Platform Updates and Announcements

  • New! Collaborate Support Chatbot – see below in the ‘Important Blackboard Collaborate Articles’ section to learn more

Welcome to Moodle

Moodle Login

  • The URL address for the new Moodle environment is now https://learn.msvu.ca/login/index.php.
  • Please create a new bookmark in your browser(s) on your various devices for this new site.
  • This new instance of Moodle will be used for all future academic course deliveries (started with the summer 2020 term).

Former Moodle Environment

  • Moodle course sites delivered prior to the 2020 summer sessions will remain on the former Moodle server.
  • Faculty can continue to access this former Moodle environment for previous course deliveries.
  • Students who have on-going coursework in course prior to the summer 2020 term, you may also continue to access this former Moodle environment for that purpose.

Important Blackboard Collaborate Articles

New in Collaborate – Support Chatbot Feature

Blackboard Collaborate is excited to introduce its new Chat Support feature! It has integrated a support chatbot within the Blackboard Collaborate session experience to provide faculty, students and staff a way to get immediate answers to the most common questions. This new feature is to allow you to troubleshoot common issues yourself first, and then contact online@msvu.ca after if you still need further assistance.

Here’s how it works:

  • Now, attendees can get support troubleshooting common issues while still in their session.
  • With the new access to support, attendees can troubleshoot first and contact online@msvu.ca for support after, if they still need to.
  • You can find the new Chat Support feature at the end of the My Settings panel.
  • Select My Settings by clicking on the Gear icon as shown below.
  • Once you are in My Settings, select Chat Support as shown.

Stop by our daily Drop-In Collaborate Support Sessions from 1:00pm – 2:00pm to learn more about this new feature or email online@msvu.ca to schedule a quick demo.

 

Known Issue/Investigation in Progress: Browser freezes intermittently when sharing application or screen on Windows

Date Published: Feb 04, 2021

Product: Collaborate – Ultra Experience Service Pack(s): Ultra Experience Steps to Replicate:

Some users have reported that browsers freeze, or becomes unresponsive, intermittently when sharing an application, or sharing their screen in Collaborate Ultra on  Windows. This issue does not affect all users and does not occur during all sessions. The issue has reportedly occurred while using different browser versions on Windows.

Symptoms: The user sharing an application or their screen may experience the Collaborate tab, or entire browser, freeze for 1-2 minutes before becoming responsive again. It has been reported in some instances that the browser crashed or remained frozen indefinitely, requiring a force quit.

Resolution/Workaround:

  • One workaround is to try using a different supported browser until a fix is released.
  • Chrome users should disable “Hardware Acceleration” by going to chrome://settings > Advanced > under System turn off “Use hardware acceleration when available” > Relauch Chrome

 

  • Another possible workaround for moderators who are app sharing presentations is to upload the file to the whiteboard instead, if possible. This is also a best practice for optimizing bandwidth consumption.

This is an intermittent issue. Our development team is prioritizing investigation work to find a resolution for this issue. This article will be updated when the issue is fixed.

TLCOL is sharing reported issues from MSVU faculty and students to BC and will share updates here as the issue is investigated and resolved.

Mount Online Learning Platform Informed Consent Statement

The Mount’s Online Learning Platform includes Moodle, Blackboard Collaborate, Office 365, Nearpod and more. By using this website, you are confirming that you have read, understood and accepted the following terms and conditions.

Copyright

Materials on the Mount Online Learning Platform are subject to the Copyright Act, Canadian laws, policies, regulations and international agreements. This includes identifying the source of information and prohibiting the reproduction of materials without written permission.

Data Storage

The Mount abides by all provincial privacy laws including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP) and the Personal Information International Disclosure Act (PIIPDA).

Confidentiality

Authorized Mount staff have access to your course site to provide technical support and to assist in the administration and smooth functioning of the Mount Online Learning Platform. All information gathered in Moodle will be kept confidential.

Your class sessions and other learning activities may be recorded by your instructor for use within your online course site. Your instructor will provide advanced warning before beginning the recording and will inform you of any additional use of these recordings. Recordings will not be distributed outside of the Mount Online Learning platform.

Terms of Use for Students

  • You will not submit material completed in a course to fulfil the requirements of another course without the written permission of both instructors. To do so would constitute cheating as stated in the Academic Calendar.
  • You will not record any class activities including discussion or lecture without securing the permission of the course instructor.
  • You will not upload course material to any external websites or share with others, unless permitted to do so by the instructor. If you require further clarification about using materials from this course in other contexts, please contact the instructor.
  • Only students registered in this Mount Online course site are permitted to view, download, upload, comment or otherwise participate in this course site.
  • You will not provide anyone not registered in this course with access to the Mount Online course site established for the course.
  • You will not divulge or share your Mount password with anyone.

By entering this website, you agree to:
1. Abide by the Mount’s Regulations Governing Computer Use
2. Maintain Academic Integrity
3. All of the terms and conditions above.

Who to Contact for Support

Faculty, please email online@msvu.ca or call 902-483-8341 (between 8:30am – 4:30pm only) if you require support using any of the features of Moodle or Blackboard Collaborate. This may include help with setting up your Moodle course site, how to import course content, how to use quizzes or to request a training session.

Students, please email online@msvu.ca if you need help with navigating Moodle, how to submit assignments and use quizzes, how to upload files and much more.

Please contact the IT&S Help Desk for the following technical support requests:

  • Logging into Moodle, accessing your Moodle course sites and joining a Blackboard Collaborate session
  • Accessing Office 365, SharePoint, OneDrive, Skype for Business and more
  • Passwords, email, wireless, internet, printing and more

Evening and Weekend Support

Evening and weekend support is provided for urgent requests only. Urgent requests are those that concern your ability to teach or participate in a class that same evening or weekend, or if you are having issues with using a Moodle quiz. Only urgent requests will be responded to immediately, and others will be responded to the next business day. Please email online@msvu.ca (email only), mark it urgent, explain how you are not able to teach or participate in a class or need help with a Moodle quiz and your request will be responded as soon as possible.

Upcoming Moodle Maintenance Periods

Moodle Maintenance Periods

The Teaching and Learning Center and Online Learning (TLCOL) and IT&S are committed to ensuring that the teaching and learning technologies used by faculty and students at the university are properly maintained and upgraded on a regular basis.

Maintenance periods are scheduled in advance and occur outside of class start and end dates and exam schedules as per the academic calendar.

Dates for upcoming maintenance periods will be communicated in the near future. In the meantime, please anticipate the following maintenance periods:

  • Between 2021WI and 2021S1 terms
  • Between the two summer terms
  • Between 2021SS and 2021FA terms
  • Between 2021FA and 2022WI terms

Learn more at Moodle Maintenance and Upgrade Information.