Welcome to flexible learning
BUILT FOR ONLINE
Studying online means taking control of when and where you study. It means studying at your own pace, no matter where you are in the world. It means being able to balance your home and work life with your education, so you can earn while you learn without disrupting your career.
The Virtual Learning Environment
How you’ll study
When you study at UCEM, you’ll be using our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), a specialised platform which provides you with everything you need to keep on top of your studies and succeed.
You’ll be guided through your learning with weekly study schedules and course guides, which you can adapt to suit your needs, pace and lifestyle. Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone, as you’ll also be fully supported by tutors and other students throughout your studies.
The VLE is at the heart of your studies. Here you will find all the learning resources you need for your studies, along with specially designed learning activities to help you develop the skills and knowledge that you need. You can participate in discussion with your tutor and other students, attend timetabled webinars or watch recordings. As you study, you will be supported with guidance from a highly experienced module team.
Why supported online learning?
- Flexible study - you no longer have to choose between your education, your home life and your career. Our approach to online learning gives you the freedom and support you need to balance your study, work and home commitments, all while working towards your career goals
- Fully supported - you may be studying online, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be left alone. You’ll receive full support and lots of contact from tutors and other students through online discussion forums, email, online chats and by telephone
- Take control - the choice is yours. Decide where and when you want to study, and take control of how you learn, whether by following a structured weekly pathway, or adapting this to suit your needs. It’s your education, now it’s your choice
- Stay organised - to help you keep on track and plan your study schedule, you’ll have online access to timetables and course guides
- Accessible learning - with online learning, you’ll have full access to all of your learning materials – which are accessible through our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), a specialised online resource. All of your study materials are provided in a variety of formats, including presentations, videos, podcasts and animations, so there’s no limit to how and when you can learn
TEACHING AND LEARNING STATEMENT
When it comes to online learning, you will experience teaching in a different way than you may have done at school, college or another university. This can take some getting used to and it’s important that you become familiar with how we will provide teaching online so you can make the most of your experience on your programme.
Online teaching doesn’t just exist in the timetabled webinars that you have with your tutor, or where they are physically present, such as in a video or audio resource. Teaching also happens through the learning activities on the VLE that are designed by UCEM tutors and subject matter experts. Teaching is present in the tutor’s facilitation of discussion within discussion forums or Padlet boards, when you receive feedback on your assessment, or when you practise your skills.
At UCEM, the purpose of teaching isn’t just to transfer knowledge and information, it is to help you to learn how to think critically, how to apply your knowledge and abilities to the workplace and how to develop lifelong skills and become independent learners. Your assessment will reflect this. During your studies you will have the opportunity to interact with your tutors and fellow students through a variety of the following:
- Timetabled webinars in the form of lectures, seminars, briefings, drop-in surgeries and Q&A sessions. You will benefit from attending these in person at the time they are scheduled but if you are unable to attend, a recording of tutor-led sessions will be made available following the event
- Weekly, topic and assessment discussion forums on the VLE
- Padlet boards (a version of an online pin board)
- Virtual office hours for individual conversations and support
Equipment needed
What you’ll need to study online
- A personal computer with audio and video playback capability
- A smartphone device running either Android or Apple iOS
- A broadband internet connection which enables unrestricted access to a range of resources including the UCEM virtual learning environment and Office365
- Email address (provided by UCEM)
- Headphones with a microphone
- Create, use and save documents produced in word processing and spreadsheet software, for example, Microsoft Word and Excel
- Open PDF documents with freely available Adobe Reader software
- Use a web browser – we recommend your browser is up-to-date
- Download either Microsoft Authenticator (preferred) or Google Authenticator on your smartphone
Recommended browser versions
We recommend that you use one of the following browsers, ensuring you keep up-to-date with the latest version:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Apple Safari
- Microsoft Edge (Internet Explorer is no longer supported)
Note: You will need to allow “popups”
Note: Employers may operate policies limiting access to the internet and the use of e-mail at work. If you intend studying during the working week, you should check that access is possible.
Learn how to activate multi-factor authentication for your UCEM account.
