Academic Support

Blackboard

You will learn about our Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard), and how and where to log in, during Freshers' Week. The Computing Support team and the Student Centre can also help you by providing resources and showing you how to access your account.

Different programmes, subjects and lecturers will use Blackboard in different ways. You should expect to see reading lists for most of your courses in the VLE, as well as Academic timetables; beyond that, it is down to the course itself. The VLE is often used to download lecture notes and slides; additionally, many tutors will share multimedia content, other learning resources and seminar handouts through the VLE. Some academics offer online office hours, some will expect students to submit assignments online through the VLE, and some will expect students to engage with their peers using things like discussion boards, blogs and wikis.

Distance learning students will be provided with information by their school, either when visited by academics or online. Depending on the course the majority of communications with your lecturers may come through the VLE.

Headstart

Studying at university brings a new set of challenges but, if you are well prepared, enthusiastic and hardworking there is no reason why you won’t succeed at Brunel. The Brunel Headstart website has been created to help prepare you for studying in higher education, by showing you what you can expect, what will be expected of you, and how to develop your existing study techniques to meet these expectations. The site has a variety of resources on topics such as learning independently and academic writing, as well as advice videos from Brunel academic staff and students.

Headstart was created by Brunel’s Academic Skills (ASK) Service who are here to support your learning throughout your course. Discover how ASK can support you with your learning at Brunel.