Andy Bright

Recording in-class presentations for assessment

Assignments, Blackboard, Panopto, Training /
Three people: one with a camera recording the person in the centre. the third person holds a director's megaphone.

Recently we have seen an increase in queries about recording student presentations for assessment. As ever, a Blackboard submission that uses Panopto is the best option for student submissions. However, what about recordings for presentations in-class? There are a couple of options available.

Manual recording

This is the method that most staff have used historically. Many schools have their own video cameras, and staff can borrow these to record the student presentations and share with external examiners via OneDrive or SharePoint. Recordings can either be stopped after each student, or one long recording can be made, and the timestamps noted for external examiners.

The advantage of this process is that it’s relatively straightforward and easy for staff to implement. Most schools have cameras to borrow, most often via PAS teams or Technicians, and extracting the videos and sharing by OneDrive or SharePoint is fairly simple.

The disadvantages are that using OneDrive relies on the sharer being available for the duration of the moderation process. If that person is on annual leave or sick, any issues with the files or sharing process are difficult to resolve. If the sharer leaves the university altogether, their OneDrive account will be taken down, and the recordings could be lost.

Video files could be uploaded and located in a SharePoint site, to allow all members access. We recommend contacting Digital Services for support with SharePoint. However, sometimes External Examiners can encounter issues accessing links and content in SharePoint too.

Using Panopto

As an alternative, we have designed a workflow to record via Panopto within your Blackboard module. The tutor is logged in and the recordings sit in a private area within the Blackboard space.

The advantages of this process are that the recordings will be held within the Blackboard module, meaning that any member of staff, including external examiners will have access, without the students being able to see them. The steps are contained in one process, with little follow-up. The process can work from any room, even those without Panopto video recording, although this will require a webcam.

This approach is quite versatile and can meet the needs of a range of assessment approaches. If you would like to know how to do this, please sign up for our training session on Wednesday 29th April, 13:30-14:30. You can book a place via iTrent under Learning, and selecting the type ‘Technology Enhanced Learning’.

If you have any questions, please email us at TEL@worc.ac.uk

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PebblePad January Update – Part 2: Changes to the External Dashboard

Uncategorised /

The recent PebblePad update, as well as the changes to the ATLAS interface, will also include improvements to the External Dashboard. The process for sharing with external assessors – practice assessors, placement supervisors, professional partners etc. – has long been the aspect of PebblePad that has caused the most confusion for students. Often, they would perform the wrong type of share, meaning that external assessors could not access the restricted assessor fields to sign off workplace competencies.

The PebblePad team are resolving this with a series of developments, the first of which addresses the External Dashboard – what the external assessor sees. Previously it was impossible for the external assessor to tell what type of share that the student had performed with them. Now, these have been separated into shares for assessment and the read only option that they get when a student shares ‘with a person’. This distinction will make it easier for externals and students to identify the source of any sign off issues.

PebblePad have very helpfully prepared a guide, which is available on their Help Hub website. You may find it useful to share this with your external assessors or the organisations where they work. Please see the link below:

Help Hub – External Dashboard


Later this year, a further update will streamline the process from the student perspective.

If you have any further questions please contact us at TEL@worc.ac.uk

PebblePad Logo 2025

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PebblePad January Update – Part 1: Changes to ATLAS Interface

Announcement, PebblePad /
PebblePad Logo 2025

With the January PebblePad update now scheduled for 29th January, our friends at PebblePad have very helpfully released additional resources to help colleagues familiarise themselves with changes to the ATLAS interface.

There are two guides that you can access, depending on your needs:

· New end user help guides: Focused on step-by-step guidance that can be easily shared with Managers, Assessors, and Administrators. These guides cover the practical use of the ATLAS interface for day-to-day tasks. View the new guides here ATLAS Navigation Enhancements – Help Guides

· Existing guidance & support portfolio: Includes the ATLAS release overview and “Get Started” guides for early adopters, system administrators, as well as help resources for training and reference purposes. View the original portfolio here ATLAS Navigational Enhancements Guidance and Support

From the 2026.1 release, Managers, Assessors, and Administrators will move to the new ATLAS interface, which will become their default experience. The legacy layout will no longer be available for these roles.

External Assessors and Learners, however, will continue using the Classic ATLAS interface, which remains unchanged.

For anyone wishing to try or move to the new interface before 29th January, the toggle option is still available to use. If you would like to have this toggle option added to your ATLAS account to familiarise yourself with the new layout, please email TEL@worc.ac.uk.

In Part 2 we will talk about improvements to the external assessor workflow, which will be another important part of the January update.

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Microsoft Teams now available in Blackboard Ultra

Announcement, Blackboard, MS Teams /

We’re excited to announce the launch of a new integration that brings Microsoft Teams directly into Blackboard Ultra. This means staff and students can now access Teams meetings and collaboration spaces without leaving the Ultra environment.

