Joining Discussions.

Online discussion forums allow students to share ideas with each other and to help each other when encountering stumbling blocks. We encourage you to post questions or ideas in messages that follow the etiquette guidelines below. 

Join the Forum:

• Click the Forum link in the course navigation bar. Then hit the button "apply for membership".  Your membership will be pending until approved by the Forum moderation team.
  

Forum Etiquette:

• Stay on topic - use the miscellaneous category if you want to explore side topics
• Avoid inflammatory language - we are all here to learn
• Search the forum for answers to your question before posting in the help area
• Try to write in complete sentences and avoid things like caps lock or typing like texting

Using the Forum:
Click the Forum link in the course navigation bar. To add a new post, click the "New Topic" button. To view posts in each category, click the links (such as Meet and Greet). Each time you post, make sure you select the category you are posting under to keep the forum organized.

Give it a try!  Go to the Forum page by clicking the Forum tab, then tell us about yourself in the discussion called "Meet and Greet."

Managing Forum Emails:

If you want to change how frequently you receive emails about postings to the Forum, click the Membership and email settings button on the Forum page (just below and to the right of New Topic).

Joining Hangouts.

Enable Google+ for your Gmail

In order to use Google Hangouts, you will need to enable Google+ for your gmail account. To enable Google+, you should be logged in to your gmail account, then go to the Google+ page and follow the directions. Learn more about Google+.  (Google+ is Google's social media platform.)

Try Hangouts with a Friend

You will be required to participate in one Google Hangout per unit. Everyone else is welcome to join the instant hangouts, which will be linked on the Discussion lesson of each unit. Look for the following icon to join an instant hangout:


If you haven't used Google Hangouts before, we suggest the following tips:

• Try to do your hangout in a quiet place, using a good microphone/headset.
• Test a hangout with a friend or family member before doing one in your group.
• Hangouts work best in the Chrome browser.
• Use Google Docs to take notes in your hangout. (Click View More Apps on the left side list in Hangout, then click +Add Apps and look for Google Drive.)