Classes Tutorial

The Classes pages has two sub-menu links on top of the page: All Classes and My Classes. Select My Classes to see all the classes of which you are a member. Select All Classes to see a list of all Ocean classes.

Classes are offered on a videoconferencing platform (referred to below as the “Classroom”), with associated documents, and a forum for text-based discussion between class sessions.

1.    Two Types of Classes

There are two types of classes: 1) Private classes, which are only available to Ocean members and 2) public classes which are available to anyone. To become a member of a public class, click the Join Class button.

2.    How to Join a Private Class

To join a private class, click the Request Membership button.

Another window will appear allowing you to write a message to be sent along with your request.  Click Send Request.

The class administrator will accept or reject your request based on specific prerequisites, or class size.  In general, we would like to limit classes to about 20 people each. You will be notified by email when the group administrator responds to your request. After your membership has been accepted, the class will appear in your “My Classes” link. Click on a class name to access that class.

3.    Class Menu

This is the class menu

3.1.  Activity

The first menu item, Activity, is a newsfeed of everything that’s happening in the class, including new members, new forum topics and replies to existing topics, and newly uploaded documents.

3.2.  Forum

The forum will contain the recording of the Classes, and video or audio material used in the class. Those will be posted on the first two topics in the forums.

Click the Forum tab to enter the forum for this class. Here you can read a topic, reply to a topic, or create a new topic. To read a topic, click on the title.

Please note: Before you can participate in a group forum, you must first be a member of that group. See the Classes Tutorial [link] and Practice Group Tutorial [link] for information on how to join a group.

3.2.1. Reply

If you wish to reply to a topic, click the topic title to see that discussion, scroll to the bottom of the window, or select the Reply button on the right. Then you can enter your reply, check the “Notify me…” check box, and click Submit.

3.2.2. Create

If the subject you want to discuss is not mentioned in any topics, click “Create topic”. Enter the topic title and description. Check the box beside “Notify me of follow-up replies by email” and click Submit. Please be precise in your title and description. Your topic will now be the most recent, and as such is displayed first on the topic list.

3.3.  Classroom

Classes take place in a videoconferencing room. Click on the image to enter. If this is your first time entering an Ocean Classroom or Shrine Room, you will be asked to install a small application. Please see Tips for using Zoom: Ocean’s virtual classrooms and shrine rooms for a detailed explanation of how to work in this online environment.

3.4.  Events

All the scheduled classes for this group will be shown in the Events tab, as well as on the Ocean Calendar.

3.5.  Docs

Resources for the class are posted in this section. Click on a title to read the resources content.

3.6.  Email Options

Depending on your email options setting, you will receive email notifications when there is activity in the group. The default is a daily digest; you can change that under the tab Email Options.