Turnitin and User License Agreement – an update

22nd September 202622nd September 2026 WordPress User [jbw] E-submission, Turnitin Leave a comment

The Digital Education Team is providing an update on Turnitin and User License Agreements.

You may have heard about concerns regarding Turnitin user license agreements and Generative AI.

When you log in to use Turnitin, staff and students need to accept the terms of agreement to use the platform.

Over the summer, we received a notification from Turnitin that they were updating its license agreement, with the intention that this will be applied to all users (staff and students).

As part of this license agreement, it was proposed that student submissions and staff feedback would be used to train large language models.

We, along with the rest of the sector, had concerns over this. We were unhappy with how Turnitin planned to introduce this update, without warning, and over the security of student work and staff feedback.

Working alongside UCISA, the professional membership body for digital, IT, and information systems in UK higher education, and other universities, we lobbied against this change.

Following this, Turnitin did not introduce the updated license agreement.

You might have seen that other universities are starting to move away from Turnitin. For the year ahead, we are continuing to use Turnitin.

In terms of our own license, we renew on an annual basis, and we are contracted up until July 2027.

We ran a pilot a couple of years ago to look at the feasibility of moving away from Turnitin, but at that point the tools in Blackboard didn’t meet all our requirements. We do keep a close eye on both text-matching and submission tools in Blackboard to see whether they offer a viable alternative to Turnitin.

We meet our Turnitin Customer Account Manager regularly throughout the year, and we’re able to feedback our concerns and issues. We were in touch with them about the proposed changes to the licence agreement. We also work with sector bodies who lobby and advocate with software vendors on behalf HE institutions.

If you’d prefer not to use Turnitin, Blackboard Assignment has submission and marking tools which you can use – all the guidance is available on our web pages, and we’d be happy to work with anyone who would like to switch to using it. It does offer a number of benefits that Turnitin doesn’t have – for example, multi-part submissions and group assignments. However, there are some limitations – the biggest 2 are that marks aren’t released automatically on a ‘Post Date’ and it’s not possible to submit work on behalf of students.

If you have any concerns about this update, you are welcome to contact the Digital Education Team on elearning@aber.ac.uk.

14th Annual Education and Student Experience Conference – Materials Available

Between the 8-10 September, Library Academic and Digital Services hosted the 14^th Annual Education and Student Experience Conference.

The materials from the conference are now available on our webpages.

We would like to thank all of our contributors and attendees. The sessions were of such high quality.

We’re already heading into planning our 15^th Annual Education and Student Experience Conference which is scheduled to take place in July 2027 (date TBC).

We hope to see you at a forthcoming event.

Generative AI Assessment Good Practice Event: Call for Assessment Practices

25th August 202625th August 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Events and Networks, Generative AI, Uncategorised Leave a comment

Generative AI has created a particular challenge for assessment practices.

On the afternoon of Wednesday 25 November, Library Academic and Digital Services will be hosting a special good practice event focused on assessment design within the context of Generative AI.

We are inviting submissions from colleagues to share their innovative assessment practices in short 10–15-minute talks.

We’re looking for a mix of assessments that are either designed to:

Incorporate the use of Generative AI or
Prevent the use of Generative AI and enhance assessment validity

It would be great to have an example from each department.

If you would like to submit a proposal, please complete this short form: Generative AI Assessment Good Practice Event: Call for Assessment Practices – Fill out form

Booking for the event is already open on the staff training booking system.

If you have any questions, please contact the event organisers on elearning@aber.ac.uk.

Annual Education and Student Experience Conference: Blackboard External Speaker

24th August 202624th August 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Annual Education and Student Experience Conference 2026, Blackboard, Conference Leave a comment

We’re delighted to welcome some more external speakers to our Annual Education and Student Experience Conference.

On Thursday 10 September, Blackboard’s Ruben Jacquart will be joining us.

Ruben Jacquart is a Senior Solutions Engineer with over 10 years of experience supporting higher education institutions in their digital learning transformation journeys. Based in Amsterdam, he works closely with universities and business schools across Europe and the UK to help institutions enhance teaching, learning, accessibility, and student success through innovative educational technology.

His expertise spans learning management systems, digital accessibility, learning analytics, artificial intelligence, interoperability standards, and enterprise integrations. Ruben regularly collaborates with institutional leaders, academic staff, and technology teams to address strategic and operational challenges in digital education.

He is particularly passionate about advancing accessibility in education and helping institutions create more inclusive learning environments. Through his work with Ally, he supports universities in improving the accessibility of digital course content, empowering educators to adopt inclusive practices, and ensuring that all learners have equitable access to educational resources. Ruben is also deeply interested in how AI and data-informed approaches can further enhance the learner experience while strengthening inclusion and student success.

