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Back
Back
Last week students were invited to submit questions about teaching and learning for a Q&A video with the President of the Students' Union, Ayo Falana and myself. Thank you to everyone who submitted a question, the video is now available for you to watch.
If one additional week is not sufficient, you should contact your module leader to discuss whether a further extension is possible (this may not be feasible for all modules). Again, no evidence will be required for this to be authorised.
Please remember that you should try (wherever possible) to submit your assessment work by the due date. Students can check their assignment due dates in Canvas.
It is important to consider that you may create challenges for yourself in the future with a build-up of work to be submitted by deferring your assessment. You are strongly encouraged to discuss this with your personal tutor, academic coach or module leader before making this decision.
In line with Government restrictions, there will be no on campus teaching (apart from practical sessions for critical worker courses) until 8 March at the earliest. We advise students to check their timetable for further details.
You can access our Learning Online guidance using the button below - you'll find top tips, links to essential resources and virtual backgrounds which you can download and use during your online face to face teaching sessions.
The pandemic has created and exacerbated many challenges for us all and we have a range of services to support your wellbeing during this time. All students can access online mental health and wellbeing support 24/7 through Togetherall – an online community monitored by trained clinicians.
Find out more about the student support services available here: wlv.ac.uk/support
Wellness Wednesday is a weekly conversation that students can engage with through our Instagram stories. Each week we set a new topic for discussion, usually around mental health or University life, and ask students to submit their advice using question boxes, which can be shared anonymously.
This week we asked students to share a TV show, book or film that has helped keep them busy during lockdown. Study breaks are an important part of achieving your potential, helping you stay focused and motivated. A study break can leave you feeling refreshed and energised to return to your studies with renewed focus. We received over 60 responses, and students can catch up with Wellness Wednesday in our Instagram highlights.
It is a relationship based on encouragement, constructive comments, openness, mutual trust and respect, as well as a willingness to learn and share.
Students can discover more about the Alumni Mentoring scheme at our webinar 'The Power of Mentoring' on Wednesday, 10 February, 6 pm - 6:30 pm.
Visit our dedicated Covid-19 webpages for information on how you can stay safe and help protect our University community during the pandemic.
Student Update: Assessments, Q&A video, online learning and support for students
04/02/2021
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).
I hope you are settled into your studies and keeping safe in these first few weeks of the semester. We very much appreciate your patience and cooperation with the restrictions within which we are all working.
Earlier this week Michelle Donelan MP, Minister of State for Universities, has written a letter to students which you can access on our Student News webpage.
Last week students were invited to submit questions about teaching and learning for a Q&A video with the President of the Students' Union, Ayo Falana and myself. Thank you to everyone who submitted a question, the video is now available for you to watch.
In the Q&A, we covered a range of topics including assessments, fees and online learning. In this communication, I will also be updating you on:
- Our approach to assessments this semester
- Online learning
- Support for students
- Alumni mentoring scheme
Plans for semester 2 assessments
Due to the continuing national and regional restrictions in response to Covid-19, the University is planning for most assessments this semester to be held online. This means that we will convert physical exams to online assessments wherever possible.
The only exceptions will be those courses where there is a regulatory body requirement for an on campus examination. Students affected by this will be advised separately by their course teams and tutors.
Requesting an extension for your assignments
In response to the pandemic and the current national lockdown, the University is continuing to support students through its trust-based approach to deadline extensions and extenuating circumstances.
This approach means that if you require an additional week to complete your assessment, you can request an extension through e:Vision that will be automatically and instantly approved. This extended deadline will be reflected in your Canvas assignment due date.
If one additional week is not sufficient, you should contact your module leader to discuss whether a further extension is possible (this may not be feasible for all modules). Again, no evidence will be required for this to be authorised.
Please remember that you should try (wherever possible) to submit your assessment work by the due date. Students can check their assignment due dates in Canvas.
Deferring an assessment beyond one week
If you feel that an extension will not be sufficient to enable you to complete the assignment, you may want to consider requesting a deferral to the next assessment period in July through the extenuating circumstances process. Again this will operate on a trust basis.
