Conducting a vUWS Student Orientation
How to use this resource
This resource has been developed by the Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit, as a customisable guide for vUWS site instructors to use to run a student orientation
session in vUWS.
As online instructors, you will need to consider your students’ familiarity with the online learning environment and to strive to make their experience as productive and effective
as possible. With this in mind, include what you expect of them in using and participating through the online site and how you want them to use the tools you have provided.
We envisage you will use the accompanying workshop running sheet, using only the parts which support the tools you have added to your vUWS site.
All students and staff have access to the vUWS Information for students site which contains a variety of reference sheets and video resources for students, with instructions on
how to use the tools that they may find in their vUWS sites.
There are a large number of instructional student video resources available at http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.htm
that you can link into your vUWS site by adding a URL to a Content Folder or Learning Module in your site.
Each vUWS site has a link on the Course Menu to ‘Help’ which links to the Blackboard Help page where students can access Blackboard Help for Students.
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Mar 2014
Session Outline
Blended Learning at UWS
This section of the Session Outline covers general information about vUWS and blended learning at UWS.
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Blended Learning@UWS explained
What is blended learning?
Blended Learning is learning facilitated and supported through the use of information and
communication technologies. Blended Learning can cover a spectrum of activities including the
combination of traditional and online practices.
What is vUWS?
Virtual UWS or vUWS, as we commonly refer to it, is an Internet application. This means it can be
accessed at any time with a computer which has access to the Internet.
Virtual UWS (vUWS) has a large range of online learning tools. But, as each lecturer manages the
content within their own sites, students will find that all sites are different.
Provide an overview of what you expect your students to do within your site and how often you
expect them to participate in activities and view resources within your site. You should also
outline how often you will be going into the site.
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Mar 2014
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vUWS Access
Access to vUWS is automatically managed when students have enrolled and appear in the
student record system (Callista). Students must be correctly enrolled in their units in order to
gain access to your vUWS sites.
If a student has an encumbrance or for any other reason is not correctly enrolled, they will not be
able to see your vUWS sites when they log in. In this situation, the student should contact
Student Central on their local campus to identify what they need to do to become correctly
enrolled or remove an encumbrance.
How to find vUWS
To access vUWS
UWS home page
 Start from the UWS homepage (http://www.uws.edu.au)
 Click the vUWS link in the horizontal navigation bar at the top of the page
(https://vuws.uws.edu.au/).
Logging into vUWS
To access vUWS, students log in using their ‘MyUWSAccount’. These are the same details
students use to log in to their student mail, computer labs and tutorial registration.
vUWS Login page
Getting Started tab
Students will need to Activate their MyUWSAccount by accessing:
https://myuwsaccount.uws.edu.au/
If it is the first time that students have accessed vUWS, encourage them to review the
information in the Getting Started section of the login page.
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Mar 2014
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Support for students
Refer students to the For Students tab and its modules, particularly the vUWS Information for
students site.
All staff have access to the For Students tab so you will be able to point students to it from your
My vUWS page. Alternatively, click the vUWS Information for students site link to show in more
detail what the site contains and how it can assist students using vUWS.
Sample of relevant
resources from ‘vUWS
Information for
students’ site
Navigating around vUWS
Refer students to the Navigating in vUWS video resource which will provide them with an
overview of navigating around their vUWS sites.
Available from anywhere in vUWS
 My vUWS takes you back to your My vUWS page where all your vUWS sites are linked.
 For Students has modules that contain links to the vUWS Information for students site, Blended
Learning Platforms team contacts, Service Now link, software you may need and other useful
information
Go to your vUWS site
and show the location
of the links mentioned
Navigating in vUWS video resource
Available in vUWS Information for students site or
http://www.uws.edu.au/currentstudents/cur
rent_students/using_uws_online_systems/
e-learning
 Logout logs you out of vUWS.
Av Available only In a vUWS site
 Home Page takes you to the Notifications Dashboard for the site that you are in.
