Connect your D2L Brightspace LMS to Coursensu

Overview

By the end of this article you will be able to test the connection between any existing D2L Brightspace platform and Coursensu, the learning design platform.

Connecting Coursensu with D2L Brightspace enables you to convert any existing course into a learning design, is a fast, convenient way to turn existing courses back into a high-level learning design. It also enables Team users to Export their designs into D2L Brightspace, meaning you can design courses on Coursensu and then, when ready, instantly build them in Brightspace. 

Requirements

• Administrator access to D2L Brightspace (for initial set up).
• Pro or Team plan on Coursensu. Pro accounts can import, Team accounts can import and export.
  

Contains

• Setting up (or check) your D2L Brightspace connection - ensure the platforms can 'talk' to each other.
• Check the connection (for import or export)

Terminology

• D2L Brightspace - a learning management system (LMS) used by universities, colleges and learning professionals.

Ready? Let's connect your LMS with your learning design platform ⚡️

Connect D2L Brightspace to Coursensu

Step: Select the Administrator cog and then Manage extensibility 

Tip: To achieve this step you need Brightspace Administrator Access. 

Step: Select the OAuth 2.0 option to connect Coursensu

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Step: Register Coursensu as a new app 

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Step: Add the details needed to connect D2L Brightspace to Coursensu

Application name: Coursensu

Redirect URI: https://app.coursensu.com/auth_d2l

Scope: checklists:checklist:read,write content:file:read,write content:modules:manage,readonly content:toc:read content:topics:manage,readonly discussions:forums:manage discussions:topics:manage enrollment:own_enrollment:read managefiles:files:manage,read managefiles:folders:manage,read orgunits:course:create quizzing:quizzes:create,read users:own_profile:read users:profile:read

Access Token Lifetime (seconds): 72000

Description: 'Access to read user profiles, course content and create courses'

Prompt for user consent: No / unchecked 

Enable token refresh: Yes / checked

I accept the Non-Commercial Developer Agreement: Yes / checked 

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Great - now you've set up the integration on D2L Brightspace - now it's time to connect on Coursensu. 

Scopes - explained (with API calls)

Scopes allow the connected platforms to perform certain tasks, these are set by Brightspace and how their integration API operates to allow other platforms to connect with it. Scopes are used in the Coursensu integration based on the principle of least privilege (PoLP) model, whereby scopes (permission) is requested to obtain access only for the information and resources required for the purpose of import and export of course information.

checklists:checklist:read,write

GET /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/checklists/

• Used to import checklists within an org unit / course.

POST /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/checklists/

• Used to create a checklist within an org unit / course.

content:file:read,write

GET /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/topics/(topicId)/file

• Used to download a copy of a topic file (such as a HTML page, or media used within a page).

PUT /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/topics/(topicId)/file

• Used to upload or replace a file within a given content topic.

content:modules:manage,readonly

POST /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/modules/(moduleId)/structure/

• Used to add child modules and topics into a specific module.

POST /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/order/objectId/(objectId)

• Used to set the order, or reorder the position of modules or topics.

GET /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/root/

• Retrieves the root modules for an org unit / course.

GET /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/modules/(moduleId)/structure/

• Retrieves the structure for a specific module in an org unit / course.

GET /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/modules/(moduleId)

• Retrieves a specific module for an org unit / course.

content:toc:read

GET /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/toc

• Retrieve the table of contents for an org unit / course for importing.

content:topics:manage,readonly

POST /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/order/objectId/(objectId)

• Used to set the order, or reorder the position of modules or topics.

GET /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/content/topics/(topicId)

• Retrieve a specific topic for an org unit.

discussions:forums:manage 

POST /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/discussions/forums/

• Create a new forum for an org unit / course.

discussions:topics:manage

POST /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/discussions/forums/(forumId)/topics/

• Create a new forum post within a the provided discussion forum within the org unit / course.

enrollment:own_enrollment:read

GET /d2l/api/lp/(version)/enrollments/myenrollments/

• Retrieve a list of all enrolments for the current logged in user.

managefiles:files:manage,read managefiles:folders:manage,read

POST /d2l/api/lp/(version)/(orgUnitId)/managefiles/file/save

• Saves an uploaded course file to the path specified (in a previous step).

GET /d2l/api/lp/(version)/(orgUnitId)/managefiles/

• Retrieves the child contents (files and folders) or an org unit / course.

POST /d2l/api/lp/(version)/(orgUnitId)/managefiles/folder

• Creates a folder within an org unit / course.

orgunits:course:create

POST /d2l/api/lp/(version)/courses/

• Creates a org unit / course.

quizzing:quizzes:create,read

POST /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/quizzes/

• Creates a new quiz within a org unit / course.

users:own_profile:read users:profile:read

GET /d2l/api/lp/(version)/users/whoami

• Required for active connection / token check or to re-establish a connection on authentication token expiration.

Importing personal data and records

No student data (profiles, submissions, posts, files) are imported from Brightspace, nor are they required for this integration to operate successfully.

Add D2L Brightspace as a Coursensu Integration

Step: Select your profile and then browse to the My Team area

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Step: Select the Integrations & API tab

Step: Add D2L Brightspace as a new integration

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Platform: D2L 

Client ID: Your Brightspace client ID

Client Secret: Your Brightspace client secret

URL: The full URL of your D2L Brightspace platform 

Tip: You do not need a trailing forward slash. 

Step: Select Add to save this integration. 

Result: It will now appear in your list of integrations and be available during Import - see next steps

Test your D2L Brigthspace Connection with Coursensu

Step: Start the import process - select import from the left menu of the learning designer. 

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Step: Select From LMS from the list of Import options

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Step: Connect Coursensu to your D2L Brightspace by selecting it from the LMS menu

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Note: Once initially connected, D2L Brightspace should always be 'Connected'. You can manage integrations via your Brightspace account and also via the Integrations tab of 'My team' in Coursensu. 

Step: Select 'Connect' to establish / check the connection with D2L Brightspace

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Tip: You'll be asked to log into D2L Brightspace to create a personal, secure token that Coursensu uses to import / export course contents. 

Finished. You now have your D2L Brightspace connected to Coursensu, for rapid transfer between existing courses and Learning Designs 🙌.

Next steps:

• Import course content from D2L Brightspace
• Add extra detail in the Storyboard view
• Move items around and develop the structure

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