Online learning heritage

Built for the future

2001

University of the Built Environment’s first use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

2009

The University’s first use of Moodle

2015

The University becomes fully online

Five reasons

To study online

 

  1. In a world changed beyond belief, studying online is now the most reliable way to learn.
  2. Earn and learn. Online learning is geared to fit around your lifestyle, so whether you study part-time alongside work commitments or full-time with the weighting the other way round, the flexibility of online learning helps you achieve this.
  3. Study wherever you are in the world. Join a worldwide community where you can share your expertise and build your cultural understanding of practice elsewhere in the world.
  4. All you need is an internet connection. You won’t need to find accommodation or worry about commuting to your campus. If you have somewhere you can study and an internet connection, you’ll have everything you need.
  5. Save on your carbon footprint. Studying online is environmentally friendly. No trees are felled for textbooks, no transportation is necessary for you to access your campus. If you are passionate about sustainability, online learning syncs with your principles.
How online learning at UCEM works
How to study with UCEM

"The experience of supported online education fits perfectly with the digital era of our day-to-day life. Access to the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) from my phone, iPad, laptop or work computer allows me to listen to webinars or participate in discussion forums any time of the day."

Ayesha Azar, MSc Real Estate
Graduate Surveyor, Valuation Agency, London, UK

When you study at UCEM, you’ll be using our state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), a specialised platform which provides you with everything you need to keep on top of your studies and succeed
Getting started on the VLE

The Virtual Learning Environment

How you’ll study

When you study at University of the Built Environment, you’ll be using our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), a specialised platform which provides you with everything you need to keep on top of your studies and succeed.

You’ll be guided through your learning with weekly study schedules and course guides, which you can adapt to suit your needs, pace and lifestyle. Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone, as you’ll also be fully supported by tutors and other students throughout your studies.

The VLE is at the heart of your studies. Here you will find all the learning resources you need for your studies, along with specially designed learning activities to help you develop the skills and knowledge that you need. You can participate in discussions with your tutor and other students, attend timetabled webinars or watch recordings. As you study, you will be supported with guidance from a highly experienced module team.

Teaching and learning statement

When it comes to online learning, you will experience teaching in a different way than you may have done at school, college or another university. This can take some getting used to and it’s important that you become familiar with how we will provide teaching online so you can make the most of your experience on your programme.

Online teaching doesn’t just exist in the timetabled webinars that you have with your tutor, or where they are physically present, such as in a video or audio resource. Teaching also happens through the learning activities on the VLE that are designed by tutors of our university and subject matter experts. Teaching is present in the tutor’s facilitation of discussion within discussion forums or Padlet boards, when you receive feedback on your assessment, or when you practise your skills.

At our university, the purpose of teaching isn’t just to transfer knowledge and information, it is to help you to learn how to think critically, how to apply your knowledge and abilities to the workplace and how to develop lifelong skills and become independent learners. Your assessment will reflect this. During your studies you will have the opportunity to interact with your tutors and fellow students through a variety of the following:

  • Timetabled webinars in the form of lectures, seminars, briefings, drop-in surgeries and Q&A sessions. You will benefit from attending these in person at the time they are scheduled but if you are unable to attend, a recording of tutor-led sessions will be made available following the event
  • Virtual office hours for individual conversations and support
  • Weekly, topic and assessment discussion forums on the VLE
  • Padlet boards (a version of an online pin board)

“Like anything new, it took a little bit of time clicking my way around the VLE [virtual learning environment] to learn where resources were and how it all held together, but it was quick to get used to, and before long the format and style the University uses became intuitive to me. Each week’s learning outcomes are very helpfully broken down and I like that there is even a guide as how much time I should expect to spend on each resource which is very helpful with keeping me on track.”

Rob Hill
BSc (Hons) Building Surveying student

Equipment needed

What you’ll need to study online

You will need access to:
  • A personal computer with audio and video playback capability
  • A smartphone device running either Android or Apple iOS
  • A broadband internet connection which enables unrestricted access to a range of resources including the University’s Virtual Learning Environment and Office365
  • Email address (provided by us)
  • Headphones with a microphone
You should be able to:
  • Create, use and save documents produced in word processing and spreadsheet software, for example, Microsoft Word and Excel
  • Open PDF documents with freely available Adobe Reader software
  • Use a web browser – we recommend your browser is up-to-date
  • Download either Microsoft Authenticator (preferred) or Google Authenticator on your smartphone

Recommended browser versions

We recommend that you use one of the following browsers, ensuring you keep up-to-date with the latest version:

  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Apple Safari
  • Microsoft Edge (Internet Explorer is no longer supported)

Note: You will need to allow “popups”

Note: Employers may operate policies limiting access to the internet and the use of e-mail at work. If you intend studying during the working week, you should check that access is possible.

Find out more…

Podcast: Our university’s journey into online learning

Video: How to study with us

Video: Getting started on the VLE

Article: 7 questions people ask about online learning