Ruben will be running a 1-hour session.

The session will include latest updates to:

Blackboard Ally
Blackboard AI Design Assistant
New features roadmap for Blackboard

We’re really excited about some of the new features that are included in the Blackboard Ally update.

In the next 1-3 months, there’s going to be a new enhanced reader for students. In addition to all the great features already included in Ally, this will include features that help focus attention.

Following Blackboard’s session, Ifat Shah from Life Sciences and Jim Woolley from Student Journey will be giving a presentation on Blackboard Achievements. Colleagues in Life Sciences have been using it this year to record the DLS Skills Passport.

See the rest of the programme online: Conference Timetable : Library and Digital Education , Aberystwyth University

Book your place via this online form: https://forms.office.com/e/mv7n7KcQ7R

Annual Education and Student Experience Conference: Stands at this year’s conference

19th August 202619th August 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Uncategorised Leave a comment

We’re delighted to welcome several stands across our in-person days at this year’s Annual Education and Student Experience Conference.

All stands will be in the Think Tank on Wednesday 9 September and Thursday 10 September.

AberSkills

Library Academic and Digital Services’ Non Jones will be hosting a stand to showcase the latest news from AberSkills, the home of skills development at Aberystwyth University. We’ve got some sessions as part of the conference focusing on Skills – Jim Dickinson from WONKHE and Trish McGrath from UndebAber will be leading a session, and Joy Cadwallader and Keziah Garratt-Smithson will be launching the Digital Discovery Tool.

Education and Student Experience Award Recipients

Recipients of last year’s Education and Student Experience Awards will be staffing stands so that delegates can hear all about the projects:

The Aber Medieval Physic Garden
Developing a Sustainable Student Gear Hub
Inclusivity and Accessibility in Assessment Design and Feedback Practices
Pulling together– supporting teamwork assessment more effectively

RLF Writing Stand

On Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 September, we are delighted to welcome Samanthan Wynne-Rhydderch who will be hosting a stand.

Samantha is the Royal Literary Fellow here at Aberystwyth.

The RLF Fellowship scheme for writers was launched in autumn 1999 and is based in UK universities. About 750 writers work as Fellows at over 100 different institutions. The principal aim of the Fellow’s work is to foster good writing practice across all disciplines and media by showing students how to write with clarity and flow. Typically, a student will see the Fellow, a professional published author, one-to-one, for 50 minutes.

Samantha can help with:

Structuring an argument
Writing clearer and more compelling prose
Rewriting and editing
Planning and time management
Tackling the word count
Critical thinking
Paraphrasing

You can find more information about the RLF here: Aberystwyth University – Royal Literary Fund and Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch – Royal Literary Fund

Book your place online.

See our full programme on our webpages.

Digital Education Training

17th August 202617th August 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, E-submission, Panopto, Training and Support, Turnitin Leave a comment

Our Digital Education training programme is now available for staff to book onto on the staff booking page

Our training is split across 3 levels:

E-learning Essentials:

Our E-learning Essentials sessions provide a practical introduction to the University’s core digital learning technologies and the policies that support their use. These sessions are ideal for colleagues who are new to a tool, taking on a new teaching role, or looking to refresh their knowledge.

You will gain confidence in using technologies such as Blackboard, Turnitin, Panopto, Microsoft Copilot, and Vevox, as well as learn about key processes that support learning, teaching, and assessment.

Sessions available:

Become a Document Pro
Introduction to Blackboard Ally
Introduction to Blackboard Ultra
Introduction to Component Marks Transfer
Introduction to Microsoft Copilot for Learning and Teaching Activities
Introduction to Panopto Lecture Capture and Teaching Room Equipment (bilingual)
Introduction to Turnitin (bilingual)
Introduction to Vevox Polling Software

E-learning Enhanced:

Our E-learning Enhanced sessions focus on designing and creating engaging learning activities using digital tools within your own teaching context.

These hands-on workshops will help you explore innovative approaches to learning design, assessment, accessibility, and student engagement, enabling you to make more effective use of the University’s digital learning environment.

Sessions available:

Becoming an Alternative Text Pro
Design Interactive Online Learning Activities Using Blackboard Discussions and Journals
Designing Blackboard Tests
Designing Learning and Teaching Activities Using Vevox
Introduction to the Blackboard AI Design Assistant
Measuring and Increasing Engagement Using Blackboard Tools
Peer Assessment with Turnitin
Preparing for Your Blackboard Exam
Using the Advanced Features of Panopto

E-learning Excellence:

Our E-learning Excellence programme is designed for colleagues who want to create outstanding digital learning experiences and align their courses with recognised best practice.

Based on theBlackboard Exemplary Course Award rubric, these sessions explore the key elements of high-quality course design and effective digital pedagogy. While the sessions are designed as a complementary four-part series, you are welcome to attend individual sessions according to your interests and needs.

