Announcements/Emails

Page last updated:
28 Jul 2023

This guide will show you the various communication tools available in MyBeckett.

There are a variety of ways in MyBeckett for you to communicate with your students, either from within a Module and/or Course Community or if you need to send an Announcement to Multiple Modules and/or Course Communities, use the Qwickly Course Tool. Qwickly Course Tool is found via the Tools link on the main menu in MyBeckett.

Announcements will be visible in the Activity Stream (via the main menu) for both staff and students if tied to the Module or Course Community.

The guides are broken down into sections based on the communication type and tool used.

From within a Module / Course Community

You can send an announcement with an option to also email, from within a Module or Course Communities from one of the following areas:

  1. Announcements link at the top of your menu and click on Create Announcement
  2. Module Tools (Module Management section) / Course Tools (Course Group Management section) click Announcements then Create Announcement

Please Note: If you are wanting to attach a document and email a copy then please use a link to your OneDrive rather than attaching a file. This is due to a known issue:

Since Multi-Factor Communication has been implemented, sending attachments to announcements sent to email and/or emails sent from MyBeckett will need to be sent via a shared link from OneDrive. Attachments will otherwise only open if a student is also logged into MyBeckett in the same web browser.

a. In the Module or Course Community either go to the Announcement link (usually at the top of the menu) or Module Management section in the menu (bottom of the menu), Module Tools and click on Announcements:

Announcement Module Management

b. Click Create Announcement

c. Type your Subject and announcement Message. The subject displays to students as the announcement title, so make it attention-grabbing by using a short subject headline.

d. To add an attachment* to an announcement: click the Plus icon in the text editor toolbar area. You can then browse your computer (local files) to find and attach a file that will be placed within the message. Alternatively, you can copy links from OneDrive and use the Link icon.

e. In Web Announcement Options, choose whether the announcement displays permanently on the page or is Date Restricted. All announcements are displayed to students in date order, with the latest at the top.

Date options

f. Send an email checkbox is a good tool to also send an email too. Important if you want to ensure all students read the announcement. This will be sent straight away to everyone enrolled to their student emails.

Email settings

g. You can link the announcement to module content with Module Link. Click Browse... and choose the location to a content area, this is an extra method of communicating information to enrolled users who have not accessed their student email.
Link options
*Note: The module link will not be shown in the email; for students who do not usually interact with MyBeckett, you will need to add a hyperlink to the module in the message text box, which when clicked, will direct them to the module. NB: do not leave the window or the pop-up box disappears. Either copy beforehand or open a new window.

To do this extra step:

  • Type and then highlight the text of the module name from within the toolbar editor area where you have typed your announcement
  • Click the Link icon in the Toolbar editor

  • In a new tab check that you are in the correct area of the module, you would like to link to (e.g. Week 1)
  • Copy & paste the URL of your module area by pasting it into the 'Link' icon box

To make an Edit or Delete an Announcement

a. Within the Module, go to the menu link called Announcements which will open the page where your announcement is posted. Click on the drop-down arrow next to the announcement name and choose Edit or Delete.

b. After editing; select send an email announcement and another email is sent.

c. If another instructor edits an announcement you posted, your name is replaced.

d. If you edit an announcement with no date restrictions, the posted date and time are changed to the current date and time after you submit. To retain the original posted date and time, select Date Restricted and the original posted date and time appear under Display After.

If you need to send the same announcement to several modules or course communities use the Qwickly Course Tool to speed up the task.

This guide will show you the steps on using Qwickly Course Tool. There is also a video guide available below.

a. From the main menu in MyBeckett go to the Tools link.

Find 'Qwickly Course Tools' via the Tools link on the MyBeckett main menu

b. Click on Staff - Qwickly Course Tools button(this opens in a new browser tab).

Staff Qwickly Course Tool icon

c. Click Announcement.

send announcement button 

d. All of your modules and course communities are listed in one area. Functions such as the Search box and Pin icons allow you to find your modules and course communities quickly.

e. Complete the Title field and add message into the text box.

f. Any file links (previously known as attachments) will need to be links from OneDrive. Upload your files into OneDrive and then use the Share function to copy link and paste this into the text box area.

*Please note: OneDrive icon and search (underneath the text box) is currently unable to link to your OneDrive account. Copy the link instead from your OneDrive or within the document choose to Share and copy the link and paste into the announcement message.

g. Optional: Choose the dates to post from and until (No action needed to post immediately).

h. Optional: Send email (only available if sending immediately).

i. The Announcement will be visible in the following places:

  • Activity Stream (main menu)
  • Within the Modules/Course Communities via the Announcement area
  • Email if selected

Announcements are visible in Activity Stream in MyBeckett main menu and the Module or Course Group Announcement area

j. Close the browser tab to leave Qwickly Course Tools.

Email a single Module or Course Community or use the Qwickly Course Tools.

From within a Module / Course Community go to the Module / Course Group Management menu section.

Example 1: Module Tools

Email on Module Tools

Example 2: Qwickly Course Tools

send email button 

a. Choose the users that you want to email: Everyone or Specific Roles. The screenshot below shows the options in Qwickly Course Tools.

specific roles buttons 

b. If you have chosen one of the single/select user options, you can specify who should receive the email.

c. Type your Subject and Message. Please note, that it is not possible to include images within the message using this tool, but you can include an image as an attachment*.

d. If you would like to receive a copy of the email, tick Send myself a copy of this email for every course.

e. To add an attachment* to an email, click Choose File. You can then browse your OneDrive to find and attach a file.

*Important note on attachments: Since Multi-Factor Communication has been implemented, sending attachments to emails sent from MyBeckett will need to be sent via a shared link from OneDrive.

f. Click Submit.

We do not recommend using this tool at all to communicate with your students.

Please refer to the previous guides on Announcements and Email above for communication.

A general overview of the Messages link in MyBeckett's main menu:

  • Messages allow Tutors/Lecturers/Module leaders etc. to send a Message to staff and/or students to a module.

Things to note about Messages:

  • Students have a read only view and cannot use this to reply or communicate with others or acknowledge they have viewed it. (The only functions are delete and print)
  • Messages are only visible from within MyBeckett, these will not be linked to any other place within MyBeckett or other University Systems: Outlook email/Announcements etc.
  • When locating a new message, a visual clue shows but the next screen shows a list of all modules but currently does not identify where the message is from or in any obvious way.
  • It is not accessible for all, there is no search function or highlighted area to assist with locating it and therefore messages are likely to be missed by students.

To request a university announcement to all staff and students:

  1. Click Communities in MyBeckett main menu
  2. Find the All Staff Community in your list
  3. In the All Staff Community click Request Forms
  4. Click Request Campus Announcement link
  5. Complete the online form with details of your announcement

Requests are managed by the Communications Team.

Video guide: Share announcements to multiple modules using the Qwickly tool

Video guide: Share content across multiple modules using the Qwickly tool