Turnitin Tips for Tutors – Student Queries

Assignments, Turnitin, Ultra /

Turnitin Support for your Students

As promised, here is a follow up blog post for Academic staff, focused on troubleshooting potential student queries and information about how to signpost issues to TEL.

The TEL Unit have a Turnitin help page for students, which tutors are welcome to share. The page contains resources and FAQs for common issues:

Turnitin Student Support and FAQs – Technology Enhanced Learning Unit

5 Student Turnitin Problems and Solutions:

  1. Turnitin will not open due to an error message or internet connectivity:

If an error message appears or Turnitin fails to load up, this is usually due to browser or internet problems. Please signpost students to TEL tel@worc.ac.uk for support. Or to our Turnitin Student Support page. (Students need to ensure ‘third-party cookies’ are enabled for the Blackboard VLE https://worcesterbb.blackboard.com for Turnitin to open correctly. We recommend Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers.)

It is helpful if students provide us with a screenshot of the issue, if possible. However, if the due date is imminent, tutors can choose to accept an email copy of their student’s assignment and submit on behalf of the student instead.

  1. The submission point will not open or displays an error message – due to the ‘Open in New Window’ setting being applied:

For some devices, if the Turnitin assignment submission point is set to open in a new window this can prevent access. For this reason, the default option in Blackboard is for Turnitin not to open in a new window for students. If you have added the ‘Open in new window’ setting, we recommend unticking this choice, by using the Blackboard three-dot menu for the Turnitin submission point:

  1. A student cannot make a Late Submission to the original point:

The Late Submission setting allows students who have not been able to submit ahead of the due date and time to make one late submission in total. If a student has accidentally submitted an incorrect version of their assignment, either before the due date has passed or afterwards, it will only be possible for students to make a further late submission if a tutor intervenes. Tutors can contact us at TEL for support, as there are workarounds if you would like the student to have the opportunity to make another normal late attempt.

We have advice for the different types of Late Submissions in our Turnitin manual – for normal Late submissions, Resubmissions or Mitigating Circumstances.

  1. A Student has submitted the wrong assignment to the submission point by mistake:

When the recommended settings are applied, if the due date has not yet passed, students can resubmit as many times as they wish up until this time. There is no need to remove a submission, as a new submission will overwrite the incorrect document. The previous incorrect version will not be compared for similarity checking.

However, if the due date has passed and a student has already submitted, they will not be able to make a further late submission (as described above). Students are not able to remove a submission themselves but module leaders can assist. Please feel free to contact the TEL Unit if you would like advice as a tutor.

Sometimes a student may have accidentally submitted an incorrect assignment to the wrong module, as well as to the correct submission point – If this has happened, please contact TEL tel@worc.ac.uk. Both module leaders will need to be made aware if the due dates have passed. If the submission points are summative, there will be a high similarity score match for self-plagiarism. (Self-matches could later be filtered out using the ‘Exclude Sources’ button by tutors: Originality Report.)

  1. Students cannot resubmit, but the due date has not yet passed:

We recommend checking the option Generate reports immediately (students can resubmit until due date) has been chosen. (This option also allows students to view similarity reports before the deadline is reached.)

Unfortunately, it is easy to accidentally select a different choice here, due to the use of a drop-down menu. It is possible to alter this Optional Setting in Turnitin, by selecting the cog in the top right-hand corner. Please see our Checking or Changing the Settings guidance.

If Academic staff or students need any support with Turnitin, please do not hesitate to contact us at TEL tel@worc.ac.uk.

Turnitin Tips for Tutors – Student Queries Read More »

PebblePad Support for Students and External Assessors

Assignments, PebblePad /
PebblePad Logo 2025

The TEL Unit (Library Services) provide support for PebblePad, a personal learning system that is used for portfolios and practice assessments. All staff and students have their own account which can be used for recording personal development and continuing professional development activities. The TEL Unit offer training and support with PebblePad, this can range from student orientated workshops, advising staff at a departmental level, or 1:1 advice for PebblePad users. 

At this time of year, we are aware that many students are using PebblePad while out on placements. We would like to make sure staff and students know where to get help with PebblePad by sharing some handy troubleshooting tips. We recommend tutors should be the first point of contact if a student experiences any PebblePad problems, but the TEL team are always happy to assist from a technical point of view.  

  • Students can contact the TEL team by email tel@worc.ac.uk for direct support -TEL office hours are Mon- Fri, 9am to 5pm. 

External assessor shares: 

Often students need to share their submitted PebblePad assignment with a placement assessor outside of UW.  

