Academic Technologies
Academic resources for students and faculty
Academic Affairs has also developed resources for students and faculty.
D2L Brightspace
D2L Brightspace is the online learning management system (LMS) used by all Minnesota State campuses, including St. Cloud State.
Each course with an assigned instructor is automatically provided with a web-based "shell" within D2L Brightspace that instructors can use to enhance face-to-face, blended or fully online courses. Course materials that can be added to the course shell include files (e.g. syllabus), announcements, quizzes, surveys, assignment folders, gradebook and more.
Requests should only be made if courses need to be combined.
Support
- Contact D2L@stcloudstate.edu or the Minnesota State System-Wide Help Desk at 877-466-6728.
- Minnesota State D2L Custom Help (log in with your StarID)
- D2L Brightspace Student Help
- D2L Brightspace Instructor Help
- Minnesota State - D2L System Status and News
Other Technologies
Distance Learning
St. Cloud State offers a wide variety of distance learning opportunities on campus and at remote locations. This provides students with greater flexibility in scheduling courses and presents a broader range of courses from which to choose. Many distance learning courses are supplemented, and some delivered entirely online, through D2L Brightspace.
The following offices and services provide distance learning opportunities or support:
- St. Cloud State’s Online and Distance Education office offers a wide range of distance learning courses and staff to support distance learners.
- The Central Minnesota Distance Learning Network provides interactive connectivity for delivering distance classes via two-way audio and video and also supports the recording and streaming of those classes.
- The University Library offers support for distance learners.
Course Files/Email Lists
Course Files
Course Files provides working directory file space for courses at St. Cloud State. A separate folder is provided for each section of a class. These file areas are only available while on campus.
Folders within course files
Outside of the following special folders, students and the instructor have the ability to create folders and add, modify and delete files. This can also be an area where the instructor creates group folders for doing projects and other group work.
- AssignmentDropbox: Intended to allow students to electronically hand in assignments. Students cannot view what is in the folder but can copy files/folders into it. Instructors may have a standard file and folder naming scheme for each course to avoid files being overwritten.
- CourseInfo: Instructor place course information here such as a syllabus, assignments and assignment data sets. Students have read-only access.
- StudentWorkFolder: (optional) Inside this folder, each student has a private folder (named by their StarID) in which they can do their work. Students cannot access each other's folders.
Course Email Lists
This service has been discontinued due to limited resource availability and security concerns with outdated hardware and software supporting the listserv functionality. Please see the Course Email knowledge base article on using D2L Brightspace for course communications.
Blog tool
St. Cloud State University offers faculty, staff and students the ability to create blogs based on the WordPress platform. Blogs can be used for courses, clubs or personal use.
If you are interested in setting up a blog, visit Blogs @ SCSU and then click on “Get started now.”
Online Test Integrity and Proctoring Services
Online test integrity and proctoring services can help prevent cheating and enhance the security of remote testing.