Online courses: how does that work?
- The classes and tests are completely held online in a virtual classroom during pre-planned class sessions, which means you will have classes on fixed days and hours.
- The online classes are taught by a teacher (cfr. the on campus courses) with group discussions via breakout rooms, homework and space to ask your teacher questions.
- The online classes will not be recorded.
Are there course materials for the online courses?
Yes, we use the same course materials for our online and on campus courses. You can stop by the UCT to get your course materials. Make sure to check when that is possible for your course..
- If you follow an online evening course for a foreign language, the UCT course materials are also available on UFORA, Ghent University’s online learning environment.
- If you follow an online evening course Dutch for non-native speakers level 1 or 2 and it is not possible for you to stop by the UCT to get your course book, you can buy the book online. Make sure to send us a proof of purchase and we will refund € 22.
- If you follow an online course with a commercial book, you will need to buy it yourself. A compensation is already included in the course price.
What do I need to follow an online class?
You need a computer with a stable internet connection, a camera and a microphone. The microphone of your computer/laptop is enough but with in-ears or headphones (with built-in microphone), you are able to limit background noise. It is not possible to follow an online class from a smartphone or a tablet. Our classes are interactive and we expect course participants to be able to participate in interactive exercises while the camera stays on.
Which program does UCT use for online lessons?
We use Teams as the platform for our online lessons.
More information on how to install Teams can be found below.
How do I install Teams?
How to install Microsoft Teams for online lessons?
We recently started using Microsoft Teams as the platform for our online lessons. Below you’ll find a step-by-step guide to install Teams and get it ready for use.
1. Download Microsoft Teams
You can install Teams on your Windows or Mac computer:
2. Sign in to Teams
- Open the Teams app.
- Sign in with your UGent email address and password.
3. Using Teams for lessons
- You will receive an invitation to your lesson via email or through the Teams calendar.
- Click the link in the invitation to join the lesson.
- You can also go directly to your lesson group in the Teams app and click Join there.
4. Tips for a smooth lesson experience
- Ensure a stable internet connection.
- Use a headset or earphones for better sound quality.
- Mute your microphone when you're not speaking.
- Use the chat function to ask questions during the lesson.
- Start your PC at least 10 minutes before your lesson begins.
- The instructor will provide the necessary instructions via UFORA.
- Check the instructor’s announcement via UFORA. You can do this in two ways:
- Go to ufora.ugent.be and log in with your UGent account. This is very important because only with your UGent account do you have access to your course. Then go to “announcements”.
- You can also enable email notifications. This way, you’ll receive the instructor’s announcements in your UGent mailbox. To do this, go to your ‘personal settings’ and check both ‘announcements’ under ‘immediate notifications’. NOTE: emails are only sent to your UGent email address. So make sure to check your UGent emails regularly (via owa.ugent.be or webmail.ugent.be) or link them to your private email address.
Be sure to check our page about UFORA for more information.
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