Create and Run an Intelligent Agent

This article provides Instructors with step-by-step instructions describing how to set up an Intelligent Agent within a Brightspace course.

Intelligent Agents can be used to send automated emails when students meet, or fail to meet, certain criteria within a course. Login patterns, course activity, assignment completion, discussion participation and a range of other criteria can be used by the system to send these emails.

Creating the Agent

1. From the navbar, select Tools > Course Admin (or Edit Course on OntarioLearn) and then Intelligent Agents (found under the Communication section).

2. Click on the blue New button.

3. Give the agent a name, a description if necessary, and ensure that the box is checked to enable the agent.

4. In the Criteria section, either select All users visible in the Classlist or choose which Role in Classlist you would like to include in the intelligent agent report (typically: Learners).

5. Also within the Criteria section, select a criteria for the agent: Login or Course Activity. If you would like the agent to send automated emails based on when a student last logged in or last accessed your course, check the relevant boxes and enter a number below.

6. Release Conditions: If you would like the agent to send automated emails based on more complex behaviour (e.g. assignment completion, quiz score, discussion participation), use a Release Condition. Click on Create and Attach, select the Condition Type and Condition Details, and hit Create.

7. In the Actions section set the repetition details and the action specifics. Choose where the agent takes action each time your criteria are met, or just the first time.

8. In the Send an Email section, check the box to ensure that an email will be sent each time your criteria are met. In the To field, type {InitiatingUser}, including the curly brackets.

NOTE: If you’re not sure which replace string(s) to use to customize your Intelligent Agent, there are tips listed in blue below the different parts of the email in which replace strings can be used. (For example, below the Bcc: box, you’ll see the following link in blue lettering: What special email addresses can I use? Click on this link to determine the types of replace strings you can use in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields of an Intelligent Agent).

9. Type the subject and body of the email. Consider using replace strings such as {InitiatingUserFirstName} to personalize the email. Don’t forget to add your own name as well. You can also insert images using the Insert Image button in the top left corner.

Note: For accessibility purposes, please make sure you add alternative text to your images to ensure all learners have equitable access to your messages.

10. In the Schedule section, choose whether to schedule the agent to run on certain dates. If you choose not to use a schedule, you will need to run the agent manually.

11. Click on Save and Close.

Running the Agent

1. On the Agent List. Click on the chevron to the right of an agent title to either complete a practice run or to run the agent. In the pop-up window that appears, you will need to confirm if you want to run the agent immediately.

2. You can go back to the Agent List to view the results of the run, including who was emailed; you can click on the users identified to view the email sent to users.