Technology is threaded through all our lives. The global pandemic has highlighted many of the advantages it can offer with varied ways to keep in touch with friends and family; convenient access to shopping, information, entertainment, resources. Whatever your level of confidence and comfort, technology presents dynamic and exciting possibilities for your education.

For many students a smartphone or mobile device is already a feature of everyday life which allows you to study flexibly, read files, watch recorded lectures and even attend online tutorials. Such devices can be handy in lectures for expressing an opinion, undertaking rapid research or voting on impromptu polls. For others, this may seem remote and rather daunting new territory to be navigated. Wherever you place yourself on the confidence scale we’ve resources and help to enable you to build your expertise and self-assurance.

Why don't you have a go now at participating with the Mentimeter below? You can open a new browser window or use your mobile device. Go to www.menti.com and put in the code that shows at the top of the presentation below:

StudyNet

We have friendly experts ready to guide you through a variety of digitally rich experiences such as developing multimedia ways to present an argument, communicating effectively and safely online with peers and the wider community, finding and evaluating reliable sources online. All these things are woven through your experience, with your study journey set out clearly through the University's online portal, StudyNet. The video below will give you an overview of what StudyNet is:

Canvas

StudyNet is the portal to many areas of the university including Canvas, our online learning environment. You will have a Canvas site for each of your modules and most programmes of study have a site as well. Once you have your UH log-in and password and have completed registration, you will be able to install the Canvas Student app and access your module and programme sites on your mobile device.

You’ll be encouraged to collaborate, discuss and share ideas using a class discussion board. There may also be quizzes, puzzles and other activities set by your tutor for you to check your understanding around the topics on your course. This is also the place you'll be able to submit most of your assignments from anywhere you have internet access.

Your online learning environment, Canvas, will be easy to navigate, with access to essential materials plus signposts for a multitude of supplementary resources and support. Canvas also provides a space for live interactive sessions with tutors and peers using a range of innovative online tools. Below is the Getting started video guide (this is where you module and programme sites will sit). This outlines the basics of how to get started with Canvas and demonstrates the look and feel of the online learning environment:

Post Graduate Research Students

As a Postgraduate Research (PGR) student at UH you will have:

full online collaboration opportunities within the University research community
access to online systems that help you in your work
an @herts.ac.uk email account

Please take a look at PGR students, University computer accounts and FAQs for further information on services provided to you by Library and Computing Services.