The integration offers a familiar interface for many users, with the added benefit of streamlined scheduling and access to Teams meetings from within Ultra modules.

Beyond usability, this offers the potential opportunity to replace Collaborate with a more robust, widely supported platform for online learning, which is already included in the university’s Microsoft 365 licence.

There was an introductory session with Justine Walker and Darren Cooper on the 4th December. This outlined the basic use of Teams through Blackboard, and included discussions around teaching and learning applications. Please see a link to the recording of the session below:

LDTE Connect & Deliver Teams Integration Essentials with Blackboard.mp4

Other support resources and guidance for using Teams in Ultra are available in our Blackboard manual:

https://lttu.uk/support/Blackboard/UltraManual/teams-meetings

If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact us at tel@worc.ac.uk

Digital Services also offers a variety of resources on the IT Service website to assist users in using Microsoft Teams. The Microsoft Teams – Guide Page, Microsoft Teams – Training Page, and Microsoft Teams – FAQ Pages provide comprehensive guides, training materials, and general information regarding Microsoft Teams.

Additionally, Digital Services is planning to launch a ‘Making the most of Microsoft Teams’ workshop, which will cover all features and options available in team meetings. These workshops will appear in the iTrent training page.

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Gerry Beattie’s Retirement

Announcement, Video /

After three decades of dedicated service to the University of Worcester, Gerry Beattie will be retiring from his role as Academic Learning Technologist at the end of this Semester. Gerry has been a cornerstone of the Technology Enhanced Learning Unit, known throughout the University for his expertise in video production for multimedia projects and assessments.

His retirement marks the end of an era, and we will miss him enormously.

Looking Ahead: A New Approach to Video Support

As we move forward, we want to be transparent about how video support will evolve. Gerry’s role will not be replaced like-for-like. Instead, we are shifting towards a more self-service model using tools such as Panopto, which is available to all staff and students for recording and sharing video content.

For assessment recordings, we encourage colleagues to explore Panopto’s capabilities, which is the University’s primary tool for video assessment and video management. This is now used by the majority of the University for video presentations

For projects, we will continue to offer limited video support, including basic filming and editing.

We understand this is a significant change, and we’re here to support you through it. Guidance and training on using Panopto effectively will be available, and we welcome feedback as we adapt to this new model.

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Update on Turnitin Icons in Blackboard

Announcement, Turnitin /

You may have noticed that a second Turnitin logo has recently appeared in the Content Market within Blackboard. This new icon is blue, in contrast to the original red and blue logo. We’ve been in contact with Turnitin to clarify its purpose, as both logos appear to be linked to our current LTI 1.3 integration.

While Turnitin has not provided a definitive explanation for the appearance of the second logo, they have advised us to continue using the original red and blue icon. This version is connected to historical submissions and ensures continuity across existing assessments. To avoid confusion, we have labelled the blue logo with a “Do Not Use” tag.

If you have already created submission points using the blue icon, please don’t worry—these will remain active and unaffected, and students will not notice any difference. However, moving forward, please ensure that all new Turnitin submission points are created using the red and blue logo.

Additionally, you may see a new tool called the Turnitin Paper Lookup Tool. This feature is designed to help you access historical submissions more easily. We will share further guidance on how to use this tool in due course.

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New Recommended Panopto Assignment Process

Assignments, Blackboard, Panopto /

We have listened carefully to feedback from both staff and students regarding Panopto assignment submissions, particularly around challenges with the submission process. In summary, the main issues raised are:

  • The submission process is not always straightforward, and some students struggle to complete it successfully.
  • The student experience varies across devices, with MacBook users finding the process particularly difficult and encountering limitations in available features.
  • The existence of multiple submission routes can create confusion.

In response, we have reviewed the situation and decided to standardise the recommended process so that all Panopto submissions follow one clear, simple workflow. This approach is designed to ensure consistency and ease of use for all students, regardless of the device they are using.

Going forward, we recommend that video submissions are created as a PowerPoint presentation with Cameo voiceover, saved as an MP4, and then uploaded to Panopto. This method is more straightforward and relies on familiar tools, making it far simpler than Panopto’s browser capture. PowerPoint is a tool that is available to all students as part of the free Office 365 subscription through the University. Should you as the course tutor wish to stipulate a different method of video creation, such as using Camtasia, this is your choice. The main point is that the video should be created first and then submitted.

While this workflow has always been an available option — particularly for students experiencing difficulties — some tutors have raised concerns about academic integrity. To address this, we consulted with the University’s Academic Integrity Tutors, who have confirmed that this process fully meets academic integrity requirements.

Please read the guidance on using Panopto with PowerPoint.

To set up a Panopto Video submission, please follow the guide. This part of the process will be unchanged from last year.