Sessions available:

Exemplary Assessment Design
Exemplary Course Design
Exemplary Interaction and Collaboration
Exemplary Learner Support
Submitting an Exemplary Course Award

We are committed to making our training as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you are unable to attend a session but would like access to the training materials, or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the session format or accessibility requirements, please contact the Digital Education Group at elearning@aber.ac.uk.

We look forward to seeing you at a forthcoming session.

Blackboard Scheduled Maintenance 05.09.2026

17th August 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Downtime Leave a comment

Blackboard will be unavailable between 01:00-03:00 on Saturday 5 September 2026 for scheduled maintenance.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Education and Student Experience Award Fund

13th August 202613th August 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Annual Education and Student Experience Conference 2026, Conference Leave a comment

The Annual Education and Student Experience Conference brings colleagues together to celebrate, share and showcase the innovative work taking place across our University to enhance learning, teaching and the student experience.

To support and encourage this work, we are pleased to invite applications for this year’s Education and Student Experience Awards.

This year, a total of £10,000 is available, with applications welcomed for projects of up to £2,000 each.

Projects should align to this year’s conference themes.

Diversifying the curriculum
Skills, graduate attributes, and real-world application of competencies
Students as co-creators and collaborators

The awards are funded through the Education and Student Experience Fund and the Race Equality Charter Fund.

We encourage applications from across the University community and welcome proposals which would make a difference to our education and student experience.

Applicants should attend this year’s conference, which is taking place between 8-10 September. You can book your place using this online form.

The conference programme includes presentations from recipients of last year’s awards.

To submit an application:

Complete this application form
Submit to elearning@aber.ac.uk before the deadline of midday on 2 October 2026.

Further information, including FAQs, is available on the Annual Education and Student Experience Award webpages.

These funds will be administered by the conference organisers. If you have any questions, please contact elearning@aber.ac.uk.

We look forward to receiving your applications and to seeing how colleagues continue to develop and share innovative practice across the University.

Annual Education and Student Experience Conference: Previous Conference Feedback

13th August 202613th August 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Annual Education and Student Experience Conference 2026, Conference Leave a comment

Are you thinking about coming to the Education and Student Experience conference in September? Maybe you’ve never attended before, or you are new to the university. Perhaps you’re not sure whether it would be a good use of your time. With just under a month to go, we wanted to release a blogpost outlining previous conference feedback.

Of course, we would say it’s the best three days in the diary (we do organise it!), but what do attendees from last year say?

Every year we run a feedback survey with people who have been to the conference. And last year 97% of people who responded rated the conference as 4 or 5 out of 5. And 90% said that it met their expectations.

The aspects of the conference that attendees valued the most were that it provided an opportunity to discuss up-to-date topics in learning and teaching, and community building. The mix of internal and external speakers means you have the chance to find out what’s going on in other AU departments, as well as universities in the UK and beyond. And you can meet staff in other departments who may share the same teaching or research interests as you. There’s plenty of time during breaks to meet new people as well as catch-up with colleagues you haven’t seen for a while.

Not only is the conference a great event, but attendees say that it has a direct impact on their teaching practice. Through both the conference papers and workshops, and the conversations, staff say that they use new approaches learnt from the conference in their teaching. After last year’s conference, several staff members told us they were going to explore using AI in their teaching. If you are thinking of applying for AdvanceHE fellowship, the conference is also a great way of taking part in CPD and reflecting on your teaching practice.

One of the messages that attendees suggested that we share more widely is that you’re welcome to dip in and out of the conference. We know that you may not be able to spend all three days attending, but you can come along for a couple of talks that really interest you. And of course, you can stay for as long as you like if you find that you want to carry on the conversation, or another session catches your eye.

So, it’s not just the organising team who rate the conference highly – staff from across the university agree that it’s a good way of meeting colleagues, discussing teaching topics, and learning something that they can use in their teaching. Come along and join them and find out for yourself. We’d love to see you there.

Check out our full programme online and book your place.

Update to Blackboard Gradebook August 2026

30th July 202630th July 2026 WordPress User [jbw] Blackboard, Monthly Update, Technical Updates Leave a comment

In just over a week’s time, the August Blackboard update will be released. This includes an overhaul of the Gradebook. Please see below for further information.

The monthly August Blackboard release has a new user interface for the Gradebook.

Given the nature of this update, we have a separate blogpost dedicated to it.

If you have any questions about the updated Gradebook or grading, please contact the Digital Education Team (elearning@aber.ac.uk).

Every course has the Gradebook, which is used to manage all aspects of the administration of marks. It can be accessed via the top menu of Blackboard courses.

As part of this update, the following processes are not changing: