Brightspace Staff Support

How to create an overview page

The overview page allows you to input a section of text (or HTML) and one attachment, such as an image or video.

When your students load the Content section of your module, this will be the first page that they see. Therefore, it is the best place to provide information that orientates them and signposts them to where they need to get to. However, it's worth noting that this page does not display within the Brightspace Pulse app.

We recommend including the following content on the Overview page:

• A very brief introduction to the module.
• Setting of expectations. Which content is mandatory or optional. Will you reply to discussions, if you’ve included them? Are students expected to access or submit their learning materials here?
• Contact details. If a student has a query or a problem about the module (either academically or technically), who should they contact?
• A welcome video.

A video tutorial is located just below, and text instructions with screenshots below that.

1. Access the module that you wish to create the overview for. From your Brightspace homepage (which you see after logging in), click on the waffle menu and search for the module.

2. Select ‘Content’ from the navbar.

3.  Select ‘Overview’ from the sidebar.

4. Select ‘Add a welcome message, overview, or description…’

5. Use the HTML editor to input your content. Press ‘Update’ to save the content. (Note: if you add an attachment before doing this, you’ll lose any changes you’ve made in the HTML editor.)

6. Add an attachment. It is a good idea to put your module guide here as a PDF. This will then display on the Overview page as an embedded file, so users won’t have to leave the overview to see the attachment. You can either select the dropdown menu next to 'Overview' and select 'Add attachment' and select if from your device normally, or you can select the dropdown arrow next to 'Add Attachment' and drag your file into the dashed box. Make sure that you've clicked 'Update' before you do this, or you'll lose what you'd put into the HTML editor.

7. Your attachment will then display in a viewer below the content that you created in the HTML editor.