eLearning for students

Hochschule Niederrhein. Your way.
eLearning for Students

At The Hochschule Niederrhein you will encounter many offers for digitalized learning: The learning platform Moodle accompanies and supports you throughout your studies. From the introductory week to the thesis, Moodle offers location- and time-independent access to digital learning materials and activities as well as a variety of opportunities for communication and collaboration with your fellow students and lecturers.

In addition to Moodle, lecturers use other digital tools that contribute to your learning success, e.g. video conferencing, whiteboards or voting systems. You may already be familiar with Moodle and some digital tools from other educational contexts. To help you quickly find your way around, this page provides information about Moodle and digitalized learning.

Digitization brings many opportunities but also challenges. The digital etiquette guide of the Hochschule Niederrhein gives you recommendations for good and successful interaction and contains information on the legal framework.

eLearning-Team
Answers your questions about Moodle, eLearning, eAssessment

In Moodle, first-year students can find information about their Degree programme and tips on how to organize their everyday studies. Students can find materials on courses, bridge courses and tutorials in Moodle courses and a variety of activities, e.g. online tests to check their learning progress and forums for exchanging information and collaborating with fellow students.

Moodle - how does it work?

  • Moodle introductions to first-year students are held regularly at the start of the semester as part of the introductory weeks. The learning platform is introduced and access ("enrollment key") to online materials and learning activities in Moodle courses is explained.
  • To get started with Moodle, we recommend the Moodle for freshmen guide and the video How does Moodle actually work?
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  • Students can also design their own courses, e.g. for learning and working groups. If you want to learn more about Moodle, you can find extensive information on the page eLearning for lecturers.
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  • Moodle is used in many tutorials. In the university-wide tutor program you will be methodically and didactically prepared for your assignment as a tutor.

 

The Zoom video conferencing service is a central tool for digital, synchronous teaching education at HS Niederrhein.

  • You can access your personal Zoom account in the web interface via https://hs-niederrhein.zoom.us/. You can log in with your university account.

  • Alternatively, you can obtain the local client from Zoom, where you log in via SSO using the domain "hs-niederrhein".

  • You will find further information in the Zoom Help Center of the provider.

  • Tips for participating in online events can be found in the Moodle course EASI - Studying made easy.

We have also compiled frequent questions and answers to help you successfully participate in meetings or hold your own events in video conferences:

FAQ - Participate in Zoom Meetings

How do I participate in a Zoom meeting?
There is a link for each Zoom meeting, which you can get from your lecturer or find in your Moodle course. You can also use Zoom for study groups, student projects, or tutorials. As a participant, you will then receive the link from the person setting up the Zoom meeting. You can read how to set up a Zoom meeting in the column on the right.

As a participant, click on the link and confirm with "Open Link" when the "Start Application" window opens. If you are using Zoom for the first time, you will first be directed to install the Zoom app. If Zoom participation is password protected, you will now be asked for the password - enter the password and confirm by clicking "Join the meeting". In the following window, choose whether you want to join the meeting with or without a picture. Usually, you do not need to register with Zoom to join a meeting.

I have signed up for Zoom before, how do I sign up now with my university account?
Log in using your university account via the URL https://hs-niederrhein.zoom.us. In other places, e.g. on the Zoom website or in the app, please select "Log in via SSO" and enter the organizational domain "hs-niederrhein". You will then be redirected to the university's login page and can log in with your university ID. Direct login with email address and password is not possible.

Can I now transfer my Zoom account, which I registered with my private email address, to the university email address?
No, since you must log in using the above URL, no transfer is possible.

When I click on the link, I am supposed to download a file, what do I do?
Depending on your configuration, to join a Zoom meeting for the first time, you will need to download a file that includes the Zoom app. So, confirm the download and open the file by double-clicking on it. Then follow the steps as explained in the question above.

Where can I adjust the picture and sound?
At the bottom of the video window you will find various icons. On the left side of the bar, you can use the audio or video icon to turn your sound and image on and off. Both icons have a small upward pointing arrow that you can use to access more options to edit your video and audio settings.

Is it possible to chat or ask questions in writing?
Yes, in the lower icon bar you will find the icon "Chat" in the middle with which you can open the chat window.

The other participants do not hear me or hear me poorly, what can I do?
If you join a meeting and have not selected ''Always participate in audio via computer'', you will see a prompt where you can click on ''Test computer microphone and speakers'' to enter your audio settings. If you are already in a meeting, click on the upward pointing arrow next to "Mute" to enter your audio settings. In the settings, you can now test your speaker and microphone. If the audio quality of your internal microphone is not sufficient, use a headset if necessary. If you cannot be heard at all, check that your microphone is muted.

Can I join a meeting without installing the app?
Yes, when you click the link provided for the Zoom meeting, you will be redirected to the Zoom website. You will be prompted to download a file there, if you don't want to or can't, click the "join via your browser" link highlighted in blue. Enter your surname and join the meeting.

Where can I get the desktop client? Where can I get the mobile app?
You can get the mobile app as usual in the app stores of Google (Play Store) or Apple. You can download the desktop client for Windows, Mac and Linux here: https: //zoom.us/download.

Is there an option to open a test meeting beforehand?
Yes, you can open a test meeting at https://www.zoom.us/test. To join the test meeting, proceed as described in question 1. If you want to invite additional participants, click on the small exclamation mark in the upper left corner of the window. Here you can now view and send the "invitation link".

