Image
Engaging with your classes
Engaging with your classes
You're expected to attend all your teaching sessions
As a student you should engage with all learning opportunities offered by the University including attending all your timetabled teaching sessions both on campus and online. You'll not only feel part of the university community, sharing experiences with other students in your cohort, but you are also more likely to get better results, graduate with a top degree classification, and strengthen your career opportunities.
As part of the support provided to help you successfully complete your studies, the University monitors your on-campus classroom attendance. The data collected comes from you actively swiping your Student Card against the card reader outside the room as you are about to enter for your next teaching session.
By you also logging in and accessing learning resources on Moodle, the University will monitor your virtual learning of the online elements of your course.
Without this data, your Faculty Student Success Advisers and Personal Academic Tutors may miss vital opportunities to discuss your progress and check that everything is okay. You can also find more information on Student Services and the support they can provide.
The University is also required to report student attendance to several UK and international external agencies and sponsors, including UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and the Student Loans Company (SLC), as well as various Professional Standards and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs).
Holders of a Student Visa
For students with a Student Visa, it is mandatory that you attend all on-campus timetable classroom teaching. Failure to do so could result in the University withdrawing your visa.
If you are struggling with your studies, in addition to speaking with your Faculty Student Success Adviser or Personal Academic Tutor, it is important that you contact the International Student Advice Team about any visa implications.
Recording Classroom Attendance
It is your responsibility to have your Student Card with you on Campus.
You will find card readers outside each classroom on campus. Swipe your Student Card against the card reader when the blue light is showing 30 minutes before the timetabled session begins until the end of the session. For example, if your lecture is timetabled from 9.00am to 10.00am, you will be able to scan your card between 8.30am and 10.00am.
If the green light flashes, then your attendance has been recorded.
If the red light flashes, then your attendance has not been recorded, which means you are not on the class list. (you should check that you are in the right place for your lecture!)
Your attendance won’t be registered, and you will be recorded as absent. The University will not retrospectively amend your attendance record if you forget to swipe the card reader.
You will be marked absent for the session. Do not forget to bring your card for the next session so that you are not recorded as absent again. The University will not retrospectively amend your attendance record if you forget your Student Card.
If you have lost your Student Card, you need to order a replacement as soon as possible.
No. Please don’t ask anyone else to scan your card and register you for your teaching sessions, as this is a disciplinary offense. If you’re going to be late, you can still scan your card when you arrive at the session.
If you attend a session different from that shown on your timetable and swipe your card, the data will not be collected.
Permanent timetable changes can be requested, but this can only happen if an alternative session is available. You must demonstrate exceptional reasons for requesting the change, that the change does not result in a timetable clash with your other classes, also there is space available, and that the change does not result in a detrimental teaching experience for any other students.
If you need guidance please contact the MyPort Hub
Falsifying Attendance
It is not acceptable for your card to be swiped by someone else or for you to swipe cards for others.
Misuse of Student Cards for recording attendance is a sanctionable offense under the Student Conduct policy and could lead to further disciplinary action. Your course leaders will do regular checks to make sure everyone who swiped into their classes are present.
You could also create a health and safety issue by falsifying attendance. If there was a fire in the building, the University will provide attendance records for the emergency services to know if they need to search for any missing students. By entering a potentially burning building, they are putting themselves and others at risk
Checking Your Attendance Record
View your own attendance and absence across all of your modules in this academic year via the University's Attendance app. This is available on web browser or phone app and you log in using your student account details:
Watch this video guide to help you understand what the data means.
It is important to note that the data in the app is refreshed nightly, so anything you attend or miss today will be reflected in the app tomorrow.
If you didn't swipe your card to your timetabled class, then there won't be any record of it in the system.
If the personal academic tutor or course leader information isn't right, or your modules don't look right, please contact the MyPort Hub for support.
Any technical or accessibility issues, such as trying to sign in, the app loading, access, etc., please contact the IT Service Desk.
What to do if you have to miss a teaching session
If you're absent from a teaching session for any reason, please check Moodle for missed content and speak to your module or course leader to request any materials that can help you catch up.
The University’s Content Capture Policy, means that staff should capture the core content of all formal teaching sessions and make it available on Moodle. However, students are still expected to attend all classroom teaching events as outlined in the Student Charter.
Students with long term absence of more than 10 days should speak with their Personal Academic Tutor or Student Success Adviser on how best to remain on track.
Depending on the nature of the absence it may be advisable to take a break from your studies. Any student on a Student Visa considering a study break, must also discuss this with the International Students Adviser team.
Frequently Asked Questions
We monitor how often students log in, access each module and the learning materials, attend any online classes, and engage with any assessment activity.
No, Distance Learning Students will be monitored by Moodle engagement and coursework submissions only. Placement students are required to keep in touch through their personal academic or placement tutors.
Supervisors will monitor your engagement through academic interaction during your dissertation and will raise any concerns with you.
Not through this system. All students registered for a MPhil or PhD will have at least two supervisors who will support and keep track of your engagement and progress with your studies.
The data collected is stored in a data warehouse, and through a dashboard, the University monitors students’ attendance and engagement. The dashboard also provides the University with analytics that may be used to enhance teaching and timetables in the future.
Unless they are drop-in sessions or for interest only, all timetabled teaching events will be monitored, including online and on-campus events.