Information for Students

On this page, students will find important information about the standard e-learning tools and services at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, what they are used for and how to use them as a student.

Learning Management System OPAL

OPAL is the central learning platform of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Here, for example, students can (depending on the course structure):

  • enrol in courses
  • get current information about courses
  • find teaching materials and additional information (e.g. literature, links)
  • watch instructional videos (e.g. screencasts)
  • upload own content
  • work together in groups
  • collaborate using tools such as wikis or forums
  •  test their knowledge

Click here to get to the OPAL platform

Digital Exams with OPAL Exam TUBAF

For digital examinations the university hosts an extra examination server, whose user interface is adapted to the learning management system OPAL. However, the server runs independently of the learning platform in order to avoid system-side interference. 

The classic digital examination formats include paper-pencil examinations with upload as well as electronic examinations that are processed directly on the PC in the system (also called ONYX exams). 

Students can find instructions on how to participate in such digital exams here (university login required) as well as directly linked on the welcome page of the exam platform:

Click here to go to the OPAL Exam TUBAF examination platform.

Important note: The exact procedure of the exam is determined by the examiners themselves. Therefore, please always follow the instructions of your examiners and ask them in case of any uncertainties.

Online courses and online meetings

In addition to the online teaching platform OPAL, lecturers also use the opportunity to stream their courses online. In this case, as a student you will receive information from the lecturer about date and as well as the URL to the video. You can follow the course via the URL.

If the lecture has also been recorded, your lecturers will probably make it available for you online (e.g. via OPAL or our video portal, where you can also find other teaching videos from the university bundled). Please ask your lecturer about this.

Click here to get to the Video portal.

Your lecturers might also invite you to an online course via the BigBlueButton (BBB) ​​conferencing system. There are two ways to get to a web conference via BigBlueButton (BBB):
1) Your lecturer will send you a link that you can open (ideally in the Google Chrome browser)
2) Your OPAL course contains the course element „Virtuelles Klassenzimmer“(transl.: virtual classroom), through which you can „enter“ the virtual room. Please have a look at our BBB instruction for students.
Students can also use Matrix to chat with fellow students. Matrix is similar to Discord, and allows students to exchange information and get to know each other virtually. No extra registration is necessary, students get access with their central university login. The service works in a browser as well as via an app (e.g. Element for iOS and Android). You can create chat rooms and for example integrate Jitsi in your room to set up web conferences. 

 

Important Links:

OPAL-platform

OPAL instruction for students

BBB instruction for students

OPAL Exam TUBAF

OPAL Exam TUBAF instructions for students