Brightspace

Getting Started

The following 16-minute video tour will walk you through the Brightspace home page and course navigation. It’s designed to set you up for success by familiarizing you with the key features and tools you’ll need throughout the course. Be sure to watch the entire video to get the most out of Brightspace!

After watching this video tour, you can click on the ‘How to Videos’ button to access additional helpful videos, including guides on taking quizzes, understanding grades, creating discussion posts, and more.

How to Videos

Handout: Student Brightspace Quick Start Guide: PDF Version

Brightspace FAQ

Direct URL: https://mycourses.nic.bc.ca

NIC Website: link at top right corner

MyNIC: look for “Brightspace Resources” link

**NOTE:** DO NOT sign in with your personal Microsoft account – you must sign in using your NIC account

NIC’s Student Technical Services (STS) team can answer your computer questions.

  • PIN the courses you frequently access by clicking on the PUSH PIN icon on the top right of each course image found in the My Courses widget. Pinned courses will always show up under the Pinned tab along the top of the widget. OR
  • PIN the courses you frequently access via the Course Selector (waffle icon in top minibar) by clicking the PUSH PIN icon in the list of your courses. All pinned appear at the top of the list
    in blue shading.
  • If you can’t see a course in the My Courses widget or in the Course Selector (waffle icon in minibar), you
    a) may not be registered in that course OR b) your instructor may not have made the course available yet.
  • If a course is visible but ‘greyed out’ (unable to access), your instructor has made the course available, but it has a ‘start date’ that has not yet arrived. If you think you should have access, let your instructor know.

From any Brightspace page, look to the top right corner and click on your name.

  • Profile – Add a picture, a tagline, traditional name, share your hobbies
  • Notifications – Instant Notifications list – choose what you want to be notified about AND find the links to the Pulse App for your Android or
    Apple phone to help stay connected and on track with your courses
  • Account Settings – Pronouns, Font Settings, Discussion settings, Email signature etc.
  • Progress – Manage your progress across all your courses in one spot: see how you are doing with grades, discussions, accessing content, assignments etc.
  • Locations: Apple App Store | Google Play
  • Brightspace Pulse is a mobile app for students that can help you stay connected and on track with your Brightspace courses. It gives you one easy view of course calendars, readings, assignments, evaluations, grades, activity feed and news.
  • Real-time alerts will let you know when classes are cancelled, rooms are moved, or new grades are available. The schedule view and weekly visualization enables you to quickly view what is due today, this week and upcoming across all your courses. NIC recommends you download the app to help stay in touch.
  • From any location in Brightspace, go to top minibar and you’ll see a mail icon
    > Email > Choose To or Address Book and select instructor OR within your course look for the Classlist and you can email your instructors there
  • Type message > Send > message will go to instructor NIC email account
  • Email goes only 1-way out of Brightspace to NIC student or instructor emails
  • Replying to an email sent from Brightspace will go directly to NIC email accounts