 Expand/Collapse menu; use the
and
icons on the divider between the menu and content
area to expand or collapse the menu as required.
 Breadcrumb Trail; can be used to navigate up levels or back to the Home Page.
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Mar 2014
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Demonstrate clicking
on links and opening
files
Configuring your Computer to use with vUWS
available from the Getting Started section of the
login page
What to expect when you click on links
Show students the tools and learning materials you have added to your site.
Instructors displaying their sites can log in using their MyUWSAccount credentials and then show
their site with Edit Mode off. Alternatively if you have a lot of content and tools hidden or
selectively released that you do not want students to see just yet, you can either log in using your
-st account (you can add a test student account to your site in EDMM) or you can get a student to
log in and demonstrate going through the steps for you.
Some of the different file formats students can expect to encounter within vUWS include Word
(.doc/.docx), PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx), Adobe Acrobat (.pdf), Image files (.gif, .bmp, .png or .jpg),
Movie files (.mpg, .mpeg or .mov) or other file formats which can be made available online.
Advise students what file types you will be adding to your site.
To be able to view each of these file types, students will need the appropriate program (or
viewer) so that they can download and view the file if they are off-campus. If they are on-campus
in the Student Computer Labs, they will be able to access the main file types.
If students experience difficulties downloading files from vUWS, they should refer to the
Configuring your Computer to use with vUWS reference sheet available in the vUWS Information
for students site. They may also like to check the Frequently Asked Questions section. In some
cases they may need to download particular software such as Flash Player to be able to view
content such as Flash movies. Links to where commonly required software students may need
can be downloaded are available from the Software you may need module under the For
Students tab
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Mar 2014
Virtual UWS (vUWS Tools)
vUWS Tools
This section relates to some of the tools commonly used in vUWS. We would expect that you customise this information to reflect the tools that you will be using in your site/s. Any
tool that you do not intend to use in your site/s should be removed from the list below. You might like to provide a link in your site to the appropriate video resources and or
reference materials and refer students to them.
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Show the Discussion
tool and the topics
added
Online Netiquette video resource
Using Discussions, Blogs or Journals
If you are using the Discussions, Blogs or Journal tools, please let your students know your how
they should use these tools during your unit. This might include information such as:
 How often you will be reading messages
 How often you expect the students to contribute
Instructional video resources for students on
Discussions, Blogs and Journals available at
http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.
htm
 Whether the topics are gradable or not.
 What the topics are that you have added and what each topic is to be used for.
 Whether you want students to assist each other by answering unit related questions if
they know the answer.
 How you would like the students to use the tool.
 What the guidelines are for posting messages, eg word limit, appropriate language, etc.
 Also include any other specific information relating to your unit and intended use of the
Discussions tool.
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Mar 2014
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Using the Messages tool
If you are using the Messages tool, please let your students know how you intend to use it.
This might include information such as:
Show the
Mail/Messages tool
 How often you will be reading messages?
 When do you expect the students to use the Messages tool?
 If you have both the Discussions and Messages tool in your site, let the students know
where to send appropriate messages, eg questions relating to the unit go to Discussion,
so everyone can see and contribute to them but personal messages to the lecturer are
sent as a Message.
Using Learning Modules
If you are using Learning Modules, demonstrate how to navigate a Learning Module using both
the navigation buttons and the table of contents. If you have selected the Enforce Sequential
Viewing of the Learning Module option, advise students that they must work through each item
in the table of contents to be able to access the next item on the list.
Show where Learning
Modules are located in
your site
Using Wikis
If you are using Wikis, demonstrate how to navigate a Wiki. Demonstrate how to add, edit
and comment on a page including using the Text Editor
Show where Wikis are
located in your site
Instructional video resource for students on
Wikis available at
http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.
htm
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Mar 2014
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Show where Lectures
Online recordings are
located in your site
Lectures Online Guidelines for students reference
sheet
Using Lectures Online
If you are making recordings of your lectures available in your site through Lectures
Online, demonstrate how to access and view or download the recordings. Explain the
purpose of the recordings, ie they are not meant to be a replacement for attending
lectures, but are intended to be used as a tool for study or review. When attending
lectures students might like to note times when topics they didn’t fully understand or
particularly want to review were discussed to make finding that section of the recording
easier.
