Relevant to: faculty and staff
This article contains information considered accurate at the time of publishing. Technology updates, changes in University security practices, policies and procedures may effect the information in this article - updates to articles are scheduled on a periodic basis and will address any required changes.
Introduction
Discussion posts in Brightspace are an important part of most online courses at SUNY Empire. There are many different components to discussions in Brightspace, and many issues that you may encounter in the process. This article will go over solutions for five frequently asked questions regarding Brightspace discussions.
Brightspace Discussion FAQs
Why can't I access a discussion post?
If you are receiving a "Not Authorized" or "Internal Error" message when attempting to access a discussion post, it could be because:
- The discussion may no longer be available and is hidden or past due.
- You're trying to access discussion activities in a different order then what was set forth by your instructor.
- Your instructor has set specific conditions which limit access to some discussions.
Contact your instructor if you still have questions about the inability to access discussions.
Why can't I edit a discussion post? [Updated]
Your ability to edit discussion posts is determined by the permissions granted to you by your instructor. Your instructor may not allow learners to edit discussion posts or discussion threads. If you have questions about making edits or changes to discussions, contact your instructor.
Updated Information: Instructors do not have and have never had the ability to edit student discussions or grant this permission in any Empire University learning management systems including Brightspace and Moodle. We realize that Moodle had the option to edit up to 30 minutes after posting for students, however, Brightspace does not have this feature.
Why can't I delete my discussion posts?
Students do not have permission to delete discussion posts or discussion threads. Contact your instructor if you need a post deleted who will contact the service desk on your behalf to get the post deleted.
Why am I unable to post in a discussion I have access to?
If you can access a discussion but can't post in it, the discussion's permissions are set so that the discussion is available for viewing but is locked (submission restricted) and not available for posting. Check to see when the discussion was due. If the due date has passed, contact your instructor for further information.
Why can't I copy/paste?
If you are finding it difficult to copy or paste in the Brightspace Editor in the Discussions tool, the browser you are using may not be supported.
Workaround
- Highlight the text you want to copy.
- Select and hold Ctrl + C on your keyboard.
- Select the place you want to paste the text.
- Select and hold Ctrl + V on your keyboard.
How to handle other Brightspace discussion issues
- If you are having other issues related to a Brightspace discussion, you should first contact your instructor for further assistance.
- If your instructor cannot assist you, please contact the IT Service Desk.