Essential Points when Introducing Students to your Hub Modules

Essential Points when Introducing Students to your Hub Modules

This guide provides:

  • A brief overview of what the Hub is

  • Essential information for accessing the Hub including mobile

  • Passwords and browser check

  • Viewing Home and My courses

  • What to do if modules are missing

  • Viewing modules – providing an overview of your module area

  • Known issues

  • Groups

  • Where to find help

This guide provides a summary of information to be covered when introducing your students to the Hub.

What is the Hub?

Hub is QMU's Virtual Learning Environment, based on the Blackboard Learn platform, containing online areas for each of your modules. In these module areas your students will find:

  • Course materials and activities

  • Communications via discussions, and announcements

  • Links to LRC

  • An assessment drop-box for submitting assessments set up by the School Office

  • A link to Turnitin, where learners can submit assignments to check referencing and

    paraphrasing. This is set up by the School Office.

Logging into Hub

Learners can access Hub:

a) Within QMU

b) Outside QMU

via quick links : QMU Website 

 direct URL : QMU Hub Access

[image hub login]

Passwords and cookies

QMU IT account passwords expire every 60 days. Students can reset their passwords using the following link:Password reset link If students are unable to reset their password and need assistance, they should email Assist at Assist Support Email 

Before accessing the Hub, everyone needs to accept cookies and will be presented with the following screen:

[cookies images ]

 

Student help

Remind students about the link to student help on the front page of the Hub.

Mobile Access

Remind students that a new mobile app will be available shortly. Full details at: Hub Mobile Access

( Broken link )

Viewing Home/ My Courses

Splash screen

[image of splash screen]

The first time students log into the Hub, they will see a ‘splash page’ which has a welcome message and introduces the following new features:

  • Global navigation menu
  • Your new Blackboard profile

Students can choose to select either: ‘I’ll do it later’ OR ‘I’ll update it myself’.

If they choose to ignore setting up a profile at this stage (i.e. selecting 'I'll do it later') students can still set up a profile later by going to the profile area and selecting the Global navigation menu at the top-right of the Hub screen and ‘Edit My Blackboard Profile’. In this area students can upload a photograph, add an email address and adjust privacy settings.

Once the splash screen has disappeared, your students will see two tabs:

  • Home – this shows modules alphabetically, and announcements
  • Courses – this displays modules via module code

Customising module list accessed by clicking on Home

It is possible to customise how modules are displayed by clicking on the cog icon at the top-right hand corner of the box which lists the modules (Courses); for example, students can see their modules according to semester by selecting ‘Group by Term’.

Editing notification settings

Show students how to edit their notifications settings for emails and notifications for mobiles. Notifications can be edited from within the Settings tab in the Global Navigation Menu. Show students how they can find this by selecting their photo, name, or the arrow at the top-right of the Hub screen to open the Global Navigation Menu and then expanding the Settings menu.

In the Settings menu, students should go to Edit Notification Settings and they can either make bulk changes in the course they are taking, or personalise the notification settings on an individual course level by selecting from the course list on this page.

Logging out

Remind students to logout when they have finished working in the

Missing modules

If students are unable to see all their modules, they should email the School Office at : School Office Email Address 

 

Viewing Modules

Explain the structure of your module including:

  • The menu structure on the left-hand side of the module
  • Navigation

Show your student how you are organising materials for them, providing access to scans and web links, YouTube as well as linking to tools such as tasks, announcements and discussions. You may also be using the following areas:

Assessment drop box

Remind students that:

  • Assessments are submitted in the module area through the Assessment Drop boxes
  • Drop boxes are set up by the School office – if there is a problem when students are submitting to a drop box they should contact the school office in the first instance.

Plagiarism, Turnitin and Referencing

This area provides links to:

  • A Turnitin submission box
  • Study skills guides and resources provided by the Effective learning Service (ELS)

Discussions

If you plan to use the discussion board with your students, show them where to find this and briefly explain how to subscribe and use the forums. Also, explain about creating a thread, replying to a thread and using collect to view.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Hub is not compatible with Internet Explorer 6 or 7 – this may cause potential problems when accessing within NHS. An up-to-date browser check is available at:Blackboard Learn Help
  • where your students can search for the browser check
  • Video quality is not always optimal at QMU. In some cases, you might want to remind students that it is better to view videos outside of QMU by logging directly into the Hub.
  • It is possible to hide the menu on the left-hand side by clicking on the arrow ‘hide course menu’. You might want to demonstrate how to reinstate the menu, by clicking on the arrow again stating ‘show course menu’
  • Cookies must be accepted when logging into the Hub
  • Only one document can be uploaded to the assessment dropbox
  • Sometimes, especially in QMU, when accessing WORD and PPT documents, you are asked to log in again. Click on Cancel, Cancel and then you can access the document.

Groups (if applicable)

f you are using groups, remind students they will see a link to their group space at the bottom of the left-hand side menu. Please note: We recommend adding a direct tool link to groups from the main left-hand menu area – this is because students accessing via mobile devices will not be able to see the group space at the bottom of their menu.

Group space (available through student menu) allows, as a minimum, for students to see other members of their group. Tools you can make available for students to use within this space include group discussions, and group email.

Where to find help

In all modules there should be a link to:

Hub student help – available from the left-hand menu
Hub Student information web page: ( broken Link )

Password issues: Assist Support Email 

Accessing modules: School Office Email Address 

Hub issues: Hub Access Issues 

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