Blackboard is the University’s Virtual Learning Environment. This is used to provide course content, learning materials and online learning opportunities to students. Blackboard is the central system of BREO.

BREO is available via: breo.beds.ac.uk

Blackboard Ultra

The University of Bedfordshire utilises the newest version of BlackBoard (which we call BREO). You can use BREO on any of your devices such as a mobile phone, laptop or tablet.

Blackboard units

All course units have a corresponding Blackboard (or BREO) unit. There may be several versions of the same BREO unit, especially where it is offered in different physical locations and at different times – the key is that there will be a different unit site for each different class of students.

BREO units include:

• Welcome and orientation
• Unit information
• Learning and teaching materials
• Assessments submission points (and subsequent assessment feedback)
• Resource lists
• Teaching team information
• Announcements

In addition to being able upload documents, Blackboard also provides a platform for:

• Linking to video content (e.g. YouTube)
• Quizzes
• Discussion boards
• Wiki
• Journals
• Interactive online content from publishers

Blackboard ALLY

ALLY allows university staff to check the accessibility of content uploaded to Blackboard and gives advice and guidance about how to enhance the level of accessibility.

ALLY also automatically provides content uploaded into Blackboard in accessible and alternative formats. This improves the student experience by enabling more effective study on mobile devices such as smart phones, eReaders and tablets. It removes the need for specialist software to open files and as such makes studying remotely or during your commute easier.

Blackboard Collaborate

Collaborate provides an online classroom environment. Teaching staff and students, or groups of students, can work together at the same time, sharing images and audio, slides and applications and exploring webpages.

Further information

Details of upcoming training and development opportunities are listed on the Academy events calendar. The Academy can also provide targeted CPD sessions for faculties or schools related to Blackboard contact your Academy Faculty Partner to discuss.

For technical support contact BREO support

The University uses audio-visual recording software (called Panopto) for numerous purposes, from capturing live teaching sessions to producing asynchronous audio-visual content and live-streaming events. The Digital Learning Team are available to support colleagues in their use of Panopto.

Panopto is available via: beds.hosted.panopto.com 

Further information

Details of upcoming training and development opportunities are listed on the Academy events calendar. The Academy can also provide targeted CPD sessions for faculties or schools related to Blackboard contact your Academy Faculty Partner to discuss.

For technical support contact BREO support

Turnitin is an originality checker and is also used to manage assignment submission, marking and providing feedback. Turnitin is a separate system to Blackboard, although access is provided to Turnitin through a background connection.

BREO is available via: breo.beds.ac.uk

Originality checker

The University of Bedfordshire is committed to ensuring and promoting academic integrity in students’ assessed work. Turnitin checks the originality of students’ assessed work by comparing students’ submissions against a range of digital sources.

Assessment submission, marking and feedback

As required, teaching staff are responsible for creating Turnitin submission points in Blackboard units.
Once assignments have been submitted, teaching staff check the originality of the assessed work to ensure academic integrity. Turnitin also provides the means whereby assignment feedback is provided electronically to students.

Further information

Details of upcoming training and development opportunities are listed on the Academy events calendar. The Academy can provide targeted CPD sessions for faculties or schools related to Turnitin contact your Academy Faculty Partner to discuss.

For technical support contact BREO support

The Digital Learning Team supports the use of e-portfolios throughout the University. These are often used to evidence employability and record personal and professional development. For example, students undertaking a placement may be required to produce an e-portfolio.

Further information

The Academy can provide targeted CPD sessions for faculties or schools related to e-portfolios contact your Academy Faculty Partner to discuss.

For technical support contact BREO support

Studiosity supports students' development of their academic writing skills through feedback from writing specialists on their draft assignments. It offers:

• Writing Feedback - formative feedback on 4 aspects of academic writing: language, grammar/spelling, structure and referencing
  
  
• Connect Live - talk to a tutor in relation to maths, English, statistics, science or generic study skills

Both services are available 24/7, 365 days of the year, and eligible students can access them by logging into BREO and clicking on the link on the gateway page: breo.beds.ac.uk

How Studiosity works

• Feedback from Studiosity is not a substitute for feedback from academic staff.
  
  
• Studiosity writing specialists do not comment on subject-specific content or indicate the overall quality of the assignment. Students submit draft assignments to receive feedback on grammar, spelling, structure and referencing.
  
  
• Staff should advise students to give Studiosity 48 hours’ notice, although turnaround time is often much faster.
  
  
• Studiosity will provide feedback on assignments of up to 5,000 words.
  
  
• Studiosity provision is offered on a first come, first served basis.