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Welcome to Edinburgh University.
We are delighted that you will be joining us soon on one of our online programmes.
Online distance education is an exciting and flexible way to learn at
Edinburgh University.
It allows students from all over the world
to collaborate academically
via fully online virtual learning environments (VLE).
As an online student,
you will be joining a virtual community of over 1200 students,
on 42 fully-online programmes.
Our ODL
offering is diverse, spanning across all 3 University Colleges.
These range from Masters in Surgery and Equine Science,
to Creative Writing and eLearning.
a full list of available programs can be found on the University of Edinburgh
website,
in the postgraduate study section.
One of the most attractive qualities of ODL
is the flexibility for you to shape your academic journey.
Many online learners choose to study whilst still in full-time work
or with other commitments, so we strive to make the on-line experience accessible
to those with limited spare time, as standard practice.
All of our ODL courses are developed to allow you to
access course content asynchronously,
at a time that is convenient for you.
The same is true for many of our support services,
with an ever growing portfolio of fully online resources
and round the clock IT support.
As a student on an online-only programme,
you will never be required to physically come to the University campus.
All University correspondence,
beyond sending your student ID card, is delivered online via email or through your Virtual Learning
Environment.
This means an Edinburgh University education
is available globally,
wherever you are in the world, delivered through an internet connection.
However,
as an Edinburgh University student, you also have access to all on-campus provisions.
So, should you wish to visit the University campus
campus in the future, or live near-by,
you are welcome to use the on-site facilities.
Your VLE is your online classroom.
This is the main way you access academic content for your programme of study.
Most ODL courses deliver content through Moodle or Learn 9 platforms,
with some courses supplementing this
with collaborative tools such as WordPress.
Although your VLE is the main platform for course delivery,
many programmes also use innovative online tools to enrich the learning
experience,
such as Twitter,
blogging,
podcasting and interactive quizzes.
Some courses deliver content via SecondLife
SecondLife is often used as a tool to communicate practical elements,
bringing concepts learnt in the classroom to life.
For example,
Vue, the Edinburgh University SecondLife portal,
boasts an online stable
with virtual horses
used by the Equine Science programme.
You will be introduced to the platforms and tools for your programme during your induction week.
Your programme director or tutors
will guide you through the VLE
and any other provisions required for engagement on the course.
Full details of these will be provided in your programme handbook.
As previously mentioned,
there is an array of online resources and support service provisions available to you
as an online student.
The Institute for Academic Development
(IAD)
offers post-graduate support for both online and on-campus students,
through self-help study support materials,
signposting to resources, self-pace tutorials and skills development courses.
These resources are accessible online
through the University of Edinburgh website,
and dedicated ODL student channels.
Information Services also provides a large number of learning opportunities
to develop your information and IT skills for personal development and to
help you work and study more effectively.
|Many of our support services offer fully online provisions,
tailored for ODL students.
As many of our ODL students are working professionals
who may be interested in a change or development of career path,
the Careers service has developed extensive self-help resources
to help you shape your future career,
at a time convenient for you.
Should you require individual support,
careers advisors are available via phone,
email and video conferencing during normal working hours.
The University also offers online email-based counselling sessions
and our Disability service can develop your learning profile,
or discuss any academic adjustment you require, via Skype and email messaging
to ensure your needs as an online student
are met fully.
EUSA,
Edinburgh University Student Association,
is also developing its online presence and representation for ODL students.
Many of our ODL programmes already boast a thriving
class representation structure
with Student Staff Liaison meetings facilitated online
to ensure your academic experience is the best it can be.
EUSA is involved in supporting these activities,
whilst also being a first port of call for academic appeals
and student activities.
The great thing about EUSA is that you can be as involved as you wish to be.
EUSA also provide the Advice Place service, which offers impartial
student support and advice.
The Advice Place have developed many tailored services for ODL students,
such as fully-online application for maintenance grants which is only
available for our ODL student body.
through dedicated channels
More information about the services provided through the Advice Place can be
found on their website.
We also offer a round-the-clock IT support service through
information services
called the IS Helpline.
The helpline is available 23hrs a day,
365 days a year
and is a one-stop shop for all technical support may need during your time with us.
Online distance learners are also flagged by our IT systems
to ensure you are always given ODL specific information
and receive a tailored service.
The University offers over 25 Scholarships, specifically
for online distance learners.
Full details of eligibility can be found on the
Scholarships & Student Funding website.
Online learning is an innovative and flexible approach to learning,
allowing you to balance further education around existing responsibilities.
Almost 99% of our online-only students chose
to study part-time,
with the average MSc degree completed within 4 years.
However, there are flexible exit points available, for example a PGCert
or PGDiploma, to ensure you have full control over your academic journey.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about
the Online Distance Learning
student experience at Edinburgh University either by email
online.learning@ed.ac.uk
or at one of our drop in sessions.
Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy your time studying with us online.