Academic terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Academic session | A full academic year (e.g., “2025/2026”). Contains terms or semesters. Only one session can be active at a time. |
| Term | A division of the academic year in K-12 schools (e.g., First Term, Second Term, Third Term). |
| Semester | A division of the academic year in universities (e.g., First Semester, Second Semester). |
| Active period | The currently active term or semester. Determines which courses are visible and which academic period new courses are linked to. |
School structure
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Grade | A class level in K-12 schools (e.g., JSS 1, SS 2, Primary 3). Students are assigned to a grade. |
| Arm | A subdivision within a grade, also called a class section (e.g., Arm A, Arm B, Science, Arts). Each student belongs to one arm within their grade. |
| Section | A grouping of grades in K-12 schools (e.g., “Primary”, “Junior Secondary”, “Senior Secondary”). Used in Excel imports for bulk structure creation. |
| Faculty | A broad academic division in universities (e.g., Faculty of Science, Faculty of Engineering). |
| Department | A specific academic unit within a faculty (e.g., Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering). |
| Level | A student’s year of study in a university (e.g., 100 Level, 200 Level, 300 Level). |
| Matriculation number (matric number) | A unique enrollment identifier assigned to university students (e.g., CSC/2023/001). |
Course terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Entry code | A short alphanumeric code that students use to join a course. Generated automatically when a course is created. Not case-sensitive. |
| Course code | A short identifier for the course (e.g., MTH101, ENG-SS2). Primarily for teacher/admin organization. Auto-generated but customizable. |
| Draft | A course (or exam) that has been created but is not yet visible to students. Only the creator can see it. |
| Published | A course (or exam) that is live and visible to students. Students can join published courses and take published exams. |
| Closed / Archived | A course whose academic period has ended. Students can still view materials and grades but cannot submit new work. |
| Grade weights | The percentage each assessment type (assignments and quizzes) contributes to a student’s overall course grade. Must total 100%. |
| Student group | Criteria (faculty, department, level, grade, or arm) that determine which students can join a course without an entry code. |
User roles
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Course owner | The teacher who created the course. Has full control, including managing collaborators and transferring ownership. |
| Collaborator | A teacher, assistant, or student assistant added to help manage a course. See Managing Collaborators. |
| Teacher (course role) | A collaborator with full access to course content and grading. Cannot manage other collaborators. |
| Lecturer | Same as Teacher — used in university contexts. Has full course access. |
| Assistant | A staff member collaborator with moderate access — can help manage content and assist with grading. |
| Student Assistant | A student collaborator with limited access — can assist with basic course tasks. |
| Super Admin | A school administrator with full access to all school operations, including managing other admins. |
| Academic Admin | A school administrator who can manage academic structure, courses, and users but cannot manage other admins. |
| Non-Academic Admin | A school administrator with access limited to non-academic operations. |
CBT terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| CBT (Computer-Based Testing) | Lena’s secure, timed exam system. Students take exams through a dedicated web app at cbt.lena.africa. |
| Exam window | The time range during which students can start a CBT exam (e.g., 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM). Different from the exam duration. |
| Duration | How long a student has once they begin a CBT exam (e.g., 60 minutes). The timer starts when the student clicks Begin. |
| Tab-switch limit | The maximum number of times a student can navigate away from the exam before auto-submission. Set by the teacher. |
| Auto-submission | When the system automatically submits an exam — triggered by time expiry, exceeding the tab-switch limit, exiting fullscreen, or opening developer tools. |
| Proctor / Invigilator | A teacher assigned by a school admin to oversee a CBT exam session in person. Proctors receive an invitation they can accept or decline, and are assigned to a specific class. |
| Exam approval | The process where a school admin reviews and approves a CBT exam before it becomes available to students. |
App terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Student App | The Lena app for students — available on web, iOS, and Android. |
| Teacher App | The Lena app for teachers — available on web, iOS, and Android. |
| School Admin App | The web-based dashboard for school administrators at school.lena.africa. Desktop only. |
| CBT App | The dedicated web app for taking CBT exams at cbt.lena.africa. Desktop/laptop only. |
| School profile | A connection between your Lena account and a specific school. Defines your role (student, teacher, or admin) and stores school-specific details. You can have profiles at multiple schools. |
| OTP (One-Time Password) | A 6-digit verification code sent to your email during account creation or password reset. Expires after 10 minutes. |
Related guides
- Platform Overview — how the four apps work together
- Academic Structure — setting up grades, faculties, sessions, and periods
- Managing Collaborators — collaborator roles and permissions
- Exam Rules & Policies — CBT exam rules explained