Digital Toolkit
Digital Skills
Make sure you don’t miss out on opportunities to develop digital skills, whether they arise on your course or outside of it (e.g in student projects, volunteering, hobbies and interest groups). These skills will be useful for future employment.
If your course doesn’t cover digital technology in the workplace, or up-to-date digital methods, ask your course tutor if time can be set aside for this.
A careers adviser will be able to help you explore these issues. More information can be found on our Careers page.
You may never have such good access to IT training as you do at university. So be pro-active - sign up for workshops, drop into sessions in the library or with the IT services, watch how-to videos and access online training.
Details of our workshops with Academic Skills, Digital Learning Facilitators or Academic Support Librarians will be found during the year on our Learning Skills pages.
If you are unsure about your digital skills and how you can improve them, try out the New Students question set on the Jisc Discovery tool before you start at the University – this is a tool for self-evaluating your digital skills and signposting you to resources to improve your skills. Think about completing the tool again later in your course – try the Current Students question set to see how your skills have improved.
As an enrolled student, you will also have free access to LinkedIN Learning, an online platform which provides video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative and business skills. Accessing videos and completing courses on Linkedln Learning will help you to develop your digital skills. You can also choose to link your personal LinkedIn account to your university LinkedIn Learning account and any course you completed could then be shared on your profile.
Content Accordions
- Your Digital Views
Your Digital Views
All students have their own strengths and preferences for learning. Your taught sessions, assignments and independent study should provide you with a variety of approaches, so you can develop different strategies and discover your strengths. Be willing to try new things, but let your tutors know if you are not getting what you need. Get involved in decisions about the digital environment for learning if you have the chance to do so.
We also carry out an annual survey – the Jisc Digital Experience Insights survey. When you are asked to participate in the survey, please use this opportunity to give us your opinions on how technology is used at the University and in your learning.
Independent Learning
Maximise the proven benefits of using digital apps to organise your study time and to-do lists, or by linking your course timetable with your personal calendar.
Make sure you can access all the software and resources you need to study away from campus, for example by downloading materials whilst you have access to the network.
Experiment with learning formats and resource types until you find what works for you.
Engage your creative side by producing digital posters, presentations, web pages and other media when you get the chance. Explore digital simulations, interactive media and games, or try language learning or brain training apps if you enjoy them.
Ask other students what makes their study time fun and effective.
Individual and Group Work
Think about how other students could be a resource for your learning. Collaborative working is the norm in most workplaces, and job candidates will often be tested on how they perform in collaborative settings, so it’s worth finding out how to get the most out of this way of studying and working.
As a student, you will have access to computer facilities such as desktops, printers, digital cameras and instruments. You’ll use general and course-specific software, email and file storage, and a variety of digital systems. How can you make the best use of these opportunities to reach your goals?
Please check the facilities and tools that will be available to you on campus, and the opening times.
Content Accordions
- Digital facilities
Computers on Campus Rooms
If you do not have a device, the University provides a range of fixed computing options to support your studies. For example, in Wrexham, you can use the PCs on the first and second floor of our Library and Student Support Centre. Next time you are on campus, check what is available to you.
A number of labs are our specialised labs with software specifically for different programmes you can study at our University. For example, in Wrexham on B corridor we have computing programme labs, and in L100ENG and engineering block we have specialised PCs with software for our engineering students. Check out with your programme team what is available to you.
Printers
There are a number of printers available throughout the University which you can print to or photocopy on. More details on printing and paper prices can be found on our Study Support page.
Digital Storage
The University uses Microsoft OneDrive to store files. You will have your own personal OneDrive store that you can access from anywhere in the world which has internet coverage. Information on how to access your OneDrive can be found on our Office365 Microsoft 365 support pages.
University Systems
There are many digital systems available to support your studies, from email to the library catalogue. You will find these user-friendly and easy to access.
Data Privacy and Personal Data
The University is committed to protecting your data privacy and security.
Support with Digital Issues
IT Help
If you are having problems getting logged on or using your device on campus, support is available through our IT Helpdesk, either by ringing 01978 293241 or emailing itservices@wrexham.ac.uk.
