University of Western Australia
Learning online
At UWA, you can study anywhere. anytime.
Learning online can be a great way of learning as you can work at your own pace, set your own schedule and work from any location. To keep you engaged, on track and improve how you learn online, we’ve created specific resources and services to help you achieve your goals.
It’s easy to connect
UWA’s online environment makes it easy for you to connect with learning resources, other students and staff. You can also use UWA’s online platforms to revisit lessons, explore resources in depth and engage in deep learning.
Your key online learning platforms are:
Blackboard LMS
Blackboard LMS, or simply “LMS”, is where you’ll find all the content for your units along with any online learning activities. LMS is a fully-integrated digital learning environment, where you can:
- Get unit information, resources and updates
- Complete assessments, use Turnitin and get feedback
- Communicate and collaborate with others
To access the LMS, we recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, or download and use the Blackboard App where you’ll find some useful guides.
Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
Within your LMS, you’ll find Blackboard Collaborate Ultra which has your links to access online lectures, tutorials and workshops. Collaborate Ultra guides provide helpful advice for participating in activities and downloading recordings. If you need to participate in audio and video activities, but don’t have a webcam or camera and microphone enabled on your laptop or desktop computer, you can use an App which allows you to use your smartphone as a webcam.
Echo360
Recordings for your lectures can also be found in Echo360 (UWA's Lecture Capture System). If this is the case, you’ll find links to view or download lecture recordings in your units’ LMS content folders or left-hand navigation menu, or via the Tools link from your LMS landing page.
Echo360 has a useful feature to help you take notes while you are listening.
Microsoft Teams
Some of your units may use Teams to deliver online classes, and to allow for group discussion, file collaboration, and more. To ensure Teams runs smoothly for your UWA sessions, download the Teams App to your desktop, laptop or mobile device, and sign-in using your Uni-ID (your student email and Pheme password). If you can’t download the Teams App, you can use the latest version of a browser such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium), but interactivity tends to be limited in many other browsers. For more tips, see the quickstart guide.
Your online learning resources
IT support is here!
There are many ways to get IT and printing support, and you can contact the Library for technical assistance.
For remote access, the UniConnect VPN service will enable you to access systems restricted to the UWA network. If you’re in China, you will need FortiClient VPN software for remote access. The UniDesk service will allow you to remotely connect to laboratory and library computers from a personal device, so that you can access specialist software where licences permit.