Digital Learning Tools

To support your studies online, your will use a range of tools (just a few main ones listed below) to help facilitate your learning.

There's also plenty of help and support provided by the University digital team so you can get the most out of any tool you use in your learning. 

Please view our video showing how to access the wide range of help guides available.

When you are fully registered at Sheffield and can access the Student hub, the direct link to the student digital page is located here:

• Digital learning for students (restricted to student login)

 Some of the software tools described here, you may have used already in your educational studies but some may be new to you. Here is an overview of the most common digital tools and platforms used. 

Blackboard

Blackboard is the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will use this platform mainly for accessing your individual course modules that host teaching materials. 

For a brief overview, the central digital have produced a video (2 minutes 18 seconds) demonstrating how to access your Blackboard courses.

Blackboard can also be used for formative and summative assessments, as well as to communicate and collaborate with your tutors and peers.

• Read our quick guide to using Blackboard here

Full information and guides for using Blackboard will be available to you here via the Student Hub section when fully registered. Access via the link below.

• Using Blackboard (restricted to student login)

Turnitin 

Turnitin is an assessment platform that can be accessed through a Blackboard course module and allows you to submit your work electronically (e-Submission).  In addition, tutors marking your assignment can easily access your submission and provide written feedback. You can submit to a designated Turnitin assessment from any desktop or laptop computer whether on or off campus. 

The majority of assessed coursework durign your course will likely be submitted electronically to Turnitin via Blackboard. For a brief overview, the central digital have produced a video (2 minutes 40 seconds) demonstrating how to submit work to Turnitin.

Your department will usually communicate on forthcoming course assignments for which you are required to submit to Turnitin (or other similar e-assessment tools). 

Full information and guides for using Turnitin will be available to you here via the Student Hub section when fully registered. Access via the link below.

• Using Turnitin (restricted to student login)

Crowdmark

Crowdmark is another online assessment platform that, like Turnitin, can be accessed through your Blackboard courses. 

Crowdmark not only allows It allows you to submit an electronic document as part of an assignment, but also allows you to submit handwritten work converted to an image file or PDF document.

Your department will usually communicate on forthcoming course assignments for which you are required to submit to Crowdmark.  For a brief overview, the central digital have produced a video (2 minutes 8 seconds) demonstrating how to submit coursework to Crowdmark

Full information and guides for using Crowdmark will be available to you here via the Student Hub section when fully registered. Access via the link below.

• Using Crowdmark (restricted to student login)

Encore - Lecture recording service

Encore (sometimes known as myEcho or Echo360) is the lecture capture platform used at the University of Sheffield and records course lectures and seminars you attend. You can then revisit the material to enhance your learning and understanding.

Note that lecture capture recordings are not a substitute for official lectures you should attend, but a useful way to review information that you may have missed, or go over challenging areas again to supplement your lecture notes. 

However, some recordings are designed to be watched before a scheduled learning session. Both ways aim to support and reinforce your learning.

Typically, you will be able to access your ‘Encore’ account from your Blackboard courses (if recordings are available).  For a brief overview of using Encore, the central digital have produced a video (1 minute 58 seconds) demonstrating how to use lecture recordings.

For further information and guides on how to use Encore, see the central University page:

• Lectures and seminar recording (restricted to student login)