Digital Learning
The University has a number of how-to guides which will support you or help you to learn new skills using the software we use at the University and for creating your academic pieces of work, for example if you are creating a presentation using PowerPoint or designing an academic poster. The Digital Learning team are updating and providing new documentation and tutorials on a regular basis, so keep checking our Digital Learning pages for support with any digital issues you may have. You can use these pages at any time to help you with a technical problem or to learn new skills.
Digital Facilitators
If you need more personal support with the use of software, you can find it from our Digital Learning Facilitators. You can book an appointment with them through our booking pages or email them at learningskills@wrexham.ac.uk. You can also book appointments with our Academic Skills and Subject Librarians through these pages as well.
The University’s framework for learning and teaching is the Active Learning Framework (ALF), which brings together the strengths of our on-campus teaching with the best use of digital tools to facilitate flexible and accessible learning, and innovative, flexible and accessible assessment.
The digital activities you carry out on your course will depend on the subject you are studying. However, there are some things that all students do, and it’s worth making sure that you get the most from these activities.
Content Accordions
- Digital course
Using the Virtual Learning Environment
The University's main Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is Moodle, which is used to share essential course information with you. Course materials, such as video clips, readings and recorded lectures, and activities, such as discussion forums and quizzes, are housed on the VLE, and you can access them whenever and wherever you wish. Your tutors will also use Moodle to communicate with you via the announcements and discussions forums. It is also used for the submission of assessment tasks, and the University expects all assignments to be submitted online (see below for more advice on this).
Finding Information
It is important to use a wide variety of resources for your assignments. The Academic Support Librarians can help you to locate and evaluate suitable material for your academic work, including assignments, presentations and dissertations.
Contact details for the Librarians, as well as the Academic Skills Tutors and Digital Learning Services can be found on our Student Support pages.
We offer 1-2-1 personal support for a range of academic skills, including finding and evaluating reliable and relevant information, academic writing and referencing, time management and presentations. To book an appointment with us email learningskills@glyndwr.ac.uk.
Using the Library Catalogue
A link to the library catalogue, Resource Finder, can be found on MyUni Portal.
Resource Finder provides access to a wide range of academic material. You can search for the physical items, such as books, that are available in the library. You will also have access to a wide range of subject specific databases and journal articles. For more information about searching on Resource Finder, have a look at our guidance for searching the library catalogue.
Referencing
An important element of academic writing is acknowledging the sources you use to support your work, known as referencing. The University uses four different referencing styles depending on your area of study – APA, Harvard, IEEE, and MHRA. Make sure that you know which referencing style is applicable to your subject area.
It is important to develop good practice in managing information to help with referencing. Keeping effective notes, bookmarking and using online tools will help you to keep track of useful resources across your assignments and courses. For more information on referencing have a look at our Student Support pages.
Online Assessment
You may be asked to produce assignments in a variety of digital formats. As noted above, the University expects the majority of assessed work, where possible, to be submitted online, via the VLE. Make sure you understand how assignments are submitted online before you reach any critical deadlines. If these are in a written format, there will be either a Turnitin or Moodle assignment point on your module course pages.
Turnitin is text-matching software which we also allow students to use to check their own work before submitting work for assessment and to check your referencing (see above). Your tutor will provide you with further assistance on understanding the percentage mark you receive when using Turnitin.
Information on how to submit a Turnitin or Moodle assignment can be found on our support pages:
Your tutor will also provide you with feedback on your assignments and how you can improve your grades in future assessments. This feedback is also usually shared with you via the VLE.
Producing Work in Alternative Digital Formats
You could also be asked to explore creating work in other media, for example:
- Create a web page
- Create a short video
- Contribute to an online forum/discussion
You will gain useful experience, and credit for originality, if you explore other media - so long as they meet your course requirements. You might author a web page or blog post, create a short video or animation, or produce an infographic.
Try different software for producing your presentations such as Microsoft Sway, which you have access to as part of Microsoft 365.
Look out for opportunities to develop and demonstrate your digital creativity in the tasks you are set.