Recorded lectures are automatically made available from the EchoCenter link on the
Course Menu of your vUWS site.
Using the Collaborate tool
If you are using the Collaborate tool, explain to students how it is to be used. Is it for an
instructor-led session, virtual office hours or as a group tool to be used and facilitated by
groups of students? For instructor-led sessions or virtual office hours advise students of
the session dates/times.
Show where
Collaborate rooms are
in your site
Demonstrate the Collaborate features that you will be using.
Using the Quiz tool
If you are planning on using Tests/Quizzes in your site, it is useful to set up a practice test to help
students become familiar with using the Tests tool and to make sure their home computer is
properly set up. Ensure they attempt any practice quizzes you set up by checking in the Grade
Centre or using the Retention Centre, to avoid students being disadvantaged because of lack of
experience or system issues.
Show where quizzes
Instructional video resource for students on
are located in your site Taking a Test Online available at
http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.
htm
Practice Test in the E-Learning Student Support site
There is also a practice quiz that has been set up in the vUWS Information for students site, which
students can use for the same purpose. The more opportunities students have to practice online
assessment, the more comfortable they will be during an assessable task.
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Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
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Mar 2014
Using the Assignments tool
If you are planning on using the Assignments tool, it is advisable to get your students to have a
practice run at submitting an assignment prior to having to submit the assessable item. You could
set up an assignment draft as a ‘Practice Assignment’, or direct them to use the practice
assignment that has been setup in the E-Learning Student Support site. This will ensure their
computers are configured correctly for use with the vUWS Assignment tool and allow them to
become comfortable with submitting assignments online.
Show where
Assignments are
located in your site
Instructional video resource on Submitting an
Show where Self &
Peer Assessments are
located in your site
Reference sheet for students on Self and Peer
Assessment in vUWS in the vUWS Information for
students site.
Show how to access
My Grades
Instructional video resource on Checking Your
Assignment
http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.
htm
Using the Self and Peer Assessment tool
If you are planning on using the Self and Peer Assessment tool, it is useful to set up a practice
assessment to allow your students to try doing a Self and Peer Assessment prior to having to
complete the assessable item.
Using the My Grades tool
Advise students how to access the My Grades tool, what grades will be released and when they
will be released.
Grades
http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.
htm
Using Adaptive Release and/or Review Status tools
If you use Adaptive Release or Review Status to control release of content advise students how
this is set up and what they need to do to meet the requirements and access content.
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Show which items are
Adaptively Released
Mar 2014
General
This section relates to some of the common questions and issues faced by students.
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Possible student questions
There are a number of things students may ask you about using vUWS:
If they need help with the content within a vUWS site or if they have questions about what is expected
of them in your site/s, they should direct their enquiry to you or another member of the teaching staff
for the unit.
The link to the Service
Now portal and
Service Desk contact
details on For Students
tab.
If they experience difficulties logging in or if they are experiencing technical difficulties with vUWS they
need to contact the UWS IT Helpdesk team by phoning (02) 9852 5111 or emailing
itservicedesk@uws.edu.au
If they do not see your site/s listed when they log in, they will need to clarify their enrolment by
contacting the Student Central on their local campus or by calling the Student Central Infoline on 1300
668 370. Once their enrolment is updated, they will need to allow up to 24 hours for their vUWS
access to be updated. The contact details for Student Centrals can be found at:
http://www.uws.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/getting_help/student_central
Remember to log out
At the top of each page in vUWS is the Log out link. Advise students to log out if they leave their
computer unattended for any period of time.
Blended Learning Team, Learning and Teaching Unit | www.uws.edu.au/blendedlearning | designingforlearning@uws.edu.au
Logout link
Mar 2014