The School of Practical Philosophy is offering its Introductory Philosophy Course via an online, interactive distance-learning format. Not a text-based chat-room, this enjoyable format allows the entire class to be heard and seen via the internet.

INTRODUCTORY CLASSES
• Introductory Wednesday 3:00pm Eastern – this class will start Wednesday January 18, 2012 beginning at 8:00pm GMT / 9:00pm CET / 3:00pm Eastern / Noon Pacific.

• Introductory Thursday 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific – this class will start Thursday January 19, 2012 beginning at 8:00pm Eastern / 5:00pm Pacific.

If you have completed the introductory class and are interested in continuing using the online classroom format, click here to be taken to description of additional classes being offered online.

About the Distance Learning offering:
We have gotten numerous inquiries -- either from former students who moved away from the cities in which the classes are offered in traditional classrooms, or from people who have heard or read about the school and want to attend but again are located far away from where the classes are held today. At present, students attend the online classes from several continents (North America, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe) and time-zones from Pacific (GMT-8) to Eastern European (GMT+2) to India (GMT+5.5) to Australia (GMT+10).

Technical requirements:
a) You need to have a broadband (i.e., cable or DSL high-speed) internet connection.
b) You will need a decent quality headset (NOT a separate microphone and speakers, nor a built-in webcam microphone), or a good quality speaker phone with echo-canceling capability.
c) Your PC must be relatively new (less than 5 years) and not a MAC (sorry Mac lovers, the service we are using is not directly compatible -- you can use a Mac if you can emulate XP by using Bootcamp or other emulators on your Mac; click here for instructions for Mac users).
d) You will need a webcam.
Here is a link to some recommended equipment.

The online course, at one hour a week, covers the first five weeks of the traditional two-hour classroom's syllabus.

Due to the nature of the online classroom, ‘seating’ will be limited to 14 students per class. Once you register, you will be sent additional instructions with a password to get into the classroom. In addition, for new online students as part of those instructions, we will work with you to schedule a one-on-one session prior to the class. This required one-on-one session is set up to help checkout your gear -- assure that you are audible and visible -- and also to get you comfortable with navigating the online classroom.

For new online students, we must get your registration by the deadline (January 13) so that we have sufficient time to schedule the one-on-one session prior to the class date. These sessions take about 20-30 minutes to provide an orientation to the classroom before your first class, however, as it may also involve helping with the equipment -- an hour will be scheduled. Due to the nature of this limited-seating class, there is no refund available if you withdraw after the deadline or fail to attend an agreed upon one-on-one session without providing advance notice.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write to DL@philosophyworks.org.