In the past few months, we have worked hard on our Single Sign-On web hosting software release – to provide enhanced features for our Education Web Hosting solution.
The update brings advanced features surrounding the management of students, modules, courses, teaching locations and teaching blocks. With automated actions when a module or teaching block is due, disabling the module folder within the student’s cPanel account.
The tool integrates with your Azure Active Directory to provide students with a single sign-on web hosting solution. You control who can use it, student management and any account-related functions related to the student.
New Features
User management
Historically, students would sign up in a classroom to access their cPanel account. We have removed the requirement for student sign-up in this release and now offer the following options:
- Bulk Import Users – This is a CSV option to import your students before they start their studies. Removing the need for manual student sign-up.
- Add an individual user – Users can be individually added to the web hosting solution.
We have also added the option to remove users within the 2023.2 release.
Module Management
Module management within the system has been enhanced, giving you full control of the modules your students enrol on.
There are several use cases for module management:
- Folders setup in each student account when the account is created
- Folders setup in each student account when the account is created, and a module has an occurrence and end date
- Folders setup in each student account when the account is created, and the module is part of a teaching block
Folders setup in each student account when the account is created
Folders are set up depending on the course that the user is taking. Module codes of all modules on a course are added to the student’s cPanel account.
Folders setup in each student account when the account is created, and a module has an occurrence and end date
If this setting is enabled, a module can occur once or multiple times yearly (or just once) and have an end date. When the end date hits, all users taking the module will have their folder locked for the defined marking duration + extension period if applicable.
Folders setup in each student account when the account is created, and the module is part of a teaching block
If this setting is enabled, any user on a module that is part of a module that is on the teaching block will be suspended for the marking duration + extension period if applicable.
Setting durations
The Marking duration defines how long a student’s folder will be locked for marking. The Extension duration defines how long the user will be provided with an extension.
Teaching Blocks
Teaching blocks support teaching at multiple points of the year.
Modules are contained within a block, and users are assigned to the modules on signup.
Our web hosting solution knows which users should be suspended at the teaching block end date.
When a teaching block ends, accounts are suspended, and users cannot log in.
Extensions
Two types of extension are permitted within a teaching block. Both are configurable by the number of days.
Standard Extensions – Typically 5 to 7 days
Resit Extensions – Typically 49+ days
cPanel for Education
Our services extensively use the cPanel control panel. cPanel supports multiple PHP versions, Node JS, and One-Click installations of popular CMSs such as WordPress. You can find out more about what our Web Hosting as a service offers here.
