1. The VLE @ GSA
Introduction

2. Session overview
• Introduction - accessing content and the
global navigation menu
• Customising your course or community
• Course design principles
• Adding content
• Checking users and creating groups
• Using communication tools

3. Accessing content and using
the global navigation
menu.

4. Access courses or
communities

5. Access courses or
communities
Browse or search to find who to
contact if you do not already have
access.

6. The Using the VLE for Staff
community contains a variety of
support resources, how to guides
and workshop materials.

7. Global navigation
menu
Click on your name to build a
Profile and access other tools.

10. Link to Facebook and Twitter if
you wish. Add a picture and
information about yourself and
your interests.
vlehelp@gsa.ac.uk

11. Share your Profile with others in
the School to start building your
network.
vlehelp@gsa.ac.uk

12. Your Profile will then be added to
the GSA community. Click on the
People tool to find other staff and
students.

13. View other Profiles according to
course or community. Follow or
Message other people.

14. Customising your course.

15. Ensure Edit Mode is ON.
Turn Edit Mode OFF to preview student view.
Manage content through
course menu.
Manage appearance,
tools and customisation
through Control Panel.
Click Teaching Style to
change appearance.

16. Select course entry point,
theme, menu style and
add a banner image.

17. Strikethrough = unavailable.
Useful for making content
available when complete.
Click arrow to change setting.
Web links to the library
catalogue and Blackboard
help are available in every
course.

18. Course design principles.

19. Consistency across courses is a major
usability issue. Where possible, please
consider the context of your course.
Keep menu items simple.
Click + to add a new item.

20. General course information may
contain e.g. Timetable, handbook
and reading list.
Ensure items (and associated files)
are intuitively named and up-todate.

21. Course resources/ content might
be ordered by activity, or date.

22. Folders are a useful tool to group
related content together.

23. Content may include
presentations, documents,
links or media. Again, consider
intuitive naming.

24. Descriptive text is a useful
preview of folder content.

25. Adding contact information can
help students know when and
where staff may be available.

26. Staff can choose which Tools to
make available on their course.

27. Adding content.

28. Click Build Content to add
items, media, folders or
Mashups.

29. Add a title, browse for
attachments and set
availability.

30. Checking users and creating
groups.

31. Check who is enrolled on your
course by clicking Users and
Groups > Users.

32. Manage groups of users by
creating Groups. Click Users
and Groups > Groups. You can
then create a single group or
group set.

33. Using communication tools.

34. Announcements appear on the
Announcements page and can
be emailed to all staff and
students on a course. Click
Create Announcement.

35. Or you can contact individual
users or groups using the Send
Email tool.

36. Select recipients using arrows.
Enter subject, text or add
attachment.