CampusPress

CampusPress at UWL

UWL CampusPress is a tool for creating portfolios, blogs and websites for learning, teaching and assessment. UWL CampusPress can be accessed via Blackboard or directly at campuspress.uwl.ac.uk. For more information on the functionality of CampusPress visit the campuspress help site.

Contents

 

New CampusPress Process 2018-19 onwards

In september 2018 the process for obtaining CampusPress sites changed.  Staff and students are now able to create for new sites themselves. Staff are responsible for making sure their students are aware of the process and for directing their students to the guidance. Guidance for students can be found on the student help site.

General instructions and user guides for staff

Staff may want all of their students to start with a site with a specific theme, privacy setting and user permissions. In CampusPress this is known as a template. If staff would like a template created they must complete a template consultation form. If staff do not want to create a template they can go straight to step 3 and create a class blog site. Once staff have created their class blog site they need to inform their students of the class blog site name and send the joining instructions to their students. Note: if your students do not join your class blog site you will not be able to access their sites.

Steps and instructions:

  1. Complete template consultation form and return to expert-academy@uwl.ac.uk (If applicable).
  2. Staff create their class blog site.
  3. Once template is created, instruct students to create their CampusPress site. (instructions also available on student help site).
  4. Staff instruct student to join their class blog.
  5. Access your students sites to view their work.

 

Instructions and user guides for College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare (PPDP)

Students studying Nursing are required to complete a personal and professional development plan (PPDP). Each tutor teaching on this course is responsible for instructing their students to create their PPDP and to create a class blog for their students to join. It is very important that students join their class blog, otherwise their tutors will not be able to access their students PPDPs’.

Steps and instructions:

  1. Create a Class blog. (video version)
  2. Students create their PPDP (Nursing student only).  Only students studying ODP should follow these instructions to create their PPDP (video version); Only student studying midwifery should follow these instructions to create their PPDP (instructions are also available on student help site). 
  3. Instruct student to Join your class blog (ensure you provide them with the class name). (video version)
  4. Regularly check your students PPDP. (video version)

Detailed instructions can be found in the CNMH PPDP staff training manual. This short video gives your some tips on how to manage your class blog.

Please feel free to use this PowerPoint when inducting your students.

 

Instructions and user guides for Degree Apprenticeships (Individual Learning Plan/Record of Progress)

Every student studying a degree apprenticeship at UWL needs to complete an individual learning plan/record of progress. course leaders and/or apprenticeship senior lead tutors can responsible for providing the Expert Academy with the data required for these sties to be set up. Once the sites (ILP/RoP) have been created ASLT’s are required to provide their students instruction on how to use their ILP/RoP below.

 

Steps and instructions

  1. Degree Apprenticeship information spreadsheet and return to expert-academy@uwl.ac.uk.
  2. Once site are created, ASLT to send students guidance for using their ILP/RoP (instructions also available on student help site).
  3. Students should send their site address (urls) with the password created in the guidance to their employers.

 

Ideas for using UWL CampusPress

Staff can use CampusPress for course activities with students such as website assessments, portfolios, blogging or to record CPD.

UWL CampusPress can be used by students independently, for example for a private, reflective learning journal or with you for a specific learning activity such as:

  • website-based assessments
  • portfolios of work
  • blogging
  • a record of CPD

Students are able to export their CampusPress sites at the end of their studies, allowing for continuous use throughout their careers as CampusPress is based on the popular website tool WordPress.

UWL Examples

Personal blogs for reflective writing – Fashioning Culture module, 2016-17:

Screenshot of CampusPress Blog

Collaborative activity: Apps for students – Personalised Learning module, Foundation course, 2016-17:

Screenshot of CampusPress site

Web assessment: press release – Music Technology module 2016-17:

Screenshot of CampusPress

CPD Portfolio (mock-up):

Screenshot of CampusPress

Help Using UWL CampusPress

Here are some Edublogs* guides to get you started:

*Note: Edublogs is another name for CampusPress

Staff FAQ’s

What is a class blog?

A class blog is another form of campuspress site that allows students to attach their own site to. In order for this to work a student must join the class blog. Creating a class blog is an essential step for staff wanting access and control of their students’ sites.

Benefits of a class blog:

  • Teacher/Tutor controls privacy setting of student sites (One setting for all sites).
  • Teacher/Tutor can moderate student blogs.
  • Teacher/Tutor can add other teachers, giving them immediate access to all of the student sites.

What is a template?

A template is a site that can be mirrored onto any site, features that are copied from a template to a campuspress site include themes, privacy settings, preloaded documents, media and text, users can also be added to templates so that when a users creates a new site from a template users will also be copied to that site.

Benefits of creating a template:

  • Users can be pre-added onto template, giving them immediate access.
  • Pages and Posts can be pre-populated.
  • Appearance such as themes, logos etc can be added
  • Plugins can be added to template