Understanding ContentObjects Dataset: Tracking Edits to Discussions, Assignments, and Course Pages
Hello D2L Community,
I am working with the ContentObjects dataset, and I am trying to use it to identify content edited by faculty in their courses, particularly to review pages and learning activities for accessibility and formatting.
It seems the dataset captures details like content type, links modified or created, and by whom. However, I’d like to confirm how this data is captured.
For example, we had a faculty member make edits to discussion prompts, assignments, and certain course pages on December 5 and 6. When reviewing the dataset today, I noticed that only some edits were recorded—primarily related to course pages. However, the edits to discussions and assignments are missing from the dataset.
Could anyone clarify:
- Does the ContentObjects dataset include edits to discussions, assignments, and other learning activities?
- If not, is there another dataset or data source in Brightspace that tracks these edits?
- Are there any known limitations in how the dataset captures activity that might explain the discrepancy?
Any insights or guidance on how to better track the edits across various content types would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
Alena
Answers
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From what I have found, the ContentObjects dataset only has to do with the content page items and actions (ie. pages as you have found). The datasets that have to do with a particular tool will let you know when someone has edited that tool/instructions and by whom. Please be aware that if anyone selects save their action will be saved in the dataset (for example admins that make changes).
I have a report built similar to what you are trying to accomplish and I use the tool specific datasets to show editing information.
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Thank you so much, Rachel! I'll look at the tools datasets. It seems the Content Objects dataset includes assignments, quizzes, and discussions, but only if they were created or deleted—not if they were edited.
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@Alena.R.854 The dates in the Content Objects dataset only refer to the content topic that was created/deleted and not the activity itself. It is possible for those activities to be created and exist only within the tools and not be added to Content. You'd have to look at the datasets for each activity to see if the creation and deletion dates for the activities are tracked. Sometimes it's just a boolean for IsDeleted instead of any dates.
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@Alena.R.854 , My understanding of the types of data in the Content Objects dataset matches @Jennifer.W.973. There is another dataset, Content Files Properties Log, that will give you the last edited date and edited-by for FILES that are linked into content. Other tools are less forthcoming on edit tracking. While there is information about Discussion POST edits, I do not think there is editing data for Discussion Topics or Forums.. Similarly for Assignments. There is, however some editing reported in Quiz and Question datasets.
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Thank you, @Renee.J.194! I reviewed the assignment and discussion datasets, and as you mentioned, I couldn’t find any editing data. It does look like we can only track edits made to pages, files, or quizzes, but unfortunately, not to discussion prompts or assignments.
