The Wilmette Institute uses three main technological tools for its courses: Moodle, Google Workspace (and other Google products), and Zoom.
Moodle
Moodle is the Learning Management System used to deliver Wilmette Institute courses. In other words, it is the platform where participants interact with the content, other participants, and the instructor. All instructors must learn to use Moodle. There are training videos, and our Registrar offers training sessions on demand, as well as weekly, after the Moodle tutorial for students.
Follow the links below to learn about WI’s learning management tools and requirements.
Moodle Training videos (link to YouTube channel) on various topics are available, and the Registrar can provide support. Several of the training videos is incorporated into Section 1 of a self-study orientation module called “First Look: A Course on the Wilmette Institute’s Approach to Learning,” which is mandatory for all faculty.
Google Workspace
The Wilmette Institute hosts its email domain on Google servers, resulting in @wilmetteinstitute.org email addresses functioning as Gmail accounts. This configuration grants users access to an array of powerful educational tools within Google Workspace. Beyond the conventional email functionality, these tools encompass versatile applications such as documents, spreadsheets, slides (equivalent to PowerPoint), forms (for surveys), sites (for creating websites), YouTube, calendars, maps, and more.
As an example, Wilmette Institute courses are collaboratively developed using Google Docs. Once finalized, these courses are then uploaded to Moodle. Using your institutional email address or any Gmail account, individuals can easily and dynamically collaborate on Google Docs. Faculty members can leverage Google Docs to foster collaboration among participants for assignments and offer student feedback. A link to helpful Google Workspace tips is available in the resources section of Moodle.
Zoom
The Wilmette Institute has multiple Zoom accounts that faculty can use for video conferencing. WI provides resources that help instructors learn to use it quickly. Faculty are encouraged to have regular video conferences with students, as these interactions provide a valuable opportunity to integrate course readings and other resources cohesively, aligning with course learning outcomes. Wilmette Institute ensures* students who miss a live video conference can access the recorded sessions. These recordings are available on Moodle’s course page and accessible through unlisted links on WI’s YouTube channel, offering flexibility in reviewing missed content.
*An exception to this is certain courses for which personal/confidential and personalized feedback is critical to learning.
A link to Zoom tips and tutorials is available on each course’s main page in Moodle, and it can also be accessed through the Moodle Tutorials page on this website.
Other Technology Tools
Podcast catchers
Nearly all WI courses use podcasts for academic resources, as they can be a great source of information and analysis. Most episodes of podcasts can be played directly from the podcast’s website. However, it is more convenient to download an episode on one’s phone to listen to in the car or while walking or doing house chores. To download a podcast episode, you will need a podcatcher. We will cite only a few examples: The most popular one for Apple users used to be called iTunes and is now called Apple Podcasts. You can download it from iTunes and then search for the podcast and specific episode to download. For Android users, there are many options. One great option is Pocket Casts, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Once downloaded, you can search for a specific podcast and episode to download. If you need further assistance with this technology, please do not hesitate to ask our Digital Support Associate.
Library Services
The library resources and services WI offers to its faculty and students are professional academic resources appropriate for conducting graduate-level research in various fields.
As an affiliate of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU), Wilmette Institute faculty and students have physical and electronic access to the Flora Lamson Hewlett Library and its branch library at San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo. The GTU library has subscriptions to important journal repositories like JSTOR, SAGE, ProQuest Dissertations, and Theses Global. The GTU library also offers a large selection of religious academic resources. Through the GTU library, WI faculty and students can access various library services like SUMMON search, interlibrary loans, library workshops and orientations, and library guides and tutorials.
Faculty and Students can access the library, guides, and tutorials for its use on the Library Services page of the WI website.
Grammarly Premium
The Wilmette Institute provides Grammarly Premium as a subscription-based tool for all faculty members and students. Additionally, complimentary tools can be accessed on the web, such as Copyspace and WCopyfind, valuable resources for detecting plagiarism in student papers.
Last updated: 5 March, 2024
