The CIEL Blog

VIULearn Student Orientation & Other Learning Tools – Fall 2025

We offer live webinars to introduce students to the learning technologies available at VIU, especially our online course platform VIULearn.

  • Unable to attend one of our live Student Orientation webinars but still want to see what tools are available & how to get support?
  • Already familiar with these tools but want to refresh your memory on your own time?

We created this helpful blog post and recorded the orientation so you can take in this information whenever is convenient & as many times as you’d like.

Otherwise, go to our Events Calendar to view the VIU schedule and register for a live orientation webinar!

Note for Instructors:

Please direct your students to this blog and other orientation resources! Here are a few to get started:

We also recommend that instructors check the webinar schedule themselves and promote upcoming sessions to your students. If there is a specific webinar time that is convenient for your class to attend, our department can also bulk register your students to facilitate attendance. Please contact LearnSupport@viu.ca if you have any questions or to request a bulk orientation registration for your class.

Watch the recorded Orientation

PLEASE NOTE: The video below was recorded in a previous semester and some visuals have changed, including a recent redesign of the VIU.ca website. Video to be updated soon!

Do you still have questions?

  • Look below for responses to some common questions about VIU learning technologies, and to find links to related resources
  • To attend a live webinar orientation (with opportunities to ask questions), go to our Events Calendar to choose a date and register

What does CIEL (The Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning) support?  

We support VIU students with learning technologies, including VIULearn, VIUTube, VIUBlogs (WordPress) and video conferencing in Microsoft Teams. Contact CIEL by email (LearnSupport@viu.ca) or phone (1-250-740-6179) for support with these tools.

How do I access VIULearn, VIUTube, and VIUBlogs?  

Step 1: Create your VIU Computer Account Password  

You use your VIU Computer Account password to login VIULearn, VIUTube, VIUBlogs, and Microsoft Teams.

This page on the IT department’s website has steps to guide you through setting up your computer account password. If you have any difficulty with your computer account, contact the VIU IT Helpdesk:

Step 2: Login

  1. Go to https://learn.viu.ca 
  2. Click Go to VIULearn to access VIULearn or VIUTube / Click Go to VIUBlogs to access that tool
  3. Use your Student Number as your username & your VIU Computer Account password to login
  4. (VIUTube only) Once you are logged in to VIULearn, click VIUTube at the top of the page to access that tool

Here are our support pages with more detailed instructions for accessing each tool:

How can I prepare to use learning technologies at VIU?  

Register for the self-paced VIULearn Student Orientation 2025-2026 course in VIULearn 

Your instructors may use VIULearn for course content and activities. This orientation course is self-paced, and will show you how to navigate VIULearn to view content, adjust your settings, & complete activities. Follow the steps on this page to register for the VIULearn Student Orientation 2025-2026 course.

Download the Microsoft Teams application

Your instructors may use Microsoft Teams for class meetings.

Whether you are a new or returning student, we recommend that you download the latest version of the Microsoft Teams app on your phone, computer and/or tablet, and check out the Microsoft Teams support pages.

Please download the app even if it already appears to be installed on your device! Some versions of Teams are only for personal use or may be otherwise out of date.

Download Microsoft Teams and Login:

  1. Create your VIU computer account password.
  2. Setup 2-Step Verification on your account. Here are some IT support pages with instructions and more information:
  3. Download the latest version of Microsoft Teams.
  4. Login using your official “my.viu.ca” email address and your VIU computer account password.
    • VIU student email addresses use this format: preferredname.lastname@my.viu.ca (e.g. Jane.Doe@my.viu.ca). If you are unsure what your VIU email address is, please check your personal inbox for an email with those details or contact the IT department.

Meetings in Microsoft Teams

Click here to learn how to join a Microsoft Teams meeting. You will most likely join by clicking a meeting link that your instructor has shared with you.

If you have used Zoom or other video conferencing tools in the past, the meeting controls available in Teams are very similar:

  • Chat: Read and write messages, share files
  • People: See meeting participants and their roles
  • Raise: Ask for attention without interrupting the meeting
  • React: Display a temporary emoji reaction
  • More: Access other meeting tools and options (change the meeting view, turn on captions, etc)
  • Camera/Mic: Click to toggle these devices on and off; the downward arrows open video and audio settings
  • Share: Share screen for presentations, etc

How can I access academic support or contact other support departments? 

Visit VIU’s Learning Matters site to access learning resources and to find contact information for other support areas at VIU.

Why do I see information about VIU policies instead of my courses when I login to VIULearn?

You will see a terms and conditions page when you login to VIULearn for the first time each academic year.

You must accept the terms and conditions to access your My Home page & your VIULearn courses. Once you accept them, you will not see this page again until the policies change or a new semester has started.

Watch this video for more information:

Use this link to watch the video in another tab: https://viu.video.yuja.com/V/Video?v=665031&node=3183573&a=621210563

Useful links & resources:  

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Meara Kimball