Required Skills and Equipment
Summary: The Wilmette Institute uses Moodle and Zoom for its courses, which are delivered using the internet. Any device or system that has a reliable modern connection to the internet can be used. These systems include a PC running Windows, or a Mac, or a PC running a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu. A course can be accessed using a smartphone or tablet, but the size of the display and the lack of a mouse and keyboard will increase the difficulty of posting in the online forums, which are an important learning tool for most courses. It is important to use a modern browser, and some are free-to-install, such as Firefox, Chrome, and Vivaldi. If your computer is several years old it is important to install a modern browser, especially because some software companies have stopped updating their initial browser products (e.g. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer).
Internet Connection standards:
You can test your Internet speed using speedtest.net, and there are other Internet speed testing options. Recommended speeds:
Ping response–less than 100ms
Download speed–minimum 10Mbps
Upload speed–minimum 2Mbps
Additional Considerations:
Using a shared Internet connection (other household members using the Internet) will impact connectivity.
Wireless connections are less robust; wired connections are recommended unless Internet speed is well above the minimum required.
Your Internet speed may vary throughout the day based on usage of other customers registered with your Internet Service Provider.
WI Community of Learning
The Wilmette Institute’s program is based on interactive teaching, learning, and communication. Learners, faculty, and staff are responsible for maintaining high standards of scholarship and collegiality. Faculty and learners actively contribute to one another’s learning through critical dialogue, integrative learning, and collaborative learning. As learners interact with faculty and other learners they can expect to be challenged and to feel a sense of accomplishment, to be treated with respect, and to become part of the Wilmette Institute community. Diversity—of thought, values, and opinion—is valued at the Wilmette Institute. All members of the Wilmette Institute community are expected to be respectful of diverse perspectives.
Link to WI Communication Etiquette Guidelines
Updated: 22 February, 2023
