Welcome to elearning with Education for Health. We are the leading education and research charity for health. The purpose of this guide is to take you through some of the main features of your Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). If you are in need of any further support as you use the VLE please contact us: Email: Studentsupport@educationforhealth.org Telephone: +44 (0) 1929 493313 To get started with your elearning experience enter the following URL into your web browser http://elearning.educationforhealth.org/
How to log in What to do if you forget your password Working on a tablet pc or mobile device IT System Requirements Additional Online Considerations The Home Page VLE Features Your Inbox (e-mail) Settings My Profile My details Help Frequently Asked Questions Technical Questions System Test Student Support and VLE User Guide Dashboard Home Page Calendar Glossary Course Documents Reflective Diary (Dashboard View) Adding an entry (Learning Material View) Viewing an entry (Learning Material View) Case Studies Assessment Marking Criteria and results General coursework information How to submit your coursework Study Days Progress Learning History Unit Menu Learning Overview Suggested Timetable Navigation Additional Information External Links Audio View Transcript Animation Animation slow to load Self Assessment Task Expert Answer Summary of Key Points References and Further Reading View and print a PDF To use this guide you can either scroll through each slide in turn or alternatively select the section you wish to view by clicking on the appropriate links above. You can always return to this page by clicking on the red Contents button on the top right corner of each page.
The Learning Environment The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is the starting point for your studies. This section introduces you to the VLE, including how to log in and test your computer compatibility and it also highlights the resources available via the Help link.
http://elearning.educationforhealth.org/ Contents Page Please note that as a security feature, if you are inactive for more than 16 minutes you will be asked to log in to the VLE again. You will have been sent your username (an email address ) and a password before the start of your course. Enter these in the boxes. Click on the Sign In button. If you are given the option to save your password on this computer only say yes if you are using a personal computer. If you forget your password click on this link here.
If you click on the Forgotten Password link you will see this page. Enter your email address and press Submit and you will be emailed a link that will allow you to change your password. Contents Page
If you are using a device that does not support Adobe Flash Player you can still access the online learning materials. However, you will not be able to run the animations, interactions, video or audio elements. Contents Page
The first thing you should do when getting started is to use the System Test tool, which you will find under the Help link. This tool allows you to view the computer requirements that you need in order to use the VLE. It will also automatically check the status of the computer you are currently using and will identify any issues that may reduce the functionality of the VLE.
Additional Online Considerations We recommend that you install the latest version of Adobe Flash from the www.adobe.com website. This is a free download that will allow you to view all of the animations, audio and interactive features of the VLE (note it is not compatible with all computers and other devices). You should also ensure you have installed a quality antivirus package on your computer so that you can keep your computer virus/spyware and Trojan free. We ask that you keep your computer fully up to date with all software updates from Microsoft or Apple. If using a home internet connection please ensure that your network is secure and no third parties are using your internet illicitly. You can do this by adding a password to your Wi-Fi connection. You will get the best out of the VLE if you avoid studying when other people using your internet service are downloading large files or streaming videos or music from the internet. Unfortunately problems with your computer cannot be supported by Education for Health, we recommended that you contact your computer provider for support.
Home - this is your homepage and whenever you click on this link, wherever you are in the VLE you will be brought back to this page. Contents Page To find out more about the Features available on the VLE you can click on this tab here. If you wish to try another one of our elearning modules you can do so by clicking the View Taster button here. You will find your registered courses listed under My Courses. To access a module click on the module title. Click on the blue link for more information about Student Support services.
Remember, you can return to the Contents Page of this VLE User Guide at any time by clicking on this button here. Clicking on the Features tab allows you to find out more about the features available within the VLE. To find out more about each one click on the blue links below.
If you click on the Inbox link you will be taken to this screen. From here you can write and send messages to student support services, view any messages sent to you and see any announcements that have been made to your cohort.
Settings - this link allows you to access the Settings page. This allows you to view your account details and you can change your password from this screen. All Passwords that you create yourself must be: At least six characters long and must have the following included in them: 1 upper case character 1 lower case character 1 numeric character
The My Profile link will show you all of the modules which you have been enrolled onto. We recommend that you upload a photo of yourself and you can do that by clicking the Edit Profile Picture link. You can access the different modules that you are enrolled on from this page. Select the module title to view it.
Scroll down to the bottom of the My Profile page to view the details we hold about you. If any of the details we hold are incorrect please contact your Education Co-ordinator in our Student Support team.
If you click on the Help link you will see this page. From here you can access resources that will help you whilst studying and working in the VLE.
Before calling the Student Support Team we recommend that you check the Frequently Asked Questions section of the VLE. It may be that the answer to your question is here. Contents Page
If you are experiencing technical problems whilst using the VLE, the Technical Questions section has useful information to support your use of the VLE. Contents Page
Remember, the System Test tool, is found under the Help link. The Systems Test tool allows you to view the computer requirements that you need in order to use the VLE. It will also automatically check the status of the computer you are currently using and will identify any issues that may reduce the functionality of the VLE.
If you click on this link here you will be able to view and download a printable copy of this VLE User Guide. The Student Support section also contains study support materials, which you can download as PDF documents. Once you have downloaded the PDF, you can either save a copy of it onto your computer or print it out for future reference.
The Dashboard This section introduces you to the Dashboard, which includes a Learning Feed to help you locate the last page you were studying. This section also introduces you to each of the tabs in the VLE and their resources, including the Assessment tab where you can find information and guidance on your module assessments.
