Organise subject content

Organise and manage your subject content.

In Brightspace, you use the Content tool to create, organise and deliver subject content. This tool allows you to present information using a variety of learning materials, such as:

  • Text
  • Multimedia
  • Embedded files
  • Brightspace activities

It is important to organise your subject content in a way that is consistent and easy to navigate. Navigation involves the way users move from one section or topic to another. Effective navigation promotes engagement and allows students to focus their energy on learning. This page describes the steps you can take to achieve this.

Every Charles Sturt subject is unique, and there is no singular 'right' way to organise your content. Interested in discussing your subject further with an Educational Designer? Log a Service Request.

Initial considerations

Before creating your subject content, you will need to make a few key decisions. Careful planning can positively impact the student experience and promote student success.

1. Levels of organisation

Brightspace organises content into levels to provide a structured and efficient learning experience. At Charles Sturt, we encourage the use of a two-tiered approach to subject organisation. This reduces the overall complexity of the subject structure and reduces confusion for students and instructors.

First Level: Topic – Consider the topic as the ‘container’ that holds all the content associated with it.

Second Level: Page – Underneath a topic, you add a series of pages. The pages contain the learning materials that you want students to engage with. These materials might include text, multimedia, embedded links, or other Brightspace activities. By using a series of pages, you can divide your content into small, manageable pieces.

Screenshot of the Content screen in Brightspace, featuring a two-tiered organisation. The main topic is displayed at the top, followed by three HTML pages arranged beneath it. This image illustrates the hierarchical structure of the subject organisation within the platform

2. Consistency

When designing content in Brightspace, your goal is to create a consistent pattern. This makes the subject content more predictable and helps students understand what is expected of them.

Below is an example of a consistent learning pattern. Each topic follows the same structure, including a checklist at the end. You can use checklists to summarise the important content covered in each topic.

Screenshot of the learner Content screen in Brightspace. The image depicts the page names for Topic 1 Risk management: *Overview – Topic 1; Read – What is risk management? ; Watch – Risk assessment; Discuss – Risk management principles; Apply – Risk management quiz; Summary – Topic 1;

Screenshot of the learner Content screen in Brightspace. The image depicts the page names for Topic 2 Identifying hazards: Overview – Topic 2; Read – Risk assessment matrix; Watch – Common hazards; Discuss – Case studies; Apply – Assess the risk; Summary – Topic 2.

You can tailor the learning pattern to suit your subject's specific requirements. Just keep in mind that consistency is key.

3. Naming

Well-constructed and meaningful titles contribute to a user-friendly experience. Here are some tips to help you achieve this:

  • Use clear and descriptive titles that provide an overview of the content.
  • Keep names concise and to the point. Long names do not display well, particularly in the navigation menu.
  • Use student friendly language, avoiding unnecessary complexity or jargon.
  • Use verbs to describe what is expected of students e.g., read, watch, discuss, practice, apply.
  • Use the heading in the navigation bar as the top-level header of your page.

4. Layout and formatting

It is important to use a consistent layout and formatting when organising your content. In Brightspace, this is achieved by using the HTML templates. These templates allow you to apply consistent heading styles and other visual features. This helps students efficiently navigate a page. If you want to learn more about adding different types of content to your HTML page, see Create new material in the Brightspace Community.

To create a new topic:

  1. Click on the Content expanding menu in the subject navigation bar.
  2. Click on New Topic.
  3. Enter a Name for the topic.
  4. Include a short Description, about 1-2 sentences, to give a quick overview of the topic. This description will be visible when students click the  Information icon on the tile. Think of it like a brief summary, not a substitute for your main topic overview.
    Screenshot of a topic tile in Brightspace from a learner's perspective. The image depicts that the information button that is in the top left-hand corner of the tile.

    Screenshot of the back of a topic tile in Brightspace from a learner's perspective. The image depicts that once you select the information button, the tile flips, revealing the topic description
  5. Use the visibility toggle to make the topic visible or hidden from students on creation.

    Screenshot of the topic page in Brightspace. The visibility toggle is shown in the bottom right-hand side of the image, demonstrating how you make topics visible or hidden from students.
  6. Click Save.

The new topic is added to your subject.

To create and add new pages:

  1. Click on the Content expanding menu in the subject navigation bar.
  2. Click on the topic you are adding a page to.
  3. Click Create New.
  4. Click Page
  5. Enter a Name for the page.
  6. Click Select Template to apply a template to your page (see below).
  7. Click Save.

The page has now been added to your topic.

To add a template to your page:

  1. Click Select Template and choose which HTML template you want to apply.
  2. Add the page content to the template.
  3. Click Save.

The template has now been added to your page.

To learn more about creating subject content and the various elements you can add, see Create new material in the Brightspace Community.

The visibility toggle and icon indicate the status of topics, folders, and pages: Visible or Hidden.

Visibility status is also indicated by icons in the table of contents next to each topic. To change the visibility of a topic or page, select the item and then click the visibility toggle at the top of the page.

Screenshot of the content page in Brightspace. The image depicts the visibility toggle at the top of the page. As the visibility toggle is on, the topic is visible to students.

Screenshot of the content page in Brightspace. The image depicts the visibility toggle at the top of the page. As the visibility toggle is off, the topic is hidden from students. This is also demonstrated by the crossed-out eye icon in the top right-hand corner of the topic in the navigation bar

To reorder content:

  1. From the content area's table of contents, click and hold a topic, folder, or page.
  2. Do one any of the following:
    1. Drag it to the desired position and release your click.
    2. From the (...) Options menu, select Reorder.
    3. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to set the new location of the topic, folder, or page.

    Screenshot of the content page in Brightspace. The options menu has been selected and the drop-down menu contains Edit, View Release Conditions, Reorder and Delete. The Reorder button has been selected, demonstrating that you select it to reorder content.
  3. Click Done.

The selected material is moved to a new location in your subject table of contents.

This page may be updated at any time. If you print it, you could miss future changes. Please check this page regularly for the latest updates.