Launch of the new ‘IS Digital Essentials for teaching’ Blackboard site

Sioned Llywelyn [sil12] IS Digital Essentials for Teaching Leave a comment

We are pleased to announce the launch of the IS Digital Essentials for teaching, a new Blackboard Learn Ultra site designed to support new teaching staff at Aberystwyth University. 

This site brings together all of the advice and helpful information from Information Services that new teaching staff will need, ensuring that they are ‘digitally’ prepared for teaching. Whether that’s guidance on using the OneDrive to store work; how to set up a new module in Blackboard Learn Ultra; or finding guidance on lecture capture.  

With a helpful checklist and automatic access for all through Blackboard Learn Ultra, we hope that the site will save valuable time for staff, as well as being a helpful resource for all departmental staff. 

Please take a look at the introduction to the Blackboard site to learn how to get started. 

On Wednesday 11 October (2-3pm), we would like to invite new teaching staff to join us for a cup of tea or coffee in D54, Hugh Owen (instructions on how to find the room). This will be an opportunity for new teaching staff to meet each other and to meet colleagues from Information Services. There is no need to book for this event.

If you have any questions, or if you’d like to provide any feedback, please contact the Digital Skills Team (digi@aber.ac.uk). 

DigiTip 3 – Organising your Outlook 📧

Shan Saunders [shs63] DigiTips Leave a comment

Do you have too many emails coming into your inbox? Are you struggling to find a specific email you need, or are you lost in all your emails? 

Time to organise! 

Did you know you can create subfolders in Outlook to help organise your emails.  

You can use these folders to clear your inbox so only unread or important emails remain. You can also use this to group emails together that will make them easier to find in the future. You can name folders whatever you like and can even create sub-folders within these folders.  

Either watch the below video or follow the instructions below: 

Simply: 

  • Go to your inbox 
  • Right click and select new folder 

To follow our DigiTips, subscribe to our Digital Skills Blog. Or alternatively, you can bookmark this webpage, where a new DigiTip will be added each week!  

Action needed: Staff with LinkedIn Learning content embedded within their Blackboard Learn Ultra modules

Sioned Llywelyn [sil12] LinkedIn Learning Leave a comment

From Wednesday 27 September 2023, we will be enabling a new version of the tool which allows staff to embed LinkedIn Learning content within their modules on Blackboard Learn Ultra. There are many advantages to enabling this new version, however it will require staff who have already embedded LinkedIn Learning content within their current modules to follow a few steps before and after this date.

What do I need to do if I have LinkedIn Learning content embedded in my current Blackboard Learn Ultra modules?

  1. Before Wednesday 27 September, you will need to make a note of which LinkedIn Learning courses you have already embedded within your modules.
  2. You can then delete these courses from your module.
  3. From Wednesday 27 September, you will need to re-add these courses using the new version of the tool (how do I do that?)

Please note: Any embedded LinkedIn Learning content that were added using the old version of the tool will appear as broken links to students from 27 September.

What are the advantages of this new version?

  • Embedding content will save staff time as it will automatically pull through the content title and description for you.
  • Staff can search for the LinkedIn Learning content they wish to include in their modules directly in Blackboard Learn Ultra.
  • Previously, staff could only embed LinkedIn Learning courses within their modules. The new version allows other types of content from LinkedIn Learning, including videos, audio files, and Learning Paths, to be embedded.
  • Students will be able to view the content directly in Blackboard Learn Ultra, without having to login to LinkedIn Learning separately.

From 27 September 2023 all staff can embed LinkedIn Learning content within their Blackboard Learn Ultra modules using the new version of the tool – further instruction is available from this FAQ.

The below video (no audio) demonstrates how easy it will be for students to access LinkedIn Learning content within Blackboard Learn Ultra if they have been embedded using the new tool.

For any queries relating to embedding LinkedIn Learning content in Blackboard Learn Ultra, please contact the Digital Skills Team (digi@aber.ac.uk).

DigiTip 2 – Check your Welsh text using the Cysill app 📝

Sioned Llywelyn [sil12] Digital proficiency and productivity, DigiTips Leave a comment

Cysill is part of a language software package called Cysgliad that you can download on your PC, and Cysill will be able to identify and correct Welsh-language errors in your text. You can use the online version of Cysill, but you can check your text much easier if you download the app (how do I do that?).

