How to View Brightspace as a Student

There are a number of ways to view your Brightspace course how a student would.

Switch to the Student View:

  1. Log in to Brightspace and open your course.
  2. Click on your name in the top right corner of the screen, then click
    View as Learner. 

Screenshots for step 2 in the doc. Number 1 points to click on your name on the top right corner of the screen. Number 2 points to click on

The screen will refresh to the course homepage and you will now be able to view the site as a student would.

Screenshot for the student view page. (The profile picture beside your name on the top, right corner should be in orange.)

Switch Back to the Instructor View:

  1. In your course on Brightspace, click on your name on the top right corner of the screen, then click on the exit button.

Screenshot step 1. Number 1 points to click on your name on the top, right corner. Number 2 points to click on the exit button on the pop-up window showing Viewing as Learner.

View as Learner vs. Student Preview:

Instructors can use the View as Learner function, found at the top right of the screen, as well as a Preview function found in several tools. The View as Learner function and the Preview function are both intended to display to an instructor what a student might see. However, if you would like to preview a quiz or assignment that is not visible to students at the moment, you will need to use the Preview function.

Since neither View as Learner nor Preview is associated with an actual user in the database, these features may present different perspectives on certain functions, such as groups, compared to how they are being viewed by a real student.

View as Learner in Quizzes:

  1. To view as a learner, switch to the student view as the steps mentioned above and click the Quizzes on the navbar at the top.
    The screenshot for step 1. The box squares the
  2. It will jump to the Quiz List page showing all visible quizzes and this is what the students see. Click on the quiz you want to preview. For example, the Reset quiz in this example.
    The screenshot for step 2. The box squares the specific quiz item that you want to click on under the Quiz list.
  3. Click on Start Quiz!.
    The screenshot for step 3. The box squares the
  4. After all the questions in the quiz are done, click Submit Quiz.
    The screenshot for step 4. The box squares the
  5. Then click Submit Quiz again on the Quiz Submission Confirmation page.
    The screenshot for step 5. The box squares the
  6. Then click Done.
    The screenshot for step 6. The box squares the

Using Preview in Quizzes:

  1. Ensure you are in the Instructor View in your course and click Quizzes in the navbar.
    The screenshot for step 1. The box squares the Quizzes you want to click on which is also where number 1 points at.
  2. Click the arrow beside the quiz you want to view as a student and select Preview from the menu.
    The screenshot for step 2. Number 2 points at the drag-down button you should click on. Number 3 poinst leads you to click on the
  3. You will now be able to preview the quiz from a student’s point of view and complete and submit the quiz in the same way as when using View as Learner steps #3 through #6.
    The screenshot for step 3.

Using Preview in Assignments

  1. To access the Preview feature in the Assignments tool, on the Assignments screen, click More Actions and select Preview.

View as Learner in Grades:

  1. To view as a learner, switch to the student view as the steps mentioned above and click on the Grades on the navbar
    The screenshot for step 1. The box squares the
    You will be able to see all the grade items with your grade as a learner now.
    The screenshot for step 2. The grade page you should have after you done step 1.

Using Preview in Grades:

  1. Ensure you are in the Instructor View in your course and click Grades in the navbar.
    The screenshot for step 1. The box squares the
  2. Click the arrow beside the name of the student to preview and select Preview from the drop-down menu.
    The screenshot for step 2. Number 1 leads you to click on the drag-down button beside the student name. Number 2 leads you to click on the
  3. A pop-up window will display the student’s grade for all the grade items. Click on Close to exit the window.
    The screenshot for step 3. The box squares the
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