Get Started with ThingLink

How to create an account, navigate the platform, use the ThingLink editor, and organise your content.

Create a ThingLink account

The University has an institutional licence for ThingLink (organisational account), which has single sign-on (SSO) for Office 365. This enables you to sign up easily with your existing credentials.

  1. Go to thinglink.com/edu and click the Start Now button.
  2. Select the Microsoft Windows icon and enter your University login details.
  3. Once logged in, click Use invite code in the top right.
  4. Paste in the invite code CNEF823L and click Join.

See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for information about student accounts.

Navigate the platform

Once you have logged in, use the left-hand menu to navigate the platform:

  • Home - This is your main dashboard that you will see when you log in. You will see recent projects and you can access your account information etc.
  • Media - This is where all your ThingLink content is kept. Use the buttons in the top right to search, change the view (e.g. large grid, list view etc.), create a new folder to organise/manage access to content and click Create to create new ThingLinks.
  • Scenario builder - This is an additional tool within ThingLink that allows you to build scenario-based interactive content using branching, such as virtual escape rooms and problem-based learning. Find out more about scenario builder.
  • AR - This is where any augmented reality content will be stored.

ThingLink tags explained

Tags are the cornerstone of ThingLink. They serve as interactive hotspots that enable you to embed additional information, multimedia content, external resources, and interactive questions to create dynamic teaching and learning resources.

  1. Text and media - add text, images, links or audio for rich multimedia narratives and explanations. You can also select different layout options to customise your ThingLink.
  2. Text label - designed for adding short, static tags to content. They are useful for identification and straightforward annotations without media content.
  3. Embed - incorporate external content and tools using iframe codes, such as Google Maps, YouTube videos and webpages. They enable multimedia content to be seamlessly integrated.
  4. Transit - link multiple ThingLinks together to create elaborate learning experiences. You can also use conditional transitions to ask questions throughout, to keep learners engaged.
  5. Question - create multiple choice questions with correct and incorrect feedback. Responses aren't saved, so this tag type is useful for formative and reflective activities.
  6. Poll - learners can share their opinions anonymously. This helps learners to engage with materials in a reflective way. Percentages are revealed as soon as a response is chosen.

Manage your content

Folders allow you to share ThingLink content with colleagues, so you can develop content collaboratively. You can share a folder with the whole organisation, specific groups or individual users. We recommend using folders to organise your content by course/project/subject to make it easier to manage your ThingLinks.

  1. Log in to ThingLink and select Media in the side menu.
  2. In the top right, select the 'add folder' icon.
  3. Give your folder a clear, concise name, such as a project or course.
  4. Click on the three dots on your new folder and select Manage access.
  5. Search for the relevant team members and click Add.
  6. Use the drop-down menu to specify the access - Viewer, Editor, Administrator (or Revoke access).

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