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Greek In A Week Intensive Courses

Getting Everything Ready For Class

Page Contents:

1. Primary benefits of our conferencing software
2. System requirements
3. Getting Started
4. Some Features
5. Troubleshooting
6. Practice Sessions
7. Etiquette

1. Primary Benefits Of Our Conferencing Software (Web4m)

The Areté Academy is proud to be using a cutting edge audio conferencing program that is browser based (There is nothing to install to clutter your personal computer.). The conferencing system that we are now using is called Web4m. It truly creates a live forum on the web. This system is browser based, so all users including MAC users are able to attend. Of course, there is a live chat window to offer questions and comments in addition to using a microphone. Web4m also has an interactive white board to provide even better visual communication. Another notable benefit of this package is ability to record a class so if there are any difficulties coming to class students and listen and watch the entire class (with audio, synchronized audio and whiteboard) as their leisure. There are a host of other benefits that Areté Academy students receive (mailbox, calendar, online phone capability with other students, server space, etc.,) but the best part of this packages is that it is included in the Areté Academy tuition so all of these interactive benefits are absolutely free to Areté students.

2. System Requirements

PC users:

  • 56k Modem or better (It doesn't have connect at that speed, but faster is always better.)
  • Pentium II at 350Mhz with 128Mb of RAM (minimum system) A Pentium III at 500 Mhz or better is recommended.
  • Windows 98 or better
  • Speakers and microphone (or microphone headset) with a 16 bit sound card minimum
  • The latest version of Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Mozilla
  • A firewall and antivirus software are a must since we will be spending so much time on the web.

MAC users:

  • 56k Modem or better (It doesn't have connect at that speed, but faster is always better.)
  • OS X or better
  • The latest version of Internet Explorer or Netscape. (Safari will not work.)
  • A firewall and antivirus software are still a good ideas even for MAC users since we will be spending so much time on the web.

3. Getting Started

Getting started is not that difficult, but does take some time. I recommend going through all of the initial setup at least a day before the practice session that you wish to attend. Do not be surprised if there is some trouble-shooting on your first time through. Hopefully most of these will be avoided if you make sure that your system matches the requirements listed above.

The first thing to do is go to our class server. You will probably want to bookmark this URL. http://web4m.studiovision.ca/svserver.html (If you are on a PC (not MAC) you can save one click by using this URL. http://web4m.studiovision.ca/JDHHTML/svserverQS.html). As a convenient way to get to class I recommend that you minimize all windows to expose your desktop. Right click somewhere on the desktop and highlight the "new" option. Choose "shortcut" from the list. Copy and paste (or type) the URL into the shortcut window. Make sure that it is exactly the same, with no extra spaces before or after it. Click "next" and in the following window, click "finish." Now you have an icon on your desktop that will take you to the class server log in page.

Once you start things, follow the instructions given in the pop-ups. You will have to accept few Java programs from JDH Technologies, the developers of Web4m. (Some systems may also be directed to get a Java plugin from Sun Micro systems.) This loading stage can be extremely long for some computers (12 minutes). If all you are seeing is a window that says something about window resizing, it is OK. Wait it out. If you want, you can check your ISP connection to ensure that things are truly downloading (Click on the two monitor screens in your tool tray at the bottom of your screen. You should see the numbers of packets sent and received changing.). Toward the end of the process you will be asked to accept a few more programs from JDH Technologies. Eventually, a login window will appear. Assuming that you have registered for the course, the administrator has created an account for you. Your user name is your first name plus the initial letter of your last name. The first and last letters of your username must be capitalized. So the user name for John Doe would JohnD. Your initial password is exactly the same as your username. Once logged in, the resize window will change to your online class account window.

