Using the Activity Feed Widget in Brightspace

The Activity Feed widget is a dynamic tool positioned on the course homepage. It serves as an informal, interactive way to engage with students, offering:

• Quick Updates: Share announcements, reminders, or course news.
• Interactive Discussions: Allow students to post questions and comments directly in the feed.
• Timely Reminders: Post ongoing tasks, deadlines, or other course-related information.

The widget is typically placed at the top of the course homepage, just above the Announcements section for maximum visibility.

Our faculty support team will add the Activity Feed widget to your course homepage upon request. After that, follow the steps below to set up and review your widget settings.

Step 1: Check Your Notification Settings

Before using the Activity Feed, ensure you have selected the proper notification settings.

1. Click on your name in the upper-right corner of Brightspace. From the dropdown, select Notifications.

2. On the Notifications page, scroll down to locate the Activity Feed section and ensure both checkboxes for Activity Feed notifications are enabled.

3. Review and adjust which notifications you want to receive (e.g., student comments, new posts). Click Save to proceed.

Step 2: Customize Widget Options

Consider your preferences for how students will interact with the Activity Feed:

• Allow Student Posts: Decide whether you want students to be able to post in the Activity Feed. To adjust this setting, click the chevron icon on the Activity Feed widget and select Manage commenting and posting. From there, you can choose whether students can comment on posts or create their own posts.
  
  
  If you enable student posting, it might be helpful to share the D2L student guide on how to use the widget effectively.
• Post Frequency: Decide how often you’ll post updates and what types of content you plan to share.

Step 3: Share with Students

If you decide to enable student comments, consider sharing the following information with your students:

• How to Comment on Posts: Guide students on how they can comment or ask questions within the Activity Feed.
• Best Practices: Encourage students to keep posts related to the course or specific updates.

You can share the D2L Activity Feed for Learners guide via an announcement or directly in the widget.

To create an activity feed post:

1. On your course homepage, in the Activity Feed widget, click the Create a post text box.

2. Click the Message tab and type your message in the text box labeled Create a message.

3. Optionally, you can add an attachment by following these steps:

• To add a web link or embed code, simply copy and paste the link or embed code into your message.
• Click the Attach File icon and choose one or more of the following options:

• To upload a file from your computer, click the File Upload icon.
• To attach a link to course materials, click the Quicklink icon.
• To add a web link, click the Web Link icon.
• To attach a Google Drive file, click the Google Drive icon (ensure the file has proper visibility permissions in Google Drive).
• To attach a OneDrive file, click the OneDrive icon (ensure the file has proper visibility permissions in OneDrive).
• To insert external videos (e.g., from YouTube), click the Video icon and paste the URL.

Once you’ve finished editing, click Post to publish your message immediately. Alternatively, you can click Post Later to schedule your message for a later time.

For Faculty:

• Use the Activity Feed for informal interactions: Post reminders, quick updates, and engage with students in a conversational tone.
• Post weekly summaries or weekly reminders to help keep students on track with assignments and deadlines.
• Use the widget for interactive engagement: Encourage students to ask questions directly on the homepage, which can create an ongoing dialogue.

For Students:

• Allow students to interact with posts by asking questions or leaving comments.
• Consider setting clear guidelines on appropriate usage (e.g., only course-related questions).

• D2L Overview of the Activity Feed: For further guidance, you can reference the official D2L Activity Feed Overview for more detailed features and settings.
• Student Guide: If you allow students to comment, share the D2L guide for students on how to use the widget effectively.
• Tracking and Moderation: Keep track of student posts and manage content. You can delete any posts that violate guidelines or are no longer relevant.

• Video: How to add Activity Feed to a course homepage
• Video: How to add attachments and links to posts
• Video: Optimize Posts
• Video: Schedule Activity Feed posts
• Video: Receive Activity Feed instant notifications