How do I use a virtual background?
For successful teaching education, an open exchange between lecturers and learners is beneficial. In digital lectures via Zoom, it is therefore often more convenient if lecturers can also see the participants of the lecture, because their reactions and expressions can influence the course of the lecture. However, if you as a participant do not want to give a glimpse of your private premises, it is advisable to use a virtual background. With the virtual background function you can show a picture as your background during a zoom meeting. If you want to set up a background before a meeting starts, do the following: Start the Zoom application and click on "Settings" (gear icon). Then select the "Virtual background" tab and pick a background. Alternatively, you can upload your own background. If you are already in the meeting and want to set up a virtual background afterwards, click on the upward pointing arrow next to "Start/End Video" and then select the "Select Virtual Background" option.

What can I do if the camera does not work or is not recognized?
Test your video before a meeting: in Zoom, click your profile picture and then click "Settings." Then select the "Video" option. You will now be shown the preview of your camera and you can check your settings, if necessary also select a different camera. If you are already in the meeting, click on the upward pointing arrow next to "End Video" and select "Video Settings". If your camera still does not work, it is recommended that you update to the latest version or reinstall the application.

How do I set up a profile picture?
In the event of connection problems, it may exceptionally make sense to dispense with the video in order to reduce bandwidth. Alternatively, you can set up a profile picture in Zoom in these cases. You have the option to set up a profile picture if you have created a Zoom account. To access your Zoom profile, log in to the Zoom web portal and click Profile. Click "Modify" under the profile picture icon to add your profile picture. You can also delete your profile picture by clicking on "Delete"

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If you have further questionsabout using Zoom Meetings, visit the Zoom Help Center, which provides detailed information on various topics:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/de

FAQ - Conduct Zoom Meetings

Who can set up & run a Zoom meeting with other students?
Zoom meetings can be used by students for study groups and projects or similar. In addition, many tutorials are conducted using Zoom. We want you to be able to meet with others in a digital space in your studies.

Do I need to apply for a Zoom license to use Zoom?
No, you can use Zoom as soon as you have a university account.

How can I start a Zoom meeting?
You can start meetings via the URL https://hs-niederrhein.zoom.us/. To do so, click on the "Organizer" button. In the following window, log in with your university account. Now click on "Open link" if the "Start application" window opens. Next, confirm "Join the audio via computer".

Where can I find the advanced setting options for my created meetings?
The advanced settings options are only available after logging into the web browser. Click on "Settings" on the left and then select your desired settings under "Meeting".

How do I use a waiting room video?
Open https://hs-niederrhein.zoom.us/.

Select "Sign in" here and log in with your university account. In the left column, select the settings and find the option for waiting room videos in the Meeting tab under Security - Waiting Room Options - Waiting Room Customization. There, select the "one video" option and upload the video you previously downloaded from the university's CD portal: intern.hs-niederrhein.de/corporate-design/.

How can I allow participants to save a meeting chat locally?
Before you can manually save your meeting chat, the Chat setting and the "Allow users to save chats from the meeting" checkbox must be selected. During the meeting, participants can click the three ... buttons at the bottom of the chat window. in the chat menu and then click Save Chat.

How can I invite more participants if I have already started a meeting?
At the top left of the video window you will find a small button with an exclamation mark. After clicking on the button, the URL of the meeting will be displayed and you can send it to other participants.

What information do the participants of a meeting I created need?
Participants need either the meeting ID and meeting password combination or alternatively the invitation link by URL. Zoom will automatically generate an invitation for you, which you can copy-and-paste elsewhere. You can provide this information via email, in your Moodle course, or another way.

How do I schedule a Zoom meeting for a specific date?
Open https://hs-niederrhein.zoom.us/. Select "Sign In" here and log in with your university account. In the following window you will now find the option "Schedule a meeting" in the upper right corner. Here you can now set the date, time and duration of the meeting, as well as assign a password to attend. Click "Save". Finally, you can copy the URL of the meeting or send it directly ("Copy the invitation").

I am a tutor:in and would like to use a Zoom meeting for a weekly event, how can I set up a recurring meeting?
Open https://hs-niederrhein.zoom.us/. Select "Sign in" here and log in with your university account. In the following window you will now find the option "Schedule a meeting" in the upper right corner. Here you can select the time and date as well as the option "Recurring meeting". Here, select the option "Weekly" for "Recurrence" and specify the desired day of the week in addition to the frequency. Finally, you can stop the recurrence either from one day or after the number of desired weeks (events). The Zoom meeting will now be scheduled for you each week with the same invitation link and settings.

How can I give the host role to other participants?
In the lower icon bar in the video window you will find the "Participants" icon, which shows the surnames of the participants. Click on the "More" button next to one of the participants. In the menu that appears, you can now select "Create host". Alternatively, you can give participants the role of "Co-moderator".

How can I share my screen?
To do this, click on the "Share screen" icon in the lower icon bar and then select the window that you want to share. You can find more options offered by Zoom in this PDF. Tips and tricks for a successful meeting can be found here.

How can I send participants to a separate room?
The Breakout Room feature allows you to split a Zoom meeting into several separate sessions. To do this, first activate the function in the Zoom settings under "In Meeting (Advanced)". Then, as the host, you can select the "Breakout Session" button in the bottom menu bar to create rooms and assign participants. More Info.

If you have further questions about using Zoom Meetings, please visit the Zoom Help Center, which provides detailed information on various topics:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/de

 

Examination procedures can be carried out via the Moodle examination systemhttps://moodle-exam.hsnr.de, such as the submission of studies, projects and seminar papers or the submission of theses.