Help

• How do I participate in the forums?
• How do I register?
• I've registered - how do I log in?
• What is a bookmark?
• How do I bookmark a page?
• What is a saved search?
• How do I save a search?
• How do I save news feeds?
• How can I access 'My EG' page?
• What do I do if I'm having technical problems?
• How can I find the information I'm looking for?
• How can I upload files of work I'd like to share?
• How can I apply to be added to the Improvement Services Directory?
• What is a collaborative workroom?
• How do I create a workroom on the Excellence Gateway?
• How can I network with like-minded people on the Excellence Gateway?

How do I participate in the forums?

1. Firstly, you need to register or log in. (To contribute to forum discussions, you need to be logged in to the Excellence Gateway.)
2. Next, select a forum from either the general forums or user forums. You'll be presented with the forum table, displaying the discussion topics that are currently running in the forum.
3. Select a topic. You will be able to read all the comments that have already been posted by other users. For each comment you are shown the name of the person who posted it and the date it was posted.
4. To add a comment, click on the 'Add Reply' button at the top-right. To quote a previous comment in the discussion, click on the 'Quote' button at the top-right of the comment. To start a new topic in the forum, click on the 'New Topic' button.

Note: When you're browsing a topic in a discussion forum, you can jump to other topics within the same forum quickly via the 'Next Topic' and 'Previous Topic' links.

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How do I register?

Click on the 'register here' link. This appears in the grey bar – or black bar, that runs across the top of each page on the Excellence Gateway. Complete our simple registration form and you'll then have access to all of the 'My Excellence Gateway' features (eg network with others on the Excellence Gateway, save bookmarks, save searches, select RSS feeds, join discussions in the forums, set-up a private workroom).

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I've registered - how do I log in?

Enter your email address and password in the login boxes – these appear in the black bar that runs across the top of each page on the Excellence Gateway. Then click the 'Login' button next to the boxes.

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What is a bookmark?

A bookmark is a feature that allows you to save a quick reference to a page on the Excellence Gateway you'd like to visit again. You'll need to be logged in to the Excellence Gateway to benefit from this feature. Pages you bookmark are stored on your Excellence Gateway personal profile page – your 'My EG' page.

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How do I bookmark a page?

If you're logged in, you can bookmark any page on the Excellence Gateway by simply clicking on the 'Bookmark' icon. This icon appears in the black bar that runs across the top of each page on the Excellence Gateway.

Any pages you bookmark are listed in the 'My bookmarks' box on your Excellence Gateway personal profile page – your 'My EG' page – for quick access.

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What is a saved search?

A saved search is a feature that allows you to save the search term(s) you've used to run a search on the Excellence Gateway. Don't forget, as the site grows the search results may change. You need to be logged in to the Excellence Gateway to benefit from this feature.

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How do I save a search?

Run a keyword search as usual, either from the 'search' box at the top of the page or through the 'advanced search' options. On the 'search results' page, simply click on the 'save this search' link – this appears below the 'Go' button in the left-hand menu.

You'll be taken to the 'Add bookmark' page, where you'll see the bookmark type set as 'saved search'. Edit the title of your saved search (eg if you conducted a search on the phrase 'continuing professional development', then make that phrase the title). Next, click on the 'Add bookmark' button to save the search.

Your saved search will appear listed in the 'My saved searches' box on your Excellence Gateway personal profile page – your 'My EG' page. You can easily re-run any of your saved searches from there by clicking on the relevant link.

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How do I save news feeds?

To save a news feed, either bookmark the page displaying any news feed or go to 'My EG' and click 'Add newsfeed' under the 'My news and jobs feed' heading. On the resulting page, click 'Bookmark this link' on the right hand side of each newsfeed title. Your feed(s) will be saved on your My Excellence Gateway page.

There are two ways to do this:

1. Bookmark the page that displays a newsfeed.
2. Go to your personal profile page – your 'My EG' page – and follow these few steps:
   • Scroll down to the 'My news and jobs feeds' box. Click on the 'Add news feed' link in this box. You'll be taken to the 'News feds' page, which lists the news feeds currently available.
   • Click on 'Bookmark this link' next to the news feed you wish to save. The news feed will now appear listed in the 'My news and jobs feed' box on your personal profile page – your 'My EG' page.

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How can I access 'My EG' page?

At the top of every page on the Excellence Gateway are tabs to the main sections of the site. 'My EG' – your personal profile page – is the second tab from the left. Click on the tab to access it.

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What do I do if I'm having technical problems?

If you experience any technical difficulties when using the Excellence Gateway, report the issue to us via the 'Contact us' page.

We'll aim to get back to you within one working day.

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How can I find the information I'm looking for?

There are two ways to find information on the Excellence Gateway:

1. Conduct a keyword search using the 'search' box (located at the top of each page on the Excellence Gateway). Follow these few steps:
   • Enter a keyword or phrase in the search box and click the 'Go' button. Our search engine will then start searching the Excellence Gateway – and other websites relevant to the further education and skills sector in England identified by us – for content that contains the keyword/phrase you entered.
   • You'll land on the 'search results' page, which lists all the relevant content available for you to choose from.
   • You'll notice a ‘Narrow your search' box on the left of the search results page. If you're looking for content that's specifically on the Excellence Gateway then you can narrow your search results by selecting one of the options in this box.
2. Browse the Excellence Gateway bank of resources via the 'Resources' section. You can browse the resources by topics related to the 'learner's journey', by topics related to 'leadership and management' or by curriculum 'subject' area. To narrow your search results, use the filters in the left-hand column or the keyword search box just above the list of results.