It is important to consider that you may create challenges for yourself in the future with a build-up of work to be submitted by deferring your assessment. You are strongly encouraged to discuss this with your personal tutor, academic coach or module leader before making this decision.
Fit to Sit
It is important to remember that when you submit work for an assessment, you are declaring that you are fit to do so. This means that you cannot claim extenuating circumstances retrospectively after submitting your work.
If you have claimed extenuating circumstances, you should not submit an assignment on the original due date unless you are doing so deliberately. The 'Fit to Sit' policy will mean that your extenuating circumstances claim for the assessment is no longer valid, and the submission will count.
Classification and progression
Last academic year, we adjusted our classification and progression regulations to recognise the impact of the emergency move to online teaching and assessment. Students who are now in their final year of an undergraduate degree will have these adjusted classification rules applied this year, which means that they will be classified over their best 120 rather than 180 credits over levels 5 and 6. Please note there are some exceptions for programmes where PSRB requirements dictate the classification rules.
Learning online
We are committed to ensuring all our students have the best learning experience possible this year, whilst keeping the safety of our University community at the heart of everything we do.
In line with Government restrictions, there will be no on campus teaching (apart from practical sessions for critical worker courses) until 8 March at the earliest. We advise students to check their timetable for further details.
You can access our Learning Online guidance using the button below - you'll find top tips, links to essential resources and virtual backgrounds which you can download and use during your online face to face teaching sessions.
Guide for learning online
Support for students
We will continue to provide access to our student support services online. Faculty Student Services are the first point of call for students to access support and advice. The easiest way to contact your Faculty Support Services is via the e:Vision Helpdesk. A key benefit to using the Helpdesk is that it's easy to track your query and record our responses for the full duration of your course.
The pandemic has created and exacerbated many challenges for us all and we have a range of services to support your wellbeing during this time. All students can access online mental health and wellbeing support 24/7 through Togetherall – an online community monitored by trained clinicians.
Find out more about the student support services available here: wlv.ac.uk/support
Wellness Wednesday is a weekly conversation that students can engage with through our Instagram stories. Each week we set a new topic for discussion, usually around mental health or University life, and ask students to submit their advice using question boxes, which can be shared anonymously.
This week we asked students to share a TV show, book or film that has helped keep them busy during lockdown. Study breaks are an important part of achieving your potential, helping you stay focused and motivated. A study break can leave you feeling refreshed and energised to return to your studies with renewed focus. We received over 60 responses, and students can catch up with Wellness Wednesday in our Instagram highlights.
Hardship fund
The Government has announced this week a further £50 million that will be distributed through universities. We are waiting to hear how much will be allocated to the University of Wolverhampton but this will be added to our existing hardship funding. Any students experiencing financial hardship, including international students, are invited to apply.
- Log into e:Vison and go to your Student Home Page
- Select My Finance and then Scholarships and Bursaries
- Select Dennis Turner Hardship Fund
- Applications should be submitted before Friday, 12 March.
Students can access more information on the Dennis Turner Hardship Fund here: wlv.ac.uk/fund.
Alumni Mentoring Scheme
Join our Alumni Mentoring Scheme where mentors (alumni professionals now working in industry) provide one to one support, inspiration and guidance to mentees (current students or recent graduates) with their career aspirations, and personal and professional development.
It is a relationship based on encouragement, constructive comments, openness, mutual trust and respect, as well as a willingness to learn and share.
Students can discover more about the Alumni Mentoring scheme at our webinar 'The Power of Mentoring' on Wednesday, 10 February, 6 pm - 6:30 pm.
Find out more and register for the event
Stay up to date with the latest information
Please keep checking your University emails and reading these updates. We are committed to keeping students up to date. We do this by email, on our social media channels (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) and the University Student News web page.
Visit our dedicated Covid-19 webpages for information on how you can stay safe and help protect our University community during the pandemic.
Thank you, and stay safe.
Professor Julia Clarke
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
For more information please contact the Corporate Communications Team.
