Back to Uni tutors' guide

Will I be able to enrol on the course as a tutor?

Tutors will be able to view the course as a guest once it has been finalised. Guest enrolment will not allow editing or commenting, but will give you the opportunity to review the content in the same format that students are accessing it.

If you would like to enrol as a guest, please oocs@reading.ac.uk from your university email address. We will keep a record of those interested and send an invite when the course is available. Guest enrolment will be available throughout the period that the course is open.

Why is there a staggered release?

The course is released according to when each group has received their UoR email address. The start dates will be made very clear in a planned programme of communications to students managed by the Student Success and Engagement Team.

How can I recommend this course to my students?

Students will receive communications about the course and a link to the FutureLearn platform so they can register and get started directly to their UoR email address. If you would like to highlight this course to a particular group of students, then you may like to use the following text:

‘There have been some changes to the ways you’ll be learning post Covid-19. ‘Back to Uni’ will help you prepare for your return to study at the University of Reading. The course will provide vital information on how you’ll be studying this term, including advice on how to make the most of face-to-face interactive sessions and online core content, as well as developing your study skills to adapt to learning online.

 It can be completed in a few short sessions (approx. 4 hours of total study) and is designed so you can work through it at your own pace. If you’re a returning UG student or a PG student, please check your emails for your email about ‘Back to Uni: Your Essential Guide to Flexible and Online Study’.  If you haven’t received an email then please contact the Online Courses team oocs@reading.ac.uk’.

Please note that only returning UG students and incoming PG students are eligible for this course.

How do I know if my students have taken the course?

We’re unable to provide data on individuals who have taken the course. Students who complete the course will receive a personalised FutureLearn digital certificate. Please note, students will need to ‘Mark each Step as Complete’ on the FutureLearn platform to receive this digital certificate.

Can we share direct links to course materials for students who are not eligible to enrol?

This will be a private course and therefore only available to view with an invitation linked to the individuals UoR email address. Please contact oocs@reading.ac.uk or a Study Adviser if you would like to share the materials outside of the FutureLearn platform as we are able to discuss this on a case-by-case basis.

Is the course appropriate for all subject disciplines?

The course is necessarily non-subject specific as it is aimed at all returning UG students and incoming PG students. The focus is on the blended approach to teaching and learning across the whole University. It will cover key areas such as the University recommended digital tools and technologies as well as information about communicating online and developing strategies to manage studies effectively.

Illustrations of how these might work at subject level will be accompanied with the warning that this is an example only, and that the principles may work differently in different subject disciplines.

Is the course going to be very essay-based?

We have made a conscious effort to widen the scope of studying and to include genres other than essays. The course will also cover group work, presentations, workshops, exam preparation and longer pieces of assessment such as dissertations and final projects. 

Given the number of international students, will there be any adjustment made to language to accommodate them?

We're very conscious of the needs of both international and home students for whom English is not their first language. We have tried to avoid the use of colloquialisms where possible, and have included a link to a Glossary which we suggest they bookmark, and to which we are adding terms that might be new or difficult.

Will the course be accessible?

Yes, all videos and audio will have subtitles and transcripts. All images and diagrams (and videos where applicable) will have alternative text.

Will the course cover health and safety information about Autumn term?

The course will introduce the blended approach to teaching and learning and will focus on the tools and technologies for studying. It will provide best practise for communicating online and include advice on how to stay safe in digital environment, however it will not include details about health and safety measures on campus. This information is provided on the Essentials Webpages.

How will inappropriate use be moderated?

We expect the course to particularly be busy over the first month of the course and for this period it will be facilitated by Study Advisers and the Online Courses Team. We encourage students to be respectful and considerate of each other’s views and have not found any incidences of inappropriate posts shared on our other internal online courses (Study Smart and Career Smart).

Students can anonymously mark any posts they consider inappropriate with FutureLearn directly with their permanent central support team. This is done by ‘flagging’ the comment on the platform and the post will be reviewed by the FutureLearn support team and removed if it breaks their code of conduct.

Will students be able to make contact with other students?

We certainly hope that the discussion boards will give students a chance to talk to other students, both in their disciplines and more broadly across campus. However, FutureLearn discourages the sharing of contact details on discussion boards.

Could you have one academic from every Dept/School for specific advice in discussions?

This sounds like an excellent idea, but unfortunately it would be unmanageable. Students will be given advice within the course on where to go if they require further support or if they have subject-specific questions.