Over the summer, Baruch College completed its transition to the new learning management system, Brightspace. Students and faculty who are hesitant about this change should embrace the opportunity to be part of a major digital transformation by doing all they can to adapt.
It is very important to continue being receptive to future changes within the City University of New York system, as these are designed to ultimately enhance efficiency and educational experience for everyone.
So far, Brightspace has demonstrated its ease of use and intuitive navigation. The platform allows its users to easily access course materials, assignments and grades.
This not only saves time but removes the learning curve for students and instructors, allowing them to focus more on course content rather than the technology itself.
Brightspace also promotes a more personalized learning experience through its support of varying modes of instruction. From traditional classroom settings to fully online courses, the platform allows instructors to tailor these to better suit the needs of students.
CUNY began its transition to Brightspace in June 2023. According to the official CUNY website, the transition will continue to take place throughout two and a half years until its completion in December 2025.
The reason for this change came as the contract with CUNY’s former LMS Blackboard had expired. The process that followed determined that Brightspace would best suit CUNY’s needs.
Since this change will be gradual, there are numerous resources, training, and support available to help students and faculty that are struggling to transition smoothly. These resources are also helpful for Baruch students and faculty who may simply need a refresher.
Brightspace “contributes to our students succeeding through advanced analytics, and ensuring that our students are really getting the best outcome through their journey at CUNY, ” Evan Silberman, the CUNY executive director of academic affairs said.
At this stage, Brightspace has already proven itself as an innovative resource in the pursuit of success and academic excellence. Students and faculty who view this change as an opportunity and not a burden will continue to witness how Brightspace will transform the learning environment at CUNY for the better.