Tips for using the 'search' box:

• Think carefully about your search terms – the more terms you use, the more focused the results will be, eg entering assessment will return all content that contains the word assessment, whereas entering formative assessment will only return content that contains both words.
• To match several search terms, use the command OR in between your keywords, eg entering quality OR assessment will return all content that contains the word 'quality' or the word 'assessment', or both of these words.
• To search for an entire phrase, put quotation marks around the phrase, eg "good practice in e-learning".

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How can I upload files of work I'd like to share?

To upload useful resources and/or web links to the Excellence Gateway resources bank, you need to register on the site and then log in.

Once logged in, follow these few steps:

1. Go to your personal profile page – your 'My EG' page.
2. Here, click on the 'Upload content' link that appears in the 'My contributions' box. Follow the simple instructions onscreen to add your content to the Excellence Gateway resources bank. To help others find your content, make sure you tick all the topics and curriculum subject areas that your content is directly relevant to.

For your quick access, any content you share on the Excellence Gateway will automatically be listed in the 'My contributions' box on your 'My EG' page.

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How can I apply to be added to the Improvement Services Directory?

Visit the ISD page on the Excellence Gateway and click the 'Create a listing' link for suppliers. Then follow the simple instructions onscreen to create a listing for your organisation/company.

Note: You must be a registered Excellence Gateway user to take advantage of the Directory.

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What is a collaborative workroom?

A “workroom” is a private space on the Excellence Gateway where a group of logged in users can collaborate on a project. Whoever creates a workroom will, by default, become the “host” of that workroom. The host has certain administration privileges, which allow them to manage the workroom.

Three “tools for collaboration” are available in a workroom:

1. Discussion forum – where all members can start and take part in relevant discussions
2. Shared library – where all members can upload files for other members to access/download. Members can enter comments on a file for all members to view and version control is available to ensure everyone is working from the latest material.
3. Task setter – the host(s) of a workroom can assign tasks to all members and track each task via the facility which allows each member to enter the status of the task they have been assigned (ie in progress, completed, declined). Outstanding tasks are flagged also.

Within a workroom, “workspaces” can be set-up by the host. A workspace is like a mini workroom and contains the same features as a workroom (ie a host, members and the three tools for collaboration).

Workspaces reside within a workroom and can be set-up for sub-groups of the workroom group. For example, a workroom that's been created for a particular project can have workspaces for particular project tasks – or “mini projects” within the core project. Each workspace has a host, who is assigned by the host of the workroom.

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How do I create a workroom on the Excellence Gateway?

To create a workroom you need to log in to the Excellence Gateway first. Once logged in, follow these few steps:

1. Go to the ‘Collaborative workrooms' page and click on the ‘Create a workroom' button. Alternatively, go to your personal ‘My Excellence Gateway' page, where you'll see the same button in the ‘My workrooms and workspaces' box. You'll be taken to the ‘Create a workroom' page.
2. Complete the fields on this page:
   1. Give your workroom a suitable name. This is mandatory.
   2. Enter a description of your workroom (eg it's objectives/purpose). This is optional and can be done later.
   3. Add members from your Excellence Gateway contacts list (this is optional and can be done later)
   4. Upload an image to represent your workroom – this is optional and can be done later. The image will be visible alongside its description at the top of the workroom when you enter.
3. Once completed, click on the ‘Create workroom' button. You'll then be taken to your newly created workroom where you can start collaborating instantly.

For a complete help guide on using the workrooms, read the frequently asked questions (FAQs). You need to be logged in to the Excellence Gateway in order to access the FAQs.

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How can I network with like-minded people on the Excellence Gateway?

The Excellence Gateway offers a professional networking service that let's you find and network with like-minded people on the Excellence Gateway.

When you register on the Excellence Gateway, you get your own personal profile page called ‘My EG'. Through this page, you can find like-minded people and add them to your list of contacts. How? Follow these steps:

1. Go to your ‘My EG' page.
2. Click on the ‘Edit my profile' link. This appears above the ‘Interests' box. You'll be taken to the ‘Edit my profile' page.
3. On this page, enter your interests in the form of keywords (eg e-learning, computer technology, Skills for Life, etc). This is essential in order to find like-minded people on the Excellence Gateway.
4. Once entered, click on the ‘Update profile' button at the bottom of the page. You'll be taken back to your personal profile page, where you'll see your interests visible in the ‘Interests' box.
5. Now click on the ‘Find people like me' link in this box. The system will start searching the bank of registered users on the Excellence Gateway and display a list of users whose interests match one or more of your interests.
6. To add a person from the list to your contacts, click on the ‘Add to contacts' link next to their details. You'll then be taken back to your personal profile page, where you'll see the person's name listed in your ‘My contacts' box. To find and add more contacts, repeat steps five and six.

Have your friends/colleagues registered on the Excellence Gateway? If yes, find and add them to your contacts quickly by using the ‘search' box. Follow these few steps:

1. Enter their full name in the search box and click the ‘Go' button.
2. On the ‘search results' page, click ‘user profiles' in the list of ‘narrow your search' options on the left. You should now see a list of registered Excellence Gateway users with the name you searched for.
3. Found the person? Click on their name. You'll be taken to their personal profile page.
4. To add them to your contacts, click on the ‘Add me to your contacts' link. This appears next to their contacts list. The person will now be listed in your contacts list and you can send them a message via the ‘contact' link below their name.

Important note: Only registered Excellent Gateway users who have set their profiles as ‘public' can be found and added to contacts lists by others. To allow other people to find and add you, ensure your profile is set as ‘public'.

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You can find this page and download any referenced resources from the Excellence Gateway at http://excellence.org.uk/help.