Working Online With Others
Embrace the opportunity to work in groups and rise to any challenges as part of the learning process. Whether you are assessed on your joint outcomes, or individually for your contributions, you will be gaining valuable skills for the contemporary workplace:
- Effective online communication and ‘netiquette’
- Working with Microsoft Teams
- Digital tools
Bring your own device
As a student at the University, we will support you to bring your own device onto campus to help support your learning. This may be a laptop, tablet, smartphone or e-reader. You will be able to use your own device to access the MyUni portal, student support pages, Moodle (our Virtual Learning Environment or VLE), your timetable, Microsoft 365 including Teams, the library catalogue, your student email and your student record. You will also be able to use it to make notes in the classroom.
WiFi
The University currently uses EduRoam as our WiFi provision, and details of how to install and log in to this WiFi will be found on IT Services support pages.
If you are having problems getting logged on or using your device on campus, support is available through our IT Helpdesk, either by ringing 01978 293241 or raise a ticket via the INFORM service desk
Alternatively, if you just want to change your password, you can do this through our MyUni portal on the change password link. Additional information on changing your password can be found on the 'change your password' page on our Student Support webpages.
Laptops
The University recommends you have your own device, as you will be doing a lot of independent study which will involve searching online and using our different digital tools. Ideally, this will be a laptop or tablet, which is portable and can be used both at University and at home. The added advantage of having your own device is that you can use it to access resources, coursework and assignment work 24/7 from anywhere in the world, and you don’t have to travel to campus.
Minimum specification
If you are thinking of purchasing a new laptop or PC, the University recommends the following minimum spec:
- Corei5 or AMD Ryzen 5
- 8gb RAM
- 256gb SSD.
This device should last you for your time studying with us. However, if you are enrolled on a graphics-intensive course, please speak to your Programme Leaders for advice about a graphics card.
NOTE: some of our platforms do not work as well on Chromebooks as they do on other hardware.
You are responsible for keeping your laptop safe on campus, and we recommend you carry your laptop with you at all times and do not leave it unattended.You will not need to purchase the Microsoft Office package, as you will have access to that for free through your student account.
You do not need to purchase the Microsoft Office package, as you will have access to that for free through your student account.
Open Access Labs
If you do not have a device, the University has an open-access lab in the Library and Student Support Centre which is open from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm daily. These opening times may alter as the academic year progresses.
The University also has a number of laptops you can borrow for a short period of time, which are available from the library and IT Helpdesk in the Library and Student Support Centre on the main campus.
Smartphones
Students use their smartphones and tablets to access learning materials, and sometimes to participate in class through polling activities or quizzes.
You can use your mobile device to access the VLE, your student emails, Student Support and Microsoft Teams. You can log into these services via a web browser, as you can on a laptop or desktop. However, for Teams, there is also an app which you can download.
You are responsible for keeping your phone safe on campus.
Assistive Technologies
Assistive technologies can adapt your devices and interfaces to make learning more comfortable for you.
Your assistive and adaptive needs will be addressed by Inclusion Services, who can provide a range of technologies and solutions. Further information can be found on our Inclusion Services page.
Our active Learning Framework means that course materials and activities should be provided in a range of media and formats. Depending on your course, you may also be given the opportunity to choose to produce assessed work in a format that you find most comfortable. Additional information with regards to the Active Learning Framework can be found in the student guide.
Course resources are available digitally and in a variety of different media, making it easier to study in a way that suits you best. On the VLE, Moodle, we also have Anthology Ally, which is a tool that allows you to choose an alternative format for accessing text-based files, for example as an audio (MP3) file or electronic braille. Also embedded onto the VLE is Recite Me, which is a toolbar that allows you to make changes to how the interface appears, for example by adjusting the font size or using a highlighter bar or magnifying tool. For more information visit our Digital Accessibility support pages.
Microsoft 365
Wrexham University provides access to the Microsoft Office 365 productivity suite for free. Therefore, you do not need to buy Microsoft or Microsoft 265 before you start. You will have access to the online 365 suite, which includes Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Teams, but will also be able to download the desktop version on up to 5 devices for free. More information can be found on our Microsoft Office support pages.
