Module Homepage
The module homepage is the initial page that students see when entering a module. It is comprised of a module banner, announcements, the module descriptor the welcome message and the module calendar.
The Module Banner
is the image spanning the top of the module page. The same image is also used as a thumbnail image for your module, available on login under ‘My Modules’.
Module banners can be removed or replaced. It is recommended that you consider replacing the banner with an image that represents your module or programme so that students can easily identify the module.
Practical Tip
The module banner can be changed via the module homepage with options to change the image (select ‘image from the repository’ or ‘upload an image’); the recommended file size is 1200 pixels (wide) x 200 pixels (height). Check to see if your school or unit has images for use.
Announcements
are a key method of communicating with all students enrolled in a module. All announcements are displayed on the module homepage and students can select to receive module announcements via email or the pulse app.
It is recommended that you use announcements as the primary method for communicating with your students. Consider using them to:
- inform students of any relevant changes ( such as the rescheduling of classes), updates and new content or to remind students of due dates and deadlines;
- check-in with students in between classes, such as to outline next steps or what is expected during this period of time;
- present the message in context, for example to include links to other areas of the module or to include attachments as appropriate (to personalise the announcement you can use replace strings).
Practical Tip
Module announcements are one of the actions that triggers instant notifications which students can choose to receive. Ensure your students are aware of how they can customise their notifications in Brightspace (via their ‘profile/notifications’ tool) so they can select to receive them by email.
The Module Descriptor
widget is automatically populated to display existing module descriptor information that has been entered via the Curriculum Management System (CMS).
Module descriptors completed in the CMS will now be mirrored in Brightspace and will be available to students via their module homepage. The provision of key information in the module descriptor is an opportunity to fully capture teaching and learning approaches, feedback and assessment strategies.
Practical Tip
These should be completed in line with UCD Academic Regulations and as per the ‘how-to-guides’ for the CMS. Students will expect module delivery as well as assessment and feedback to be in accordance with the information in Module Descriptor, which will now be visible to students on the homepage of all modules.
Welcome Message
Provides a designated space for lecturers to introduce and welcome students to the module. The welcome message will launch to students on first login to the module in the form of a pop-up window from the module homepage.
The welcome message can contain text, audio or video or can have a file attached, it could for example be utilised to present the module handbook or other general module information. To populate content within this message popup window, a unit with the title **Welcome must be created in the Learning Materials section of the module. Within that section you then have the option to create a file or multiple files.
The window with welcome message will pop up the first time the student logs into the module and subsequently if new content is edited or added to the welcome message unit after that it will remain accessible on the module homepage.
The Calendar
contains all timetabled information and makes key due dates and submission deadlines visible.
It is recommended that you create one-time or recurring module events such as weekly lectures, labs or online meetings in the module calendar. As module coordinator you can adjust manually the settings for module learning materials, activities and assessments so they will display in the module calendar as follows:
- Units and content items within the ‘My Learning’ area - due dates will automatically be added to the calendar
- Discussions - option to display start and end dates in calendar
- Quizzes - option to display start and end dates in calendar