Resources to Help You Succeed!

Looking for Student-facing Tutorials?

The UMPI eLearning Hub is the new website, just for students, to explore technology tutorials and tips for the tools we use to learn online!  Within the Hub, you can access information on how to learning online, remote, and online learning equipment, as well as multimedia tutorials for Brightspace, Zoom, Kaltura, Google, and more!  Check it out:

Visit the eLearning Hub

Getting to Know the UMS Learning Tools

The following tools and resources are provided to support your students, by allowing you to easily link to just-in-time tutorials for educational technologies. You will find tutorials and informational links to our most commonly used and System-supported resources (saving you the time of Googling them or creating them yourself).

brightspace by D2L logo

Brightspace is the learning platform that faculty will use to post learning content, grades, due dates, assignment submission spaces, and more!  Each course and professor may use Brightspace resources a little differently, to meet course goals, so it is important to review your syllabus to determine how Brightspace will be used in your class.  It is also helpful to understand that you will not see your course in Brightspace until your instructor makes it ‘Active’, usually the weekend before classes start.  Let’s look at some helpful tutorials:

Additional Accessibility & Privacy Statements:

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Zoom

Zoom is the web-conferencing platform that many faculty and support staff will use for Synchronous Online courses, as well as to supplement blended classes and to hold virtual office hours with students.  Every student has their own Zoom account, as well–that you can utilize to connect with peers, it includes helpful features–like screen sharing, and the ability to “save to cloud’, which will make your video accessible in your Kaltura account!.  There are some basic technical requirements that are helpful to know if you need to utilize Zoom to connect with classes (or the University):

What you need for a successful Zoom experience:

  • A personal computer (laptop or desktop) is recommended.  
  • A Microphone Headset
  • Webcam/Video Camera
  •  Recommended bandwidth for Zoom Users: DSL/cable (wired connection recommended for the best experience) for Zoom. Satellite or Dial-up modem connections WILL NOT be adequate.  A wireless connection is not recommended for best performance.

Let’s review some tutorials:

 Accessibility and Privacy Statements:

 Technical Support

If you have technical difficulties, please contact the University Technology Support Center at 1-800-696-4357 or help@maine.edu. 

Microsoft logo 2023

All students, faculty, and staff have access to the cloud-based Microsoft 365 Office suite.  This suite of tools include Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, OneDrive (file storage) and more!  You can download the Office Suite onto your PC or iOS device, or you can access and utilize the entire suite online (including the ability to share documents in Brightspace).  

Let’s look at some basic tutorials:

Accessibility & Privacy Statements:

Google Workplace logo 2023

GSuite Tools, include all of the Google-based tools that you have access to, as a UMPI student.  Our Google suite of tools includes productivity tools like our @mail.edu email (using the Gmail platform), as well as the Calendar tool.  In addition, the GSuite includes a wide range of content creation and management tools, like YouTube, Slides, Docs, Forms, Sites, and Sheets.  These tools make collaborative group work a snap, and are easy to share with peers, instructors, and even in Brightspace!  Be sure to check your syllabus, or ask you instructor which Google tools your class will be using.

Let’s look at some basic up and running tutorials:

Accessibility & Privacy Statements:

Kaltura logo

Kaltura is the University’s supported video recording and hosting platform.  Using Kaltura, you can create and edit videos, share in-class assignment submission spaces (for presentations), or publish for wider sharing.  Many faculty will use Kaltura, in a variety of ways in Brightspace, to share video content-and some may require you to upload your video presentations to Kaltura for assignments.  Luckily, it is a smooth process to upload MP4 videos to Kaltura to share (whether you use the Kaltura Capture app, Zoom, your computer’s own capture program or a recording app like Screencast-o-matic or Screencastify)

Let’s look at some tutorials:

Accessibility & Privacy Statements: