Staff Guides
If you already know which digital education system you need help with, you'll find guides for that system by clicking the relevant link below. Don't forget you can also search this site to find the guidance you are looking for.
Minerva
Minerva is the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that enables staff to create and manage online teaching areas and to communicate with students. It uses Blackboard technology with a wide range of in-built and integrated tools for interactive learning, assessment and grading.
Ally
Ally is an easy to use tool within Minerva that provides accessibility indicators and an accessibility module report so you can identify how accessible your content within Minerva is and fix issues flagged by the indicators.
Assignment (Blackboard)
Blackboard Assignment is a built-in assignment tool available in Minerva. Blackboard Assignments can be useful for submissions which do not require checking for plagiarism.
Athena TDM
Athena TDM is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for non-degree courses run by the University of Leeds which are available to external participants.
Buddycheck
Buddycheck is a tool for peer evaluation of group work contribution.
China Connect
Students in China may find China Connect helpful when accessing University teaching and learning systems as it can help boost the loading times and performance of digital education systems.
Collaborate
Collaborate is one of the virtual classrooms in use at the University. It includes audio, video, text chat, an interactive whiteboard, breakout rooms, polling and session recording.
Gradescope
Gradescope is a digital assessment tool that works well for paper-based assignments which require students to supply answers that cannot be directly entered into a computer or device.
Labster
Labster can help add interactive, virtualised laboratory simulations across STEM and other subject areas to a Minerva module.
Minerva
Minerva is the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that enables staff to create and manage online teaching areas and to communicate with students. It uses Blackboard technology with a wide range of in-built and integrated tools for interactive learning, assessment and grading.
Mediasite (Lecture Capture)
The University's lecture capture and multimedia system.
Microsoft Teams
Teams is one of the virtual classrooms in use at the University. It is has a number of wider users (e.g. communications, collaboration)
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is available to staff and students and offers a large number of wide ranging productivity apps, such as Word, OneDrive, Outlook, and Sway.
Padlet
Padlet is a digital noticeboard and collaboration tool.
PebblePad
PebblePad can be used for module teaching, assessment and to share information online. It is particularly useful for coursework and reflective projects and it's e-portfolio capabilities are used to deliver the LeedsforLife Academic Personal Workbook.
StREAM@Leeds (Learning Analytics)
StREAM@Leeds is the University's learning analytics system.
Test (Blackboard)
Blackboard Test is the built-in testing tool in Minerva which can be used for formative and summative assessment. It is accessed through Minerva.
Turnitin
Turnitin is a plagiarism detection and marking system.
Vevox
Vevox is a polling tool. Participants can ask questions, respond to polls, participate in quizzes, and provide feedback using their smartphones, tablets, or computers.
Zoom
Zoom is a video conferencing and collaboration tool. It is one of the virtual classrooms in use at the University.
Staff Guides - Spotlight
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Guidance for staff on how digital education systems are using AI, along with links to guidance on how artificial intelligence can be used effectively and legitimately across all types of teaching, research and administration.
Academic Personal Tutoring Systems
Guidance for Academic Personal Tutors (APTs) on how to use the systems that support APT (PebblePad, StREAM@Leeds and Microsoft Bookings with Me).
Faculty Based Support for Staff
The Digital Education Enhancement team offer advice and expertise in how best to use digital technology in student education. Learn how to contact them.
Multi-Mode Teaching
Multi-mode teaching describes the delivery of content in a teaching room to both in-room and remote students simultaneously whilst supporting full interaction between all participants. Learn more about multi-mode and the support available.
Live Streaming in Teaching Spaces
A number of teaching rooms have live streaming capability, find guidance and FAQ's here.
Staff Guide to Digital Assessment Tools
Links to the most widely used assessment tools. The assessment tool you will use is dependant on your assessment methods, with a choice between Blackboard tools built-in to Minerva, such as Blackboard Tests and integrated tools such as Gradescope, Turnitin and Top Hat.
Pilots of Software/Tools for Digital Education
Throughout the year, the Digital Education Service are involved in a number of software/tool pilots. These pilots help us to explore a new approach or idea, to delivering learning and teaching.
Request Forms
Find links to forms related to specific Digital Education Systems and processes.
Need help finding a guide? The A to Z of System Guides lists all the system guides available on this site. You can also search this site for the answers to your questions.