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Embedding Files

Embedding Files

Owned by Stuart McCulley
Last updated: Jan 15, 2025
9 min read

There are various types of files that can be embedded directly into the Brightspace Content area. Each have their own way of being embedded into Brightspace, either through Add Existing or Create New → Page.

Some files can be embedded directly into the Content Area with full or limited functionality, or they can be embedded as a link.

PDFs

PDFs can be embedded directly into Content or they can be added as a link in a Page. The two options depend on how an instructor wishes to display their content.

Embedding a PDF directly into Content

There are two ways to embed a PDF into the Content area.

Option 1:

  1. Drag and drop the PDF file from wherever it is stored on the computer directly into the Table of Contents on the left of the Content area.

    PDF file hovering over Lesson 1 folder in Table of Contents
    PDF dragged from documents onto folder

     

  2. The PDF will automatically upload into the Content area into the folder you dragged it to.

    PDF inserted into Content under Lessons folder
    PDF now within the folder

 

Option 2:

  1. Select the content item you would like to embed the PDF under, and click the Add Existing button.

    Content area with Lesson and Add Existing button highlighted
    With the folder selected, click Add Existing

     

  2. Either drag and drop the PDF file from your C: Drive or My Documents, or click browse to browse files on your computer.

    Add Existing area with drag and drop or browse area highlighted
    Click “browse” or drag the document into the dotted space

 

The PDF will become embedded in the Content area. You can organize it as you’d like. See Designing and Organizing Materials in Content for some tips on organizing content.

Content area with PDF displayed within Lesson
PDF now within the folder

Embedding a PDF from an online source as a link

  1. Create a Page or edit an existing Page content item. Learn more about how to create Pages and their versatility here: Page

  2. In the Page editor, paste the link to the PDF in the Page Content. It will automatically become a link.

  3. If you wish to change what the link says (as opposed to the URL address), click the link and then click the Edit Link icon. You will be given the option to change the title. Click Update to secure the change.

Page content area with a link selected. Edit link icon is highlighted
The Edit Link icon (pencil)

Word Documents

It’s entirely possible that an instructor has a syllabus or lecture material in the form of a Word Document as opposed to a PDF. The steps to embedding a Word Document are essentially the same as a PDF.

Upon being embedded, Word Documents are displayed as PDFs in the Content area. Students are not able to edit it, they can only view.

There are two ways to embed a Word Document into the Content area.

Option 1:

  1. Drag and drop the Word Document file from wherever it is stored on the computer directly into the Table of Contents on the left of the Content area.

    Word Document file hovering over Lesson 1 folder in Table of Contents
    Word Doc dragged from documents onto folder

     

  2. The Word Document will automatically upload into the Content area as a PDF into the folder you dragged it to.

    Word Document inserted as PDF into Content under Lessons folder
    Word Doc now within folder

 

Option 2:

  1. Select the content item you would like to embed the Word Document under, and click the Add Existing button.

    Content area with Lesson and Add Existing button highlighted
    With the folder selected, click Add Existing

     

  2. Either drag and drop the Word Document file from your C: Drive or My Documents, or click browse to browse files on your computer.

    Add Existing area with drag and drop or browse area highlighted
    Click “browse” or drag the document into the dotted space

     

The Word Document will become embedded in the Content area as a PDF. You can organize it as you’d like. See Designing and Organizing Materials in Content for some tips on organizing content.

Content area with PDF displayed within Lesson
Word Doc now within folder

YuJa Videos

YuJa is the main platform for Brock’s instructors to create, edit, and store lecture recordings and other video content. Instructions for embedding YuJa videos can be found in our CPI documentation on embedding YuJa videos.

YouTube Videos

Many instructors find it useful to include YouTube videos in their lecture content. While it is possible to simply cut and paste a YouTube URL into the Page Content area of a Page, there is also a simple way of embedding the video directly into the content.

  1. Create a Page or edit an existing Page content item. Learn more about how to create Pages and their versatility here: Page

  2. In the Page Content text-editor, select Insert Stuff and scroll to the bottom of the list. YouTube is near the bottom, click it.

    Page content with Insert Stuff icon highlighted
    Insert Stuff button in the HTML Text-Editor

     

    Insert Stuff list with YouTube highlighted
    YouTube is half-way down the Insert Stuff menu

     

  3. You will be prompted to search for the video. You can either paste in the URL if you have it or search by title. Once the appropriate video is selected, click Next in the bottom left-hand corner of the window.

    YouTube area with video and Next button highlighted
    Selected video is blue

     

  4. You are brought to a Preview page detailing the YouTube video URL, as well as the dimension sizes for the window being embedded. Click Insert in the bottom left-hand corner of the window.

    YouTube area with Insert button highlighted
    Clicking insert completes the embedding

     

  5. Once inserted, the embedded YouTube video will appear in the Page Content. It can be played directly from the Content section.

    Content area with YouTube video embedded
    YouTube video now within folder

PowerPoints

Brightspace’s first instinct when embedding a Powerpoint is to convert the slideshow into a PDF. While this may be suitable under certain circumstances, it is understandably frustrating that PowerPoints lose all interactivity by default. Below are steps outlining two ways to insert PowerPoint files, one that converts to a PDF and one that sustains the PPT file format.

Embedding as a PDF

There are two ways to embed a PowerPoint as a PDF into the Content area.

Option 1:

  1. Drag and drop the PowerPoint file from wherever it is stored on the computer directly into the Table of Contents on the left of the Content area.

    PowerPoint file hovering over Lesson 1 folder in Table of Contents
    PowerPoint dragged from documents into folder

     

  2. The PowerPoint will automatically upload into the Content area as a PDF into the folder you dragged it to.

    PowerPoint inserted as PDF into Content under Lessons folder
    PowerPoint now within the folder

 

Option 2:

  1. Select the content item you would like to embed the PowerPoint under, and click the Add Existing button.

    Content area with Lesson and Add Existing button highlighted
    With the folder selected, click Add Existing

     

  2. Either drag and drop the PowerPoint file from your C: Drive or My Documents, or click browse to browse files on your computer.

    Add Existing area with drag and drop or browse area highlighted
    Click “browse” or drag the document into the dotted space

     

The PowerPoint will become embedded in the Content area as a scroll-able PDF. You can organize it as you’d like. See Designing and Organizing Materials in Content for some tips on organizing content.

Content area with PowerPoint presentation embedded as PDF
PowerPoint now within the folder

Embedding as a Video

You can use this to record a lecture with audio, slide timing, graphics, etc. Microsoft provides a detailed step-by-step article explaining how to save a PowerPoint presentation as a video.

  1. In Powerpoint, go to File → Export → Create a Video

    Expert and Create a Video highlighted in PowerPoint File menu
    Clicking File → Export → Create a Video

  2. Upload and embed the video file in the Content area of the course using an Page, use Insert Stuff to access your YuJa library. See Insert Stuff for more information.

Embedding as a Downloadable Link

If a PowerPoint is uploaded to Content, it is embedded as a pdf, but the original .pptx file is saved in Course Files. This file can be linked to from content for students to download.

  1. If you haven’t added the PowerPoint file to your site yet, navigate to Course Tools → Course Admin → Manage Files.

    Course Admin and Course Tools highlighted along the navbar
    Course Admin is under Course Tools on the navbar

     

    Manage Files link highlighted in Course Admin
    Manage Files is under Site Resources in Course Admin

     

  2. Click Upload and add the PowerPoint file to your Course Files.

    Upload highlighted in Manage Files area
    Upload button is along the top of Manage Files

     

  3. Go to Content and create a Page or edit an existing Page content item. Learn more about how to create Pages and their versatility here: Page

  4. Click the Insert Quicklink icon.

    Page Content with Insert Quicklink icon highlighted
    Insert Quicklink icon highlighted

     

  5. In the Insert Quicklink menu, choose Course File.

    Insert Quicklink menu with Course File highlighted
    Course File is near the top of the Quicklink menu

     

  6. From there, you are given the ability to search for files already present in your Course Files. Choose the PowerPoint file and you’ll have a download link.

Embedding via Sharepoint

If Powerpoint files are stored online in a Brock Sharepoint site, or in another file sharing system that has the ability to share access publicly (which is not the case with Brock OneDrive), they can be made “shareable”, and then embedded into the Content area.

The video below explains the process of embedding via Sharepoint. Please note: The type of browser being used can potentially impact whether the steps outlined in the video work properly.

​Embed a Power Point into a Brightspace Web Page

Instructors could also share PowerPoints from personal Outlook or Google accounts, although they’re not technically supported by Brock's CPI. Outlook or Google will provide embed codes through their sharing options.

You will find standard embed options when editing a Page item and using the Insert Stuff button:

  1. Create a new or edit a Page

  2. Click Insert Stuff in the Page Content text box.

  3. Select Enter Embed Code and paste the embed code from the file sharing service.

Keeping the Original File-type Intact

Some instructors may find it inconvenient that Brightspace converts most file types to PDFs upon being embedded. Fortunately, instructors can create downloadable links in the content area which can grant students the ability to download the original file-type.

  1. If you haven’t added the file to your site yet, navigate to Course Tools → Course Admin → Manage Files.

    Course Admin and Course Tools highlighted along the navbar
    Course Admin is under Course Tools on the navbar

     

    Manage Files link highlighted in Course Admin
    Manage Files is under Site Resources in Course Admin

     

  2. Click Upload and add the files to your Course Files.

    Upload highlighted in Manage Files area
    Upload button is along the top of Manage Files

     

  3. Go to Content and create a Page or edit an existing Page content item. Learn more about how to create Pages and their versatility here: Page

  4. Click the Insert Quicklink icon.

    Page Content with Insert Quicklink icon highlighted
    Insert Quicklink icon highlighted

     

  5. In the Insert Quicklink menu, choose Course File.

    Insert Quicklink menu with Course File highlighted
    Course File is near the top of the Quicklink menu

     

  6. From there, you are given the ability to search for files already present in your Course Files. Choose the files you wish to make downloadable and you’ll have a download link.

 

Please contact CPI at edtech@brocku.ca with any questions or comments about the contents of this site.