Can't get to the Login Screen?
  1. Try using a different browser. In general, it is a good idea to have the most recent versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape installed on your machine. It is not uncommon to have to switch back and forth when seriously surfing.
  2. In your browser click "help" on the top toolbar. Then click "about ..." write down the browser version you are using and compare it with the most recent free download version of your browser at http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp for Netscape, and http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp for Internet Explorer. Always keep your browser updated and using the latest version.
  3. Restart your computer and try again.
  4. If your computer still hangs before the login window (not receiving or sending packets), download and install the latest Java reader from Sun Micro systems. Sometimes the browsers don't have the latest version of this. You can get the free download here: http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp . After installing it you should restart your computer.
  5. If you have tried all of these things to no avail, please email me.
Login Failure?
  1. Make sure you are using proper capitalization for both username and password
  2. If this is your first time logging on, email the instructor to verify that your username and password were spelled correctly when he set up the account.
  3. If this isn't your first time logging on and your know that your username and password are correct, the problem is probably that server is down. Email the instructor to let him know and he will pass the word along. Try logging on again after a couple hours.

4. Some Features

After you have logged in, you will see your username in a window entitled "svserver." This is your main administrative window that will run in the background. There are many tools available from this window.

The first thing you should do is go to "Utils" in the top tool bar and click on change password. Change it to anything that you can easily remember. Security is not a big issue here. You really don't have any sensitive information in your account at this point.

Now your account is ready for you to use and customize. Feel free to explore your options. When you are ready to attend a class or would like to visit the "student lounge" (to test computer issues, have a live study group, or simply socialize), click on the "Rooms" button in the left sidebar. A "Rooms Selector" window will pop up. You will notice that there are numbers next to each of the rooms. These are the number of people in each room. Sometimes it takes a while for these numbers to display. You must wait for them. After you see numbers next to each room, double click on the room you wish to enter and a window for that room will pop up. At this point you are in the room and have full chat and white board capabilities with anyone in the room. To enable the audio portion of the class you must be in a conference. This means selecting "join conference" at the bottom left of the screen. If you are in the Student Lounge rooms feel free to select "start conference" to enable the audio component to talk with your classmates. If you are in one of the classrooms, please wait for the instructor to start the conference. He may have a slide presentation to load.

It is a good idea to log on a number of times each week even when you don't have a class. This will enable you to consistently test things to keep everything running smoothly when there is a class. Feel free to set up an online meeting with other students. The server should be able to hold large study groups in the student lounge even while other classes are running. If you decide to pop into another class which is running to test your audio, do so as discretely as possible. Do not try to test your mic there or send whispers to anyone in the class. Also, be careful about sending a "yo" to someone in a class. It could be distracting.

If you are only meeting with one person, feel free to use the online phone to speak with each other. This is also a good tool to test your audio and microphone capabilities. To use the phone, exit out of any classroom you may be in. Then in the main "svserver" window, highlight the name of the person you wish to call (they must also not be in a classroom). Click on the phone in the left sidebar and a window to call them will pop up. As soon as a connection is established (they have to accept the incoming call), both of your microphones and speakers will be on. Chat away. There is no need to select any "pass mic" button.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of this conferencing package is the ability to play back classes. If you have technical difficulties during a class you can log back in and replay the class, after you have fixed the problem, or your connection is working better. So please don't become anxious if the class is going on and you are unable to join in for some reason. You won't miss anything. Calmly work through the troubleshooting steps and replay the class when everything is working. Of course, it is always a good idea to log in the class server multiple times each week to make sure everything is working properly. You can even replay a class for a good review or have a live study group with classmates. The replay includes all audio, chat and whiteboard communication. It is just like being in class (but you won't be able to ask live questions - if you have questions about the material covered in the class, please post them on the forum.) Each class will be recorded in two segments so you can choose which hour you would like to hear. Each class will be kept on the server for at least two weeks.

Steps for replaying a recorded class:
  1. Log onto the class server as if you are going to class. Your first window after loggin on is called "svserver".
  2. Click "tools" on the top tool bar of this window.
  3. From the tools pulldown menu, click "conference player". It may take some time to pop up.
  4. A window will pop up entitled "select a conference".
  5. Single click on "public".
  6. Single click on the Greek class you are taking. If you are taking beginning Greek, select "GreekBeg". If you are in the intermediate reading class, select "GreekInt". You will then see a list of lectures.
  7. All of the lecture names should start the same, ("BegGreekLec... " or "IntGreekLec...". Toward the end of the name you will see a number and a letter. The number refers to which week the lecture was given and the following letter first to which hour of class ("a" for the fist hour and "b" for the second hour). So the lecture entitled "BegGreekLec4b.cn" would be the second hour of the lecture given in the fourth week of beginning Greek classes.
  8. Double click on the lecture that you would like to hear and see. You will see the conference window. I suggest maximizing it.
  9. Once it loads you will be able to click "play" at the bottom.

Welcome to the live interactive world online.

5. Troubleshooting - How do deal with some problems that may happen

Since this browser based audio conferencing system is rather new technology, and since the web is not a static environment, you should expect to encounter some problems now and then. Here are a few of the most common problems that occur and what to do to troubleshoot them. The audio problems are the most common. The most important thing to remember is to relax when you experience an audio problem. Often they come and go like the wind and will improve in a matter of minutes, so the first troubleshooting step is waiting for a few minutes. Remember that you can always replay the full lectures with all audio and visual components, so there is no need to worry that might miss something vital. Feel free to mention that you have lost audio in the chat window. You can also ask someone to type notes of what is being said while your computer is recovering from this problem. Sometime the lecture can be recorded for future listening.

Trouble with the Login?
  1. Use the troubleshooting tips in Getting Started.
Can't join a conference because it says "the conference has been corrupted"
  1. Sometimes files get corrupted on our own machines and this can be reported even when there is a conference going and no one else is experience this problem. If this problem is keeping from a class. Relax, it is being recorded and you can listen to it later. This set of troubleshooting steps will probably take a while and keep you from making it to the class so prepare yourself. Remember, it is always a good idea to try logging on way before class time and then at other points in the week when there isn't class just to make sure things are working. Grab some homework to do as your computer chugs and try this steps.
  2. Quit out of the conferencing program and close down you browser. Use a different browser (if you were using Internet Explorer, try Netscape or vice-versa). Make sure you have the most recent versions of these browsers (updating browser instructions)
  3. If switching browsers doesn't work, clear the cache in your browsers and try again. To do this in IE: click on "tools", "internet options", "delete files" (this should be under the "general" tab. Also click "delete cookies". To do this in Netscape:  Click on "edit", "preferences", in the left side bar double click on advanced, highlight "cache" and click on "clear cache" in the right side of this window, then click "OK" at the bottom. Close the browser and open it again then try logging in.
  4. If step three doesn't work, close down all of your programs and go to "my computer." Double click on your hard drive "C:". Delete the ".Jdh" directory and restart your computer. Now try logging on again.
  5. If step four doesn't work, go to www.java.com and download the latest version of the free Java software. This is what Netscape should be using, but sometimes the browser has an older version. Follow the instructions to download and install. Then restart your computer and try logging on again.
Errors reported and no audio when entering a conference in a classroom:
  1. Some firewalls will not allow the sound .exe file to talk to the server. This will generate errors and disable all audio.
  2. Permit the sound .exe file to access the web AND select always permit.
  3. If you are using a Norton Firewall, have permitted the sound .exe file (and have selected the always permit box), and still receive these errors. Exit the conference (and possibly room) and then re-enter. If you selected the always permit box in the Norton pop-up you won't see the issue again in this session, and should have audio capabilities.
No sounds and no errors reported:
  1. First wait for a couple minutes to see if it improves.
  2. Check the basics. Put an audio CD or something in your computer to make sure that your speakers are plugged in, turned on, and turned up.
  3. If your speakers work fine in other applications, then it could be a bump due to; high internet traffic, local server difficulties (these are becoming more common with the increasing number of internet use and viruses, worms, etc.,), or local computer processing difficulties.
  4. If the problem persists use the following procedures in the order given to try to fix the problem.
  5. Try exiting the conference and returning to see if that helps.
  6. Try exiting the conference and then exiting the classroom. Then return (Be sure to wait for numbers to appear next to the list of rooms before selecting a room.) to see if that helps.
  7. Ask someone from the class to test the online phone with you.
    • Exit the conference and classroom with someone (This will not work if either person is in a classroom.)
    • In the "svserver" window highlight the person's user name. Then press "phone" from the left sidebar. The other person should "answer" the call and you should be able to talk (full duplexing - no passing a mic back and forth). If the audio works, hang-up and try going back to the classroom.
    • If the audio still doesn't work, quit the entire program and reload and email the instructor.
    • You may also call JDH Technologies at (757) 873-4747, or email them at info@jdhtech.com. Please mention that you are with Classical Free Tutorials (that is who we rent our classroom from).
Sound is too choppy to understand (due to slides):
  1. If the instructor has loaded slides to be used on the whiteboard in class, you will see a list of these slides in a special window below the participating window.
  2. Next to the names of the slides there are diamonds, which should be turning yellow and then green. If any are not green, your computer is downloading those files and that is disrupting the audio.
  3. Do not exit the conference. Turn down your speakers and wait for the slides to finish loading. After they all are green, turn up your speakers and see if the sound is clear.
Sound is too choppy to understand (for no reason):
  1. This bump could be due to; high internet traffic, local server difficulties (these are becoming more common with the increasing number of internet use and viruses, worms, etc.,), or local computer processing difficulties and the speaker's or listener’s end.
  2. Use the following procedures in the order given to try to fix the problem.
  3. Exit other programs running on your computer.
  4. Try exiting the conference and returning to see if that helps.
  5. Try exiting the conference and then exiting the classroom. Then return (Be sure to wait for numbers to appear next to the list of rooms before selecting a room.) to see if that helps.
  6. Ask someone from the class to test the online phone with you.
  • Exit the conference and classroom with someone (This will not work if either person is in a classroom.)
  • In the "svserver" window highlight the person's user name. Then press "phone" from the left sidebar. The other person should "answer" the call and you should be able to talk (full duplexing - no passing a mic back and forth). If the audio works, hang-up and try going back to the classroom.
  • If the audio still doesn't work, quit the entire program and reload and email the instructor.
  • You may also call JDH Technologies at (757) 873-4747, or email them at info@jdhtech.com. Please mention that you are with Classical Free Tutorials (that is who we rent our classroom from)
There are names (maybe your own) missing from the participating list, or you cannot view slides when everyone else can.
  1. If are not going to use the microphone and/or the instructor hasn't loaded slides this shouldn't be a problem. Just keep listening to the conference.
  2. If will be using the microphone (I hope you will), or the instructor has loaded slides then you will have to fix this. Chances are that you double clicked the Greek Room before it had displayed how many people were in the room.
  3. Exit out of the conference.
  4. Exit out of the Greek Room.
  5. Click on "Rooms" in the "svserver "window and wait for number to appear next to the room titles in the "Rooms" pop-up window.
  6. After the number of occupants have appear (this can take a long while sometimes), click on the desired room and join the conference.
The instructor has disappeared or is nonresponsive.
  1. Watch your email. If the instructor still has a connection he will eventually send an explanatory email and further instructions. You can also check the forum to see if he is chatting there.
  2. Sometimes the local ISP goes down. This would make it impossible for him to send email or use the forum. In such a situation, the instructor will find some student who can receive telephone calls as well as be online. He will try to get word to the class through such a student who will relay the message in the classroom.
  3. If fifteen minutes have passed without communication from the instructor consider the class cancelled. Further instructions will eventually be sent via email and posted on the forum.
The entire class got booted from the classroom and can't get back in, but still has internet access.
  1. In this situation, we will all meet in the forum on BiblicalGreek.org in the live chat area.

