Coronavirus Student Update: Studying at Home: Thursday 26 March 2020

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

Studying at Home

We appreciate that the move to learning off campus holds lots of challenges.  For some students we know that access to a computer is a particular issue and if this applies to you we encourage you to let us know by contacting us through the e:Vision helpdesk and a member of the University student services team will get in touch with you. Even if you have a computer and internet access you may still be facing other issues that are preventing you engaging with your learning. We are here to try to help, you can contact your Academic Tutor through canvas or log your issue through the e:Vision helpdesk for further assistance.

Working Online

You might find the following tips useful for getting the best out of the University’s digital services, as well as your own internet bandwidth. 

Everything you need to know about accessing the University’s digital services (email, timetable, Canvas, software) from your own laptops/PCs/mobiles can be found on this webpage www.wlv.ac.uk/its/working-or-learning-off-campus. If you cannot find the answers here, please contact the IT Service Desk by emailing: itsupport@wlv.ac.uk use the green button on the online support portal.

Your home network 

Given all our internet service providers are under considerable strain as the nation works and learns from home, the following tips will help to get the best out of your home network:

1. If you are using a VPN connection, make sure to use it only for activities that you cannot reach without it and avoid using it for other non-work internet services or streaming audio or video whilst the VPN is active.
2. If using wifi, can you move closer to the router to improve the signal?
3. Listen to and watch broadcast TV/radio, rather than using the internet to watch/listen.
4. If you can reduce the resolution of streaming video, do. Reducing from 4K to HD, or HD to SD is about a 75% bandwidth saving each time.
5. Giving your broadband router a reboot from time to time can help prevent issues, maybe once a week? 
6. You can use your mobile phone to create a wifi hotspot, but this will of course impact your data usage (useful to know when your data is renewed each month).

Register to manage your password without needing IT support 

Please head to the password self-management webpage and register for self-service. This means you can manage your passwords on site or off, without needing the IT Service Desk. Doing this does not mean you need to change your current password, it just gets you set up for when you do need to reset. 

Information and Feedback

Students are encouraged to check Canvas regularly for updates about individual programmes and courses and if you have any specific queries in relation to your studies please log a call through eVision and this will be picked up and responded to as soon as we can.

Assignments and Dissertations

We will be uploading some additional FAQs to the University’s dedicated web page about assignment deadlines and dissertations over the next few days to clarify some of the details for you. 

You will find the web page here: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus along with Frequently Asked Questions on a range of topics which are regularly updated.

General Advice

Visit NHS 111 Online for the latest health guidance. This includes the latest advice and guidance about the symptoms and what to do if you think you may have Coronavirus.

Public Health England is regularly publishing information, advice and guidance on Coronavirus. This includes the latest travel information.

The wellbeing of our students continues to be the University’s priority and we are encouraging everyone to be mindful of their own health and that of their family and colleagues. Thank you for your continued patience and co-operation during this time.

Professor Julia Clarke

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience)