service Desk for assistance with sandboxes 704.330.5000.

Enrollment Options

Types of Roles

Model Instructor

One per shared model
Has full editing rights in the shared model
- Edit homepages and widgets, create and edit course content, grade items
Import / Export / Copy Course
Has Impersonate Learner Capability
Can perform a Course Reset
Can enroll other faculty as either a(n): Instructor, Teaching Assistant, Librarian, or Viewer (Note: Viewer will eventually be automated where all faculty will have viewer access)
Assignment to shared model issued through Associate Dean request to the Service Desk

NOTE: Instructors have access to create personal models for each course they teach. View the Course Administration Webtools FAQs document for assistance with creating personal models.

Instructor

Can copy into the course from the shared model
Can import into course
Can enroll other faculty as either a: Librarian or Teaching Assistant

Teaching Assistant

Can create and edit course content
Grade items

Librarian

Can create and edit course content
Grade items

Viewer

Can view course (read-only)
Can copy or export from course

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