Brightspace transition offers improved usability over Blackboard, students agree

Now that the transition from Blackboard to Brightspace, CUNY SPS’ new learning management system, is complete, all Fall 2024 classes are being conducted on the platform. Despite minor technical difficulties, students are overwhelmingly in support of the change.

Students agree that Brightspace is an improvement from Blackboard overall, mainly because of its more modern interface and improved usability.

“So far, I am loving Brightspace,” said Jade Smith, a BA in Disability Studies student at CUNY SPS. “Blackboard was a bit antiquated with its layout and it would take some figuring out…to locate things such as assignments, Zoom links, etc.”

Because different professors would configure their Blackboard courses differently, it could take several tries to access a Zoom link, whereas the same function was much more easy to find on Brightspace, Smith explained.

“Brightspace has everything streamlined and I can easily access assignments, discussion boards, and the fact that we receive reminders for when assignments are due is really helpful, especially being an SPS student [on an online campus],” she added.

Ilianabeth Lopez, who is also pursuing a BA in Disability Studies, hasn’t had any major issues with Brightspace either.

“As a low vision user so far it’s been pretty compatible with my screen reader,” said Lopez, who attended a CUNY SPS Brightspace training in August. “It would be nice if there was a way to switch to Dark Mode. I find it easier on my eyes.”

While Lopez found that Blackboard was slightly glitchy when using her screen reader, Brightspace was more accessible overall. While Brightspace wasn’t perfect either, the issues were manageable, she added.

Shanice Drakes, who is pursuing her BA in Health Services Administration, found that Brightspace is easier to navigate than Blackboard. Her main suggestion for improvement was a possible chat function to communicate better with professors. “I’m glad SPS made the transition, and I do feel it’s better than Blackboard,” she said.

The Brightspace app has also made accessing course information easier on smartphones, students said.

“I did download the app on my phone as well, I kind of like the little deadline reminders, [they] keep me on track with my coursework,” Lopez said.

Drakes also preferred the Brightspace app to Blackboard’s. “The Brightspace app is great,” she said. “I’m able to access my courses easier than with the Blackboard app.”

Mela Black, a BA in Communication and Media major, has enjoyed using Brightspace and has no complaints, she said. “I’ve not downloaded the app yet, but I log in from a browser on my phone and, most often, my MacBook,” she explained. “It’s navigable and user-friendly. I also like being able to review CUNY SPS announcements for helpful updates.”

CUNY SPS administrators are pleased with the students’ response to the roll-out so far. “Student response has been positive, with most students adapting with ease and finding the system user-friendly and intuitive,” Ruru Rusmin, Assistant Dean of the Office of Faculty Development and Instructional Technology, said.

Over the summer, CUNY SPS’s Brightspace transition team worked closely with faculty and students on summer courses, preparing them for the nearly 600 sections currently on the platform for the fall semester, Rusmin explained. While faculty and staff updated courses for the new platform, the help desk communicated with students about the transition and developed essential resources to help navigate the platform, she added.

“We continue to collect feedback from the community to adjust the system. For example, suggestions regarding accessibility for screen readers prompted an adjustment in the layout of course home pages,” Rusmin added.

For students looking to learn more about Brightspace and all its features, they can check out the dedicated website for the Brightspace transition, which has numerous demos, including an introductory video that walks through everything from discussions and assignments to quizzes and checking grades. On Brightspace, students can also enroll in a more in-depth, optional course that explores the platform in more detail, “Getting Started in Brightspace for SPS Students.” They can also access the 24/7 virtual chat and a dedicated Brightspace help line at 1-888-895-2511 for specific questions.

The transition to Brightspace isn’t just for CUNY SPS — the entire CUNY system will finish transitioning to the new platform by December 2025, a handful of campuses at a time. For now, CUNY SPS is among the very first to successfully make the transition.