The Dashboard is the first page you will see after you click on the module you wish to study. Contents Page It provides a snapshot of all your recent learning activities via the Learning Feed link, as well as access to the Course Documents and your Reflective Diary. Learning Feed: This is a list of your recent activities, this will help you track your progress. Announcements: This displays your welcome message and any announcements that will affect your course progress. To return to the last page you were looking at select the blue links under the Learning Feed or the Recently Viewed Pages. To view the other features available within the Dashboard select the links here.
To find out more information about the assessments and study days taking place for your module click on the Assessment and Study Day tabs here. The Calendar will show you the important dates for your module.
The Glossary provides an alphabetical list of the key terms that appear within the learning materials of the module. You can jump to different sections of the glossary by selecting the first letter of the term you are looking for.
Contents Page This page provides a link to the supporting Course Documents for your module. You can access this page by selecting Course Documents from the menu on the left of the screen.
The Reflective Diary acts as a notebook and can be used within the VLE learning materials to make a note of any websites, journals or key terms which you may wish to refer to at a later date. The Reflective Diary is personal to you and does not form part of your assessment. All notes are saved and can be printed from this page. If you click on the blue link of a diary entry, it will take you to the page in the learning materials where you originally made the note.
When you are within the learning materials, at any point you can click on the Add to Reflective Diary icon at the bottom of the screen. A text box will appear which allows you to make your own notes linked to that particular page. All notes are saved and can be printed.
A Reflective Diary entry will be saved both on the page where it was made and also in the Reflective Diary accessed via the Dashboard. Contents Page
If you select the Case Studies tab you will be able to view the case studies that support the learning materials within the module. Contents Page Clicking on the Case Study title will take you to the Case Study within the relevant section of the learning materials.
The Assessment tab provides you with access to all of the information you need to complete your module assessments. Click on the links for further information and support. Click on the assessment title for details of the requirements for each of your module assessments.
The Marking Criteria and Results page shows how all learning outcomes are assessed. The assessment marking criteria can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this page.
This page provides you with outline information about the presentation of your coursework. More information about how to prepare and submit your coursework can be found in the Student Guide located in the Help section.
This page details how to present and submit your coursework. Please read this section carefully before submitting your work.
Study Days - if your module contains study days all information relating to these will be listed under this tab. Contents Page Click on the study day link to view the study day programme, venue, address and start and finish times.
Progress - this tab allows you to see an overview of how much of the course you have completed, and how much of each unit you have viewed. This will help you to manage your time effectively.
The Learning History link is a record of which pages you have viewed, and is another way for you to quickly find the page that you were last looking at. Click on the blue link to be taken directly to the last page that you were looking at. This is useful if you have been logged out after being inactive for longer than 16 minutes.
The Learning Materials This section focuses on the learning materials, including the different types of screens you will encounter, and how to get the most out of these.
To access the learning materials click on the Learning Materials tab. Contents Page Each unit is designed to be worked through in its entirety, however, you can visit the units in any order. Select the unit you wish to view from the drop down menu.
The Learning Overview incorporates the Learning Outcomes and the Suggested Timetable for learning. Clicking on the tabs provides more detailed information for each of these.
The Suggested Timetable tab clearly breaks down the module and gives you a guide as to how to use your time effectively and what is expected of you before each study day.
Navigation - to navigate forwards and backwards through the learning materials click on the Previous and Next links. You can view the chapters within each unit in the left hand menu and you can select the one you wish to view by clicking on it. You can also move onto the next screen of an animation or interactivity by clicking on the NEXT or MORE buttons.
An underlined word or phrase indicates that it can be found in the Glossary, which is found under the Dashboard tab. If you click on the blue links within the text you will be able to view a pop up box which provides additional useful information, such as a reference.
By clicking on URLs within the text you will be taken to the relevant website. This will open in a new tab so that you can easily move between the VLE and external sites.
Audio - units have been designed to have an audio commentary, this option can be disabled by clicking on the Auto-play button. This can be switched back on at any time by clicking on the button again. You can also mute the audio by clicking here.
Transcript - where you see this icon you can view a transcript of the audio being played.
Animations such as this appear throughout the learning materials. They help to illustrate points being discussed. You can Play, Pause and Rewind these.
From time to time you may see this symbol when trying to play an animation. The animations may be slow to load for the following reasons: 1. Your internet connection is running slowly 2. It is the first time you have accessed this material on your computer 3. Your computer or device doesn t support Adobe Flash. Please be patient whilst the animation loads.
Activities - throughout the module there are interactive activities that are designed to help you assess your learning. This example requires you to enter your response in the text box below.
Once you have submitted your response, you will be able to check your answer against the expert s answer. Contents Page
At the end of each unit you will find a Summary of Key Points that have been covered. By selecting the Print Page icon you can print out a copy of the screen. Please note that animations and certain interactive materials cannot be printed.
References - a list of references and some suggested further reading is provided at the end of each unit. By clicking on the link a PDF document will be opened.
The PDF can be saved onto your computer or printed out for your own records. Contents Page
Next Steps Congratulations, you have reached the end of this VLE User Guide. We hope that you have found it to be a useful introduction to the main features of the VLE and that we have answered all of the questions that you may have had. To get started with your module elearning experience type the following URL into your web browser: http://elearning.educationforhealth.org/ If you still have any questions relating to your studies or you have any feedback about this guide please do not hesitate to contact us: Email: Studentsupport@educationforhealth.org Telephone: +44 (0) 1926 493313 Don t forget you can access this VLE User Guide at any time via the Help link at the top of the VLE screen.