Once you’ve downloaded the Cysill app, take a look at the video below or follow these instructions: 

  • Open the Cysill app and your Word document (or wherever your Welsh-language text is located) 
  • Highlight the text you want Cysill to check 
  • Type Ctrl+Alt+W on your keyboard (this will copy and paste your text directly into Cysill) 
  • Check all the errors that the app suggests need changing 
  • Click Cywiro (Correct) if you’re happy with a correction that the app suggests
  • Once you’ve worked through all the suggestions, the app will automatically copy and paste the corrected text back into your Word document 

To follow our DigiTips, subscribe to our Digital Skills Blog. Or alternatively, you can bookmark this webpage, where a new DigiTip will be added each week!  

Digital Skills Training: Semester 1 ’23-24

Jia Ping Lee Digital Discovery Tool, LinkedIn Learning, Training Leave a comment

Are you interested in learning what resources are available to help you assess and develop your digital skills? Or, perhaps you’re interested in learning more about how you can support your students to develop their own digital skills?

We will be delivering several training sessions for staff throughout Semester 1. If you are unable to attend any of these sessions, please feel free to email digi@aber.ac.uk to arrange a conversation with a member of our team.

Welsh-medium sessions:

English-medium sessions:

Develop your digital skills each week with our new DigiTips! DigiTip 1 – Bookmark your favourite webpages 🔖

Jia Ping Lee DigiTips Leave a comment

Each week we’ll be posting a useful DigiTip to help you make the best use of technology. To follow our DigiTips, subscribe to our Digital Skills Blog. Or alternatively, you can bookmark this webpage, where a new DigiTip will be added each week!

Do you want to be able to find the exact webpage you are looking for without wasting time going through several different webpages? For webpages that you visit often, you can bookmark them and even create folders for different categories of bookmarks, meaning that you will never have to navigate through the internet to find that specific webpage again! 

Follow these steps to bookmark a webpage: 

  • Open your choice of internet browser 
  • Search for the webpage you would like to bookmark 
  • Click on the star icon which is located on the right-hand side of the webpage address bar 
  • Choose a name for the webpage you would like to bookmark and click Done 

To manage your bookmarks: 

  • Right click on the bookmarks bar and select Bookmarks manager 
  • To create a new folder for your webpages, right click on the bookmarks bar and select Add folder 

Training for Academic Staff: Introduction to the Digital Discovery Tool

Sioned Llywelyn [sil12] Digital Discovery Tool, Training Leave a comment

The Digital Skills Team will be delivering training sessions in September for academic staff who will be supporting their students to review their individual Digital Discovery Tool reports, and who will be facilitating conversations about digital skills in general.

Online sessions will be available in Welsh and English on the following dates:

  • 12 September ’23 (10:00-11:00): Introduction to the Digital Discovery Tool (Book here)
  • 12 September ’23 (14:00-15:00): Cyflwyniad i’r Offeryn Darganfod Digidol (Book here)
  • 18 September ’23 (10:00-11:00): Cyflwyniad i’r Offeryn Darganfod Digidol (Book here)
  • 18 September ’23 (15:00-16:00): Introduction to the Digital Discovery Tool (Book here)

For all enquiries, please contact the Digital Skills Team (digi@aber.ac.uk).

New Member of the team! 

Jia Ping Lee Other Leave a comment

Hello everyone! My name is Jia Ping Lee and I have joined the Digital Skills team as a digital capabilities and skills development coordinator.  

I completed my undergraduate studies in Genetics at Aberystwyth and recently returned home from China after 4 years as an English Teacher for young children. 

I am looking forward to supporting and working with staff and students at the university to help develop their digital skills and become digitally confident, as we all try to navigate and keep up with our constantly evolving digital society. 

Come and Present at our Digital Skills Festival! 🎉

Shan Saunders [shs63] Digital Skills Festival Leave a comment

From 6th – 10th November 2023 we are hosting Aberystwyth University’s Digital Skills Festival and we are looking for postgraduate students to deliver sessions. You can deliver a session either online or in-person and it can be a workshop, drop-in session or demonstration on a digital skill or software that you are proficient in using. For example, we would like some sessions on the following skills and software: 

  • Microsoft Packages – Essential or Advanced 
  • SPSS 
  • NVivo 
  • ArcGIS 
  • Python (or other programming software) 
  • Adobe Photoshop 
  • Social Media e.g., creating Instagram Reels, TikToks, Twitter, YouTube etc. 
  • Creating or editing videos 
  • ProTools 
  • Discord 

We are also open to any other skill or software you think is important and should be delivered! 

Please register your interest by 28th July 2023 through the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/EQsxd8wdD7 

If you have any questions or problems accessing the registration form, please contact us at: digi@aber.ac.uk.