  • After students share in this way, external workplace assessors will be able to see an ‘Assessor’ view of a workbook / ePortfolio, to complete the sections they need to edit. (Likewise, students will see parts which they can only edit in their view.)  
  • UW Academic Tutors who have access to a workspace can view students’ submissions from their managers dashboard (so external assessor shares are not required).

External assessor PebblePad emails: 

  • If assessors have any problems finding PebblePad emails, they can contact TEL tel@worc.ac.uk for further support, or students can do this on their behalf.

Editing Issues and the new External Assessor Dashboard: 

  • If a student has accidentally made an incorrect type of share, they can remove this by using the trash can option. – Most often these are ‘with people’ shares, which will give a ‘read-only’ like view of a workbook or ePortfolio. PebblePad have helpful instructions to delete ‘with people’ shares: Share an asset with people | Learners – Using PebblePad : Help Hub 
  • If a workplace assessor can log into their External UW PebblePad account, and an external assessor share has been successful – they should be able to see an assessor’s view under ‘Items shared for assessment’. This will be visible from their external account dashboard: External dashboard | Externals – Using PebblePad : Help Hub 

If there are any other technical PebblePad problems, Students or External Assessors can contact TEL, using the same email address which their UW PebblePad account is linked to, along with all the relevant details. 

If assessors have any issues viewing an external assessor share link, or accessing their External UW PebblePad account, assessors and students are welcome to send a message to us at TEL: tel@worc.ac.uk  

PebblePad logo

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Turnitin Tips for Tutors

Assignments, Turnitin, Ultra /

With the semester well underway we thought it would be useful to share helpful advice for common Turnitin queries. Staff are welcome to contact us at TEL tel@worc.ac.uk, for any technical assistance with Turnitin issues. Whether you need a hand with settings, information about rubrics and grading, or if your students require help with a problem.

5 Staff Turnitin Problems and Solutions:

  1. How to Check or Change the Settings:

Ahead of students submitting their work, we recommend checking your Turnitin settings for individual submission points. If you are a newer member of staff, you can refer to our Submission Point guidance. New or existing staff can contact the TEL Unit for any Turnitin training needs.

  1. Changing the due date and time:

Certain Turnitin settings are greyed out once a submission point has been created. It is possible to change the due date and time in Blackboard instead: Checking or Changing the Settings

  1. Anonymous Marking:

Anonymous Marking is an optional setting which can be applied up until the first student submission attempt. Unfortunately, after students have begun to submit, it is then not possible to add this setting. If there is time, you could instead create a new submission point to allow students to resubmit anonymously.

If you need to reveal a student’s name in an anonymous assignment, please see our Turnitin Guide: Academic Integrity

  1. Turnitin Rubrics:

We have the following instructions for creating Rubrics and for Exporting and Importing Rubrics: Exporting Rubrics. Once created rubrics belong to an individual user’s account, so the only way to share a rubric is through exporting them as a .rbc file. If Rubric (.rbc) files need to be available for different staff members to use in Turnitin, these could be saved in a central location to store securely, and make them easily accessible to course teams. (Such as a SharePoint site – in case of staff absence, or if a staff member later leaves the University.) Please be aware that .rbc files will not open in other applications; just Turnitin. So, the files can only be stored, but not opened or viewed elsewhere.

  1. Similarity Report Queries:

We have guidance for Similarity reports in Turnitin, Submission Point – which includes our recommended ‘Similarity Report’ settings, the default ‘Compare against’ settings and how to ‘Exclude assignment template’ (if you have used one) from similarity matches.

‘Optional Settings’ in Turnitin allow you to choose to store papers in the ‘Standard paper repository‘ if this is a summative assessment, or ‘Do not store the submitted papers‘ if it is for formative use. When papers are stored in the ‘Standard Paper repository’, this means they are held in the ‘Global Turnitin Repository’. With the recommended assignment settings, students can view their similarity reports after each submission attempt, however, on the fourth submission they will need to wait 24 hours for the next similarity report to generate. Shortly after the due date and time has passed, Turnitin will run an additional ‘collusion check’, comparing all students’ submissions for the assignment.

For interpreting Similarity matches our TEL Turnitin guide gives an overview: Originality Report. This includes how to:

  • Use the ‘Exclude sources’ button,
  • Re-add sources back in
  • Or how to alter filters for an assignment by adjusting thresholds to run a ‘New Report’ – if needed.

