Integrated Edu Tools in Brightspace

Vanderbilt’s Brightspace platform offers many different tools for education integrated within it. This page will be updated as new tools become available, so check back often for information and resources as they go live.

We’ve also included some tools which are not integrated with Brightspace, but you may find useful in your courses. Inquiries regarding new integrations should be directed to the Brightspace team at brightspace@vanderbilt.edu.

$ – Designates a tool with associated costs

♦ – Designates a tool which is already integrated into Vanderbilt’s Brightspace platform

Accessibility & Inclusion Tools

• NameCoach ♦ – a tool which allows students to record the correct pronunciation of their names for playback by their instructor and classmates.
  • Check out our NameCoach Setup Guide to learn how to use this tool

Digital Social Annotation Tools

Digital Social Annotation is the process of allowing books to become a collaborative space by letting students comment and hold discussion in the digital margins. This can be a great way to get students more involved in course readings. 

Check out our guide on different ways to include digital social reading in your teaching and review this comparison of Hypothes.is and Perusall by former CFT Director, Derek Bruff

• Perusall ♦ – a tool for digital social reading which caters both to short and longer texts. Perusall can be used for free with your own materials, or it can be used with entire books. Students only pay the price of the digital book if you want to utilize this feature.
  • Check out our Perusall Setup Guide to begin using this tool in your course as well as our guide on linking Perusall assignments to the Brightspace gradebook

Video Annotation Tools

Video annotation tools can be helpful for getting students involved in your digital media by prompting them to participate in discussion as they watch. While we do not yet have any of these tools integrated into our Brightspace platform, we encourage you to explore each tool and determine how it may be best used in your courses.

• Brightspace Video Assignments (Bongo) – a fully integrated Brightspace feature and tool that allows for students to record on the platform directly and to have fellow students comment on their videos.

Interactive Quizzing Tools

Interactive Quizzing includes everything from videos with integrated quizzes to quizzing tools for immediate feedback from students in the classroom.

• Kaltura Quizzes ♦ – helps instructors create video lessons with integrated quizzes utilizing videos they’ve uploaded into their Brightspace Media Gallery. Your Kaltura Quizzes can now be automatically scored in the gradebook!
• TopHat ♦ – utilizes student devices to allow them to provide real time evidence of understanding and feedback through polls.
  • Check out our TopHat Getting Started Guide for more information!

Assignment and Grading Tools

• Gradescope ♦ – a tool that facilitates the online submission and grading of exams and assignments. The system provides a number of features that aid in the grading of handwritten or typed student work, which can be submitted as a PDF or captured by a student’s phone camera. 
  • Check out our Gradescope Setup Guide to begin using this tool in your course.
  • If you’re new to Gradescope, check out this Getting Started page that has several videos, guides, and resources.  
• Turnitin ♦ – in addition to its plagiarism detection tool, Turnitin also has a fully-featured and integrated platform for assignment evaluation and grading. Contact the Brightspace Instructional Technology Specialists to learn more!
• MATLAB Grader ♦ – MATLAB Grader is a browser-based authoring environment for creating and sharing MATLAB coding problems and assessments
  • Check out our MATLAB Grader Setup Guide to begin using this tool in your course.

Peer Evaluation Tools

• Peerceptiv ♦ $ – an assessment tool allowing students to offer feedback to their peers and evaluate the feedback they’ve received.

Media Tools

• Kaltura ♦ – a video repository which allows students and instructors to upload media into Brightspace for use anywhere the ‘Insert Stuff’ function is available. This tool also comes with Kaltura Capture, a video & screen recording tool which allows faculty to create asynchronous lecture content.

Academic Integrity Tools

• Respondus Lockdown Browser ♦ – a browser specifically designed for use during online quizzes which prevents students from accessing outside resources on their computers.
• Turnitin ♦ – a tool for plagiarism detection which integrates directly into Brightspace assignments. This tool can also be used on an as needed basis by contacting the Brightspace team for access.

Video Conferencing Tools

• Zoom ♦ – a video conferencing tool which works both inside and outside Brightspace to facilitate synchronous online learning and communication.
• Virtual Classroom ♦ – a tool integrated with Brightspace which creates a virtual classroom space for remote learning.

Tools for Course Materials

• MyLab and Mastering ♦ $ – a textbook integration from Pearson which students can use with an access code. 
  • Check out our guide on Adding the MyLab and Mastering Widget to your Course Homepage
• McGraw Hill Connect ♦ $ – a textbook integration from McGraw Hill which students can use with an access code.
  • Check out our guide on Adding the McGraw Hill Connect Widget to your Course Homepage
• WileyPlus ♦ $ – a textbook integration from Wiley which students can use with an access code.
• Hawkes Learning ♦ – a textbook integration from Hawkes Learning which students can use with an access code
  • Check out our guide on Adding Hawkes Learning to your Course
• Follett Discover ♦ – a tool for searching for and adopting course materials students are expected to purchase for a given semester. This tool allows students to click through and directly purchase their course materials from the bookstore.  
  • Check out our Follett Disover Setup Guide to learn how to add this tool to your course