Blackboard Learn

• Aim for a consistent layout for all VLE courses to help students find their way around quickly and efficiently (e.g. so students always know where they will find the handbook or assessment details). Where available use a template for all courses to make this easier.
• Use consistent terminology across and between courses; a glossary can help.
• For courses created after 28th of April 2023, you may find Ally helpful (link below).

• These are your teaching resources; refer to our Teaching Resources section for detailed advice.

• Give all Folders and Documents names that are unique, since students may be studying courses simultaneously and there could otherwise be confusion.
• Give all Folders and Documents names that are meaningful, such that a student has a reasonable idea of what is in the Folder or Document before they open it.
• Indicate the size of a Document so students can anticipate if they can download a file of this size.

• Detailed advice can be found in the Teaching Resources section.
• Web links: use a name that is meaningful such that a student has a reasonable idea of where it would take them if they clicked on the link.
• Avoid flashing and scrolling images (or put their movement in the control of the student).

• If your students (or you) are new to electronic submission, setup an assessment inbox to give everyone an opportunity to practice and you an opportunity to see if students can follow the instructions given.
• Give students clear instructions on format, word/page/size limit, deadline etc.
• Let students know what to do and whom to contact should they have difficulty submitting work.

Using Turnitin

• If you are using Similarity Checking make sure students understand what a Similarity Score means and how it, and the Similarity Report, are used by academic staff.
• Set up a test assignment inbox to which students can submit a test assignment, receive a receipt, and see the Similarity Report generated; make sure students know how to interpret the Report and how to access a text-only version.
• If you have included audio feedback, add a text version of this into the submission as well.

• If your students (or you) are new to this, set up an Introduction Discussion to give everyone an opportunity to practice (e.g. posting, responding, starting new threads); it also lets you know that students have found and can access the Learn course. 
• If posts are not assessed, allow students to edit their posts.
• For each Discussion, tell students how you want them to respond; be clear if there is a word limit or time limit for responses.
• In the case of large numbers of posts, indicate if the student is expected to read them all.

• Use Resource Lists to indicate required reading and other useful resources; you can set these up yourself or ask the Library for help (see below).
• Distinguish between Essential, Recommended and Further Reading.
• Make sure your Resource Lists are up to date, available before the course begins, and the only source of this information (so there is no confusion).