The Turnitin integration in the VLE uses the Feedback studio, ‘Classic’ similarity report view: Turnitin Online Guide: Navigating the Similarity Report – Turnitin Guides.

Please feel free to contact TEL tel@worc.ac.uk if you have any questions about similarity report anomalies. If required, TEL can also contact Turnitin UK directly.

*A note about Self-Plagiarism matches in the VLE: Turnitin is designed to find matches for self-plagiarism for Turnitin assignments held in different Blackboard modules, but self matches are normally automatically filtered out for different submission points within the same Blackboard module.

Our main TEL Turnitin resources and support pages are:

Staff:

Students:

We will send out a follow up Turnitin Blog post later this semester, which will focus on common student queries that academic staff may encounter. It will include extra troubleshooting fixes and information about where to sign-post students for further technical advice from TEL. Please continue to contact TEL tel@worc.ac.uk with any staff or student Turnitin problems.

Turnitin Tips for Tutors Read More »

Designing Online Learning Activities That Aren’t Just ‘Read and Watch’

Blackboard, Learning Design /
Three people using different screen devices.

Online learning can sometimes end up looking like a sequence of readings and recorded lectures – especially when time is tight. While these resources are important, learning happens when students do something with the content – even in small, low-pressure ways.

This post shares a few simple approaches to designing online learning activities that move beyond ‘read and watch’, without adding significant workload for staff or students.

1. Designing discussion boards with purpose

Discussion boards can get a bad reputation, often because students are asked to ‘post something’ without a clear reason.

What works better:

  • giving students a specific task (e.g. apply, compare, critique)
  • making expectations clear (length, tone, whether replies are required)
  • framing the discussion as part of the learning process, not an add-on

Example ideas:

  • ‘Post one example from your own experience that links to this week’s concept.’
  • ‘Respond to one peer and explain how their example differs from yours.’
  • ‘Summarise the key takeaway from the discussion at the end of the week.’

Small changes like this can turn a discussion board into a genuine learning activity rather than a compliance exercise.

2. Using quizzes for learning, not just assessment

Used formatively, quizzes can help students:

  • check their understanding
  • identify gaps early
  • build confidence before assessments

Low-stakes quizzes work particularly well when they:

  • allow multiple attempts
  • include feedback on why an answer is correct or incorrect
  • are clearly positioned as practice, not judgement

Even a short quiz with 5–10 questions can make learning more active and support retrieval and reflection.

3. Using low-stakes activities to encourage engagement

Not every activity needs to be assessed to be valuable. Low-stakes activities can help students engage with ideas without the pressure of marks.

These might include:

  • short polls or surveys
  • brief scenario-based questions
  • asking students to upload a single slide, paragraph, or example
  • self-checks or “pause and think” prompts embedded in content

These activities are often quick to set up but can significantly increase student interaction with course materials.

4. Supporting reflection and practice

Reflection helps students make sense of what they’re learning and connect it to prior knowledge or future practice.

Simple reflection activities might ask students to:

  • identify one thing they found challenging
  • explain how a concept applies to their discipline or professional context
  • note one question they still have

These can be:

  • private (e.g. learning journals)
  • shared in small groups
  • used to inform teaching or follow-up activities

Reflection doesn’t need to be long or formal – short, focused prompts are often more effective.

Bringing it together

Designing online learning activities doesn’t have to mean adding lots of extra content or complex tools. Often, it’s about:

  • being clear about what students should do
  • giving them opportunities to practise and reflect
  • using simple tools with intentional design

If you’re reviewing an online module, it can be helpful to ask:

Where are students actively engaging with ideas, not just consuming information?

Designing Online Learning Activities That Aren’t Just ‘Read and Watch’ Read More »

Vevox and MS Teams: Why not sign up for one of our online TEL workshops?

Blackboard, MS Teams, Training, Vevox /

Would you like to know more about how Vevox polling can increase engagement in your lectures, or how you can configure MS Teams from within Blackboard? If so, why not sign up for a training session via iTrent.

Lecturer with students around them using Vevox on devices

What is Vevox?

Vevox is a live polling and Q&A tool that works on any device. Students can answer polls, submit questions, vote in word clouds, or take part in quizzes – all in real time. It’s a quick way to make sessions more interactive and fun – giving everyone a voice.

Microsoft Teams

We’re excited to provide training for the new integration that brings Microsoft Teams directly into Blackboard Ultra. This means staff and students can access Teams meetings and collaboration spaces without leaving the Ultra environment.

Session details:

The sessions are both via MS teams and are being delivered on the following dates/times:

Vevox – Increasing Student Engagement       18th February   12:30 – 13:30

Configuring MS Teams in Blackboard              4th March          12:30 – 13:30

To sign up for a session, access the staff portal. On the ‘Staff’ page select iTrent, and click on ‘Learning’ in the left hand menu.

Vevox and MS Teams: Why not sign up for one of our online TEL workshops? Read More »

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

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

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.

PebblePad January Update – Part 1: Changes to ATLAS Interface Read More »

Introducing the TEL Chatbot: a quicker way for students to get answers

Announcement, TEL Support /

We know that many student queries sent to academic staff relate to learning technologies rather than module content – things like accessing tools, submitting work, or understanding how a platform works. To help streamline this, the TEL team has launched a new TEL Chatbot, designed to give students fast, reliable answers to common questions. 

The chatbot is not AI-driven and doesn’t generate responses. Instead, it draws on a curated set of frequently asked questions and approved guidance from the TEL team, ensuring that students receive clear, accurate and consistent information. It’s available 24/7 and acts as a helpful first point of contact for common TEL-related queries. 

You’ll find the TEL Chatbot on the institution page in Blackboard, making it easy for students to access whenever they’re working online. 

How this helps you 
  • Reduces repeat queries landing in your inbox 
  • Gives students immediate answers to common TEL questions 
  • Ensures advice is accurate and up to date 
  • Frees up time for more complex or academic-focused support 
What we’re asking of you 

When students contact you with questions about learning technologies, we’d really appreciate it if you could direct them to the TEL Chatbot in the first instance. It’s designed to handle the most common issues and will point students to the TEL team where further support is needed. 

You might also want to: 

  • Mention the chatbot in Blackboard announcements 
  • Highlight it during early teaching sessions 
  • Add a brief note to module information or FAQs 

The TEL Chatbot won’t replace human support – but we hope it will become a reliable first stop.  

Introducing the TEL Chatbot: a quicker way for students to get answers Read More »

Editing your video recordings in Panopto

Panopto, Training, Video /

Sometimes it is necessary to carry out editing on a video of a teaching session that has been recorded using Panopto. This may be a section at the end, where you want to remove student questions for instance, or it could be during the middle of the session, where the video has continued running while you were having a break. Panopto has some simple but effective video editing tools, that mean basic editing functions can be applied easily and quickly to your videos. It also offers the advantage that all edits are non-destructive, so you always have the option to safely revert back to your original video.

To edit your video, hover over the video you wish to edit and select the ‘Edit’ icon.

Edit button highlighted as it appears in Panopto

On the video timeline, use the left mouse button to click and drag to select sections of the video you want to remove. Edits can be made at any point within the video timeline.

Screenshot of the video timeline with selections of cuts which need to be made.

You can then play the video and the edited sections (shown in grey above) will not be included in your video.

You can also normalize the volume levels across your audio. This increases the volume of the quieter sections of audio without clipping, making the entire audio track clearer. 

'Normalize audio volume' selection option highlighted.

Once you are happy you can click on the ‘Apply’ button at the top of the page.

Blue Apply button shown (alongside other icon options at the top of the page).

For further information about editing in Panopto, please visit the TEL Panopto webpages: Staff Panopto Manual: Editing

Editing your video recordings in Panopto Read More »

Boost Engagement and Add Interactivity to Your Teaching with Vevox

Training, Vevox /
Icons for: user engagement, reward, achievement, motivation, learning and challenge.

Research shows gamification can genuinely support learning. Dichev and Dicheva’s (2017)  Gamifying Education PDF  highlighted how small, game-like elements such as quick feedback, progress cues and low-stakes challenges can encourage greater student participation. A recent 2024 meta-analysis by Diaz and Estoque-Loñez reviewed 15 studies and found consistent improvements in learning achievement when gamified approaches were used (Meta Analysis PDF); reinforcing that well-designed, gamified strategies can have broad benefits. 

Want to try it? 

Vevox, the University’s live polling and Q&A tool, is running short, practical training sessions throughout January and February to help you get started. 

What you’ll learn 

  • How to run polling, plus an overview of Q&A and Surveys 
  • A walkthrough of the PowerPoint add-in, letting you run polls directly from your slides 
  • Practical ideas you can use straight away to build interaction and check understanding 

Sessions run weekly at a range of times, so you can choose whatever works around your timetable.

You can register for the webinar by clicking this link: registration link

Boost Engagement and Add Interactivity to Your Teaching with Vevox Read More »