If you have any questions, please email me at a.bright@worc.ac.uk

Andrew Bright

Interim Head of Technology Enhanced Learning

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Reflections and Review – Blackboard Ultra Insights Week

Blackboard, Training, Ultra /

Adobe stock by adrian_ilie825

The Technology Enhanced Learning Unit’s Blackboard Ultra Insights Week proved to be a resounding success, drawing in enthusiastic participation across all sessions. By shifting from a full-day in-person event to several shorter, focused online sessions spread throughout the week, the format offered a more accessible and flexible experience for attendees. We had some people who attended every session and others who dipped into those sessions that were especially relevant to their interests.

The sessions covered a range of topics around engagement and retention in Blackboard Ultra:

  • Integrating Reading Resources covered methods to help students engage with course readings, including a demonstration by Michelle Sterry of her use of reflective journals for students to record and receive feedback on their readings
  • Engagement and Analytics covered Helen Watts’ research into VLE engagement as an indicator of student outcomes and Helen Hope’s use of Blackboard analytics to facilitate student engagement.
  • Guided In-class Activities showcased Louise Martin’s innovative use of Blackboard functionality to build tasks for students to work through in a classroom setting. One attendee said it was “The most useful thing I have seen in ages!”
  • Building Fully Online Courses looked at Sarah Davis’s development of a fully online master’s-level course using a combination of Blackboard Ultra and MS Teams. Sarah’s approach would be an excellent blueprint for anyone considering adopting a distance-learning approach, so we highly recommend viewing the recording if this applies to you.

Recordings are now available on the LDTE CPD SharePoint site at the link below:

LDTE CPD – Home

Thanks again to Ros Sykes, Michelle Sterry, Helen Watts, Helen Hope, Louise Martin and Sarah Davis for presenting some fantastic sessions, and to everyone who attended.

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Blackboard Ultra Insights Week – Drop in Sessions

Blackboard, Training, Ultra /
Group of People in an Online chat - displayed on a laptop screen

Adobe stock by Triative

As part of Blackboard Ultra Insights Week, the TEL team will be hosting some online drop-in sessions open to all staff. These will offer support and ideas on enhancing course engagement and interactivity, improving course structure, and copying content effectively for the new academic year. Come along and chat to us, bounce some ideas around or ask any questions that you may have.

Drop-in sessions:

Tuesday 20th May, 14:30pm -15:30

Link to join the session

Friday 23rd May, 10:00 – 11:00

Link to join the session

Additionally, as part of the week’s events, staff are invited to participate in a quick survey about Ultra – just three questions that will help us identify what tools are most useful to staff.

You can access the survey here.

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Blackboard Ultra Insights Week

Blackboard, Training, Ultra /
Red person-shaped wooden game piece in centre - with a network of other people shaped pieces around them.
Adobe stock by Monster Ztudio

The Technology Enhanced Learning Unit is celebrating the successful first year of the University using the new Blackboard Ultra VLE with a Blackboard Ultra Insights Week. Throughout the week, online presentations will be delivered by colleagues from academic faculties, Library Services, and the TEL team, showcasing innovative and effective uses of Blackboard Ultra. Sessions have been scheduled around lunchtime, offering a timely break and a chance to engage with something different during the marking period. The presentations will be recorded for those who are unable to attend.

In addition, the TEL team will host online drop-in sessions open to all—offering support and ideas on enhancing course engagement and interactivity, improving course structure, and copying content effectively for the new academic year.

There will also be an opportunity to take part in an online survey designed to gather insights into which areas and tools within the VLE staff find most valuable.

The itinerary for the week is as follows:

Staff Presentations:

Student Engagement with Module Readings

Monday 19th May, 11:00 – 12:00

Ros Sykes, Andrew Bright, Michelle Sterry

This session will explore strategies to boost student engagement with course literature and resources, focusing on practical techniques in Blackboard to encourage the use of your Talis resource lists.

VLE Engagement and Course Analytics

Tuesday 20th May, 12:00 – 12:45

Helen Watts, Helen Hope

This session will look at VLE engagement and student retention, and the practical use of Blackboard Ultra’s analytic tools.

Guided in-class Activities in Blackboard Ultra

Wednesday 21st May, 12:30 – 13:30

Louise Martin

In this session, Louise Martin will demonstrate how guided activities in Blackboard Ultra can be used to support in-class learning, showcasing interactive tasks she has designed to actively engage students and reinforce key concepts.

Developing Fully Online Courses

Thursday 22nd May, 12:00 – 13:00

Sarah Davis

In this session, Sarah Davis will share her experience of developing a fully online course using Blackboard. This session is ideal for anyone considering the design of fully online or highly blended courses—an area of growing strategic importance for the University.

Drop-in sessions:

  • Tuesday 20th May, 14:30 -15:30
  • Friday 23rd May, 10:00 – 11:00

Links for all presentations and drop-in sessions will be shared at a later date.

We hope that you will be able to take part!

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