Technical Competency and Preparedness
Cherry Hill Seminary is a distance education facility. At a minimum, all members of the Seminary community must meet the technical requirements below, which are subject to change upon recommendation of our technical support staff and the agreement of management.
All students must review the classroom training tutorial upon receiving access to the online classroom system (Moodle). Students in a certificate or degree program are required to complete a four-week orientation class; information about this class will be sent to newly-admitted students. Students are also responsible for reviewing information found at Zoom.com about use of that platform for video class meetings.
- Proficiency in and access to an up-to-date computer with a sound card, working computer sound card and a headset/microphone which plugs into your computer.
- Reliable internet access (high-speed access is strongly recommended).
- Access to and responsibility for standard office software, including a word processing program which will create .doc or .rtf files, and an internet browser.
- Access to and responsibility for protection from viruses, etc.
- Ability to attend and participate in online video class sessions.
- Ability and willingness to follow the instructions given by tech support staff when first introduced to Moodle, and to take responsibility for participating in the online Moodle tutorial.
- Ability to attend and participate in online chat or conference call class sessions, as well as the willingness to adjust to these differing modes of communication.
Using Web-Based Meeting Platforms
An effective distance education format necessitates some form of technology to enable periodic direct interaction between student and instructor. Cherry Hill Seminary currently uses Zoom™ for online video conferences. Use of Zoom is free to the student, but requires compliance with some simple matters in order to best serve both the individual and the group.
Students and instructors are required to use a headset which plugs into the main computer. Use of a wireless headset or simply the built-in audio will degrade the call for the entire class. Such a headset may be purchased at a nominal cost in most office supply or electronics stores.
Online Classroom
All classes have an online component. Cherry Hill Seminary uses a standard software called Moodle that is used by many high schools and universities. Once a student registers for a course, CHS tech staff sends information about how to access Moodle. This communication will include a login name and a password, which may be changed by the student once logged in. Each student is asked to review the Moodle tutorial (found in the Moodle online classroom) before the course begins.
It is very important to access Moodle as soon as login information is received so that any problems can be addressed before the start of classes. The tutorial will introduce the different Moodle functions. Instructors expect students to already understand how to use a forum, how to upload an assignment, and how to follow links to other resources. Each student is responsible for reading all material posted in the classroom. To recover a lost password, first try the “lost password” function on the Moodle sign-in screen, then if needed, email CHS tech support (CHS@cherryhillseminary.org).
