Discover Blended and Online Learning

At University of Galway our blended and online learning courses are delivered through a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas.

If a course is completely 'online', this means that you will interact with your instructor and fellow students entirely online, through Canvas. You won’t have any in-person classes on campus. All of your live lectures will take place online, and you will access all your learning content online.

In a course that follows a 'blended' learning format, most of your learning content is accessed online, through Canvas, and some (or all) of your live classes are held on campus, in person.

Canvas is our central means of communicating with students who study at a distance from the University. Canvas is used to manage the communication process between students and lecturers. It is used as a means of delivering content, supporting learners, or managing assessments. Click here for a brief introduction to Canvas.

If you want to find out more about Virtual Learning Environments, click on this short lesson to learn how it supports blended and online learning. We also have some useful information on Canvas on the Services for Students webpage.

You might also be interested in reviewing some of our frequently asked questions about remote learning at University of Galway.

At University of Galway our blended and online learning courses are delivered through a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas.

In a course that follows a 'blended' learning format, most of your learning content is accessed online, through Canvas, and some (or all) of your live classes are held on campus, in person.

You might also be interested in reviewing some of our frequently asked questions about remote learning at University of Galway.

Technical queries

What kind of hardware do I need to be a part of a blended and online course?

The basic hardware you will need in order to take part in your online course is:

A recent laptop or computer
A stable Internet connection
A microphone and a webcam

In an online course, the content is delivered through our virtual learning environment, Canvas. Being able to access the learning management system requires access to a stable broadband connection and a laptop or desktop computer. You can also access Canvas from a tablet or a phone, but in order to complete assignments, you’ll need a computer.

Some of your lectures will take place live, online. You’ll need to be able to interact with the lecturer and other students during your online lectures, so having a headset with a microphone, as you’d use for Skype, can be useful. Finally, having a webcam is also useful. Many laptops have a built-in mic and webcam. If yours does, you won’t need to purchase these separately.

What kind of software do I need to be a part of a blended and online course?

In order to complete assignments, you’ll need access to a word processor and presentation software. NUI Galway provides the MS Office suite to all students for free, so if you don’t have that already, you’ll be able to download it to your computer once you’re registered. A good understanding of using MS Word and PowerPoint is important.

In some modules, you might be asked to create a video for an assignment. You can do this using your smartphone or your webcam. If your course requires specialist software, NUI Galway provides free student access to many other software applications.

Canvas works best on Google Chrome or Firefox, so make sure you have one of these web browsers installed on your computer.

How can I tell if my broadband is sufficient to participate in a blended and online course?

To participate fully in an online course, you will need a strong, stable broadband connection. You can do a free speed test on Ookla to find out what your broadband’s download and upload speeds are. In order to access your online lectures in Zoom, you will need a broadband speed of at least 5 Mbps.

How are blended and online courses delivered in the Centre for Adult Learning?

University of Galway delivers learning material to students via a virtual learning environment called Canvas. As students are accessing learning material online, they can study at times which complement their work and family commitments. The courses are delivered online through:

Podcasts
Screencasts (a digital recording of computer screen output)
Live online lectures – scheduled at specific times but also recorded so students can access them later
Live online review and Q&A sessions
Reading material and assignments
Online discussions

What computer skills do I need to learn blended and online?

Your online course will be accessed through University of Galway’s virtual learning environment, Canvas, so you’ll need to know how to access it on the Internet. You’ll also need to be able to use the Internet for research for your assignments. Canvas works best on Google Chrome or Firefox, so make sure you have one of these web browsers installed on your computer, and you are comfortable using it.

In order to complete assignments, you’ll need to be able to use a word processor and possibly presentation software, such as PowerPoint. NUI Galway provides the MS Office suite to all students for free, so if you don’t have that, you’ll be able to download it to your computer once you’re registered. A good understanding of using MS Word and PowerPoint is important.

In some modules, you might be asked to create a video for an assignment. You can do this using your smart phone or a webcam. If your course requires specialist software, NUI Galway provides free student access to many other software applications.

How do I access the University's IT Services remotely?

You can access the following University IT Services off-campus by using your Campus Account credentials. If you have a specific query, the ISS Service Desk can help you. Log a ticket at https://servicedesk.nuigalway.ie or email servicedesk@nuigalway.ie

Please note that some discipline-specific software may not be available from off-campus, so you should liaise with your course administrators to understand what is available.

Teaching and Learning queries

What kinds of activities will I be doing in my blended or online module?

In a blended or online module, you will have many different ways of communicating with your instructor and fellow students in Canvas. Some of the activities you might engage in are:

Discussion Board conversations
Blog posts
Using a wiki to create content with your classmates
Taking online tests or surveys
Uploading completed assignments to Canvas
Attending lectures in the (online) classroom (in Zoom)

Click here for more information on Canvas.

What kinds of materials will my instructors provide for me in a blended or online module?

Your instructors will provide many different kinds of materials for you to interact with in your classes, such as:

Podcasts
Screencasts
Videos
Websites
PowerPoint presentations
PowerPoint presentations accompanied by a podcast
Lecture notes
Reading list, online, through the Library

These will be accessed through University of Galway’s virtual learning environment, Canvas.

What can I do to prepare for my blended or online course?

There is lots of helpful advice to assist you in preparing for online learning. Discover more using some of the links below:

StudyOnline. CA has created this article to help online learners prepare for the online learning experience. Read through the article and see if there are things that you can do to help you prepare for being an online student.
10 Points to Remember when Learning Online

You might also be wondering if blended or online learning is a good fit for you. If so, you can take this quick online quiz to find out!

Do I have to attend a blended or online class at a specific time or is the learning flexible to fit my schedule?

Blended learning modules will include live, face-to-face lectures on campus. Modules that are held completely online will include live, online lectures. You will access the online lectures through Zoom or MS Teams on your Canvas module.

We understand that adult learners have other commitments to work and family, which means you might not be able to attend all of your lectures when they are presented live. For this reason, all of the live online lectures are recorded and posted on Canvas within 24 hours of the live session. If you can’t make it to the live session, you can watch the recording later. This is also helpful for revision, as all the students on the module can watch the lectures again if they feel they need to do so.

What does it mean that the courses are fully online?

The Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development offers flexible, part-time courses for adult learners. Online learning means that you will interact with your instructor and fellow students entirely online through NUI Galway’s virtual learning environment, Canvas. You will also access all the materials you need for the course online through Canvas.

How much time will I need to spend studying in a part-time blended and online course?

Time management is extremely important for part-time students. Applicants are advised that approximately 10-15 hours per week of study time is required, additional time may be required if you are studying for a degree or masters course. The following tools on Time Management will help you consider how much time you have available to study and how to manage that time effectively.

What’s the difference between a blended learning course and an online course?

In a blended learning course, you would meet with your instructor and classmates one or two times during the semester for face-to-face workshops. For the rest of the semester, you’d be working through the course materials on Canvas such as readings, activities and assignments. In a fully online course, you will interact with your instructor and fellow students entirely online through University of Galway’s virtual learning environment, Canvas. You will also access all the materials you need for the course online through Canvas. Click here for more information on Canvas in University of Galway.

Introduction to Canvas 2022-2023

One of the benefits of online learning is the flexibility the course affords you. You can study and interact with your online learning materials and classmates at times that complement your work and family commitments. You might be wondering if online learning is a good fit for you. If so, you can take this quick online quiz to find out!