If you notice some else is having audio problems in the class. Please use the chat bar to offer your assistance, and help them troubleshoot the problem. Because time is limited, the instructor will not be able to stop the lecture and address each of these issues in class. Please feel free to paraphrase what the instructor is saying in the chat box if someone loses audio. You may do this even if no one looses audio as a good way to reinforce learning. You may also ask the instructor to record the class for future listening when the problem clears up. (Note: only conferences with slides may be recorded. Conferences without slides may only record the chat.).

5. Practice Sessions

The single most important thing you can do to ensure a smooth start, when the course material begins is to attend at least one of the practice sessions. These sessions function as an online class open house. Drop by at any point during one of the scheduled sessions to test out your system conference configuration and take a live guided tour of how class interaction occurs online. You can stay as long as you wish and don't have to ask permission to leave. See the course syllabus for the schedule of when these test sessions occur. Try to attend the earlier sessions to avoid the crowd and get quicker personalized assistance in troubleshooting any problems. The earlier sessions allow the opportunity to make changes and then come back at a later practice session to see if the modifications helped. Returning students should also drop by a practice session just to double check everything, and learn any new conferencing developments.

6. Etiquette

Here a few rules of etiquette and classroom mechanics that you should be aware of.

  1. Log into the classroom five minutes before class begins. This will give your computer time to download any slides without disrupting your audio.
    • If the instructor has not started a conference do not start one yourself. This would prohibit him from loading any slides.
    • If class has not started and you which to test your audio or visit with other students please go to the student lounge where you are welcome to start a conference. (But don't be late for your class)
  2. Have as few windows open and programs running as possible. This will decrease the chance of audio problems.
  3. During class please feel free to write thoughts, comments or questions in the chat box. Do not feel obligated to read or respond to every single post. The online classroom yields a unique environment to converse in class without being a distraction. Of course all of your chat should be relevant to the class and aimed to help or encourage others.
  4. Feel free to request the microphone to ask a question or make a comment. To do this you may use the request microphone button in the conference window, or type ? (for a question) or ! (for a comment) in the chat box. The instructor will normally respond to these requests, but it may take a few minutes to work it into the lecture.
  5. Although it is possible for anyone (or everyone at once) to write on the whiteboard, do not write on the board unless you are also speaking in the microphone or it is expressly clear through the chat box that you are making a mark to help clarify your comment. The whiteboard can become extremely confusing if marks are coming from every which way without context.
  6. When the instructor asks for an audio check please type in your response using the following symbols & abbreviations:
    • * = I can hear you
    • cl = your audio is clear
    • lac = loud and clear
    • ch = your audio is choppy
    • @ = I have no audio
  7. Always take the opportunity to encourage others in the class. After someone performs a task (like reading or translating) don't hesitate to type in quick encouragements like: gj (good job).
  8. Be careful of the temptation to think you are anonymous. Think before you type. If you blunder in what you type (it happens!), an apology can prevent or soothe many an offense. If someone else blunders, have charity--don't be hard on them.
  9. Avoid using private jokes that may alienate some of the class participants and be aware that there are a wide range of ages and backgrounds of students taking each class. Comments should be neither too juvenile or senile : ).
  10. There are also people in the classes coming from a wide range of theological backgrounds. Please be courteous and understanding with each other. Questions and comments should be directed at what the Greek text means (or various options of what it could mean). The classes and forum is not to place to argue theology per se. It is our goal that the church will grow more unified by continuing to return to the text rather than our systematic theologies.
  11. I always assume that students will conduct themselves with Christian charity, courtesy, and kindness, and they almost always surpass what I expect!

A few more odds and ends:

Be especially wise in the student lounge. Reports of abuse will be taken very seriously. Please use the student lounge for organized study groups (evenings) or audio testing before class starts. You may also use it to socialize but be careful to adhere to points 9-11 from above. Playing music over a conference channel is prohibited. If you must have someone listen to something email them an mp3 and let them decide.