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VITAL Frequently Asked Questions




How do I ...

Find out about VITAL and get an overview of the software?
Get enrolled onto the modules I teach?
Get students enrolled onto my modules?
Enrol teaching assistants and other staff onto my modules?
Login to VITAL?
Find my way around the software?
Add my lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations?
Add an electronic announcement?
Add information about how students can contact me?
Copy content from last year's modules?
Customise my module settings?
List all students on my module?

Where can I get more information about training and support?

Introductory VITAL training
Further support

How do I ...

Find out about VITAL and get an overview of the software?
Coming shortly!

Get enrolled onto the modules I teach?
VITAL takes staff information from the electronic module specifications in TULIP (http://tulip.liv.ac.uk). To enrol yourself to a specific module in VITAL you need to ensure that your details are added correctly to TULIP - this information will be added automatically to VITAL the next day.

The Staff enrolment on VITAL page will give you more detail on how you can enrol/remove staff as well as graduate teaching assistants and other staff on your module.

Get students enrolled onto my modules?
VITAL takes student enrolment information from the SPIDER student database (also accessible via TULIP). If students are registered (or de-registered) on the module in SPIDER, this information will be carried forward to VITAL. So for students to access your module, their enrolment in SPIDER has to be up-to-date and any change will take effect overnight in VITAL.

You can list which students are enrolled on your VITAL module from within VITAL (using the Users/Group menu item in Control Panel). For more information, please see the Student enrolment on VITAL page.

Enrol teaching assistants and other staff onto my modules?
Whilst teaching staff get added automatically to VITAL modules based on the information in the TULIP module specifications, teaching assistants and other administrative staff can be enrolled directly on to VITAL. Please see the Staff enrolment guide on the Staff enrolment on VITAL page for details.

Login to VITAL?
VITAL can be accessed through any web browser (works best in Internet Explorer ) by typing in http://vital.liv.ac.uk

Go to the How to login to VITAL page within this website for more information.

Find my way around the software?
The How to navigate around VITAL  guide will show how the software is laid out, how to access modules etc.

The Using the VITAL software interface guide will give detailed information about the icons, buttons and menus etc. commonly used throughout the Blackboard software that operates VITAL. The Guide also gives you information on using the 'WYSIWYG' html editor that appears throughout the software and can be used for creating content directly into VITAL modules.

Add my lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations?
Most major types of electronic documents (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe PDF etc.) can be added to VITAL modules. Any document added to VITAL is a copy of the original file on your computer.

Go to the Adding single files and folders  page within this website for more information.

Add an electronic announcement?
Communicate module-related announcements and updates to students via the What's New section of your module using the Announcement tool. Announcements can also be emailed.

Visit the Announcement tool page to find out how to use this tool.

Add information about how students can contact me?
Every VITAL module has a Contacts section where you can add staff contact information profiles of anyone teaching on the module for your students.

Please refer to the Staff contact tool  page for more information on using this tool.

Copy content from last year's modules?
Course copy is part of the annual rollover process. You can copy various sections and tools from one module to another. This function is available from Control Panel > Packages and Utilities > Course Copy.

Please consult the Annual module rollover process page for more details.

Customise my module settings?
There are a number of ways you can customise your module settings: you can change the design and colour scheme of your module menu, add a module banner image, change the module entry point, 'show' and 'hide' course tools for students, instructors, guests etc and set top-level guest and observer access.

Check out the Customise module settings  page for more information.

List all students on my module?
To list all students on your module, go to Control Panel > Users and Groups and click on Users. In the search box, below the Enrol users button, put a % (percentage sign) in the box and click Go. This will list all the users on your module.

We are waiting for a third-party tool, Add users by Role, which helps you list e.g. all student or all instructor users on your module. In the meantime, if you want a quick print of the number of students on your module (which should match the SPIDER student database). To download student lists from the Grade Center:

Where can I get more information about training and support?

Introductory training
The VITAL team within the Educational Development Division run regular introductory workshops for staff
'An introduction to technology enhanced learning using VITAL.' This workshop will develop the technical skills necessary to use the Blackboard software that operates VITAL, and introduce the pedagogical benefits of using VITAL to support your learning and teaching.

For more information and to book onto a workshop, go to the CLL events booking website.

The VITAL team are available to run bespoke workshops and presentations on any aspect of the VITAL software. Please contact the team directly to discuss your requirements. (contact details below)

Further support
For technical support, such as problems with your Managed Windows Service username and password, please contact the CSD helpdesk: helpdesk@liv.ac.uk ext. 44567


For support using the different tools and facilities within the VITAL software, and learning and teaching support please contact the VITAL team within the Educational Development Division vital@liv.ac.uk

The VITAL team are available to run bespoke workshops, presentations and support on any aspect of using and developing VITAL to support your learning and teaching.