Release conditions in Brightspace courses

Instructors use release conditions in Brightspace to control students' access to selected course elements (e.g., content, activities, and assessments) based on certain criteria. Release conditions are used to structure the learning experience and map clear pathways for students based on demonstrated competencies or achievements. They also help personalize the course by providing a more individuated experience and increasing perceived teacher presence.

Comparisons with similar features

Dates and groups

Setting start and end dates on quizzes, assignments, and announcements and using group discussion topics are examples of conditional access. Release conditions add to the list of available criteria or condition types.

Special access

Special access to a quiz or assignment is granted to a specific student. When adding release conditions, a student's name cannot be used as a criterion.

What can be released conditionally?

Release conditions can be applied when using these Brightspace tools:

Announcements. The announcement is only displayed on the course homepage of a student who meets the conditions.
Assignments. Only a student who meets the conditions can see the assignment folder and add submissions to it.
Awards. Distribute an award badge only to students who the conditions.
Checklists. Display checklists only to students who meet the conditions.
Content. Only students who meet certain conditions can access the content module or topic.
Custom homepage widgets. A widget is only displayed on the homepage of a student who meets the condition.
Discussion forums and topics. Only students who meet the conditions can see the discussion forum or topic and post to it.
Grade items and categories. Certain grade book categories or columns are only visible to students who meet the conditions.
Intelligent Agents. Send automated email messages to students who meet the conditions.
Quizzes and surveys. Only students who meet the conditions can see and take a quiz.

Multiple criteria

Instructors can set multiple criteria when adding release conditions and determine whether all or any of the criteria must be met. For example, a student might only gain access to the next content module after completing the previous module's checklist and scoring 80% or better on the previous module's "Test Your Knowledge" quiz.

List of condition types

When adding release conditions, these are the general condition types (i.e., events, achievements, variables) that can be used as criteria. Each condition type has specific condition details (i.e., properties, states, values) that can be used to specify the terms of the condition.

Assignments

Submission to a folder
Receive feedback on submission
Score on associated rubric
No submission to folder

Awards

Award earned

Checklist

Completed checklist
Completed checklist item
Incomplete checklist
Incomplete checklist item

Classlist

Group enrollment
Org unit enrollment
Section enrollment
Role in current org unit
Date of enrollment in current org unit

Competencies

Competency achieved
Learning objective achieved
Score on associated rubric
Competency not yet achieved
Learning objective not yet achieved

Content

Visited contact topic
Visited all content topics
Not visited content topic
Completed content topic
Not completed content topic

Discussions

Posts authored in topic
Score on associated rubric
No posts authored in topic

Grades

Grade value on a grade item
Score on an associated rubric
No grade received
Released final grade score

Quizzes

Score on a quiz
Completed quiz attempt
Score on selected questions
Score on assoicated rubric
No completed quiz attempt

Surveys

Completed survey attempt
No completed survey attempt

External links

Best practices for creating release conditions

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