btSchool Pilot Student Program

TreeBay

UPDATE: We currently have 12 user(s) & Enrollment is closed for this module. Details on the next module will be posted soon.

If you are interested in participating in a test of bonsaTALK School, we are looking for about ten to twelve users to participate in a pilot group as students.


This first "class" is going to be on bonsai appreciation. In the first week, we'll be asking students to select from their own collection bonsai to be critiqued and upload them. I expect the course to last four weeks. We'll have a weekly assignment, discussion and probably a chat.

You should have paypal capability because you will need it for enrollment cost of $5 (five dollars). This nominal tuition enables us to test our payment system and be sure that folks who get involved are serious about participating. This is an introductory rate. Typical classes will be $20-$35 plus materials. If you don't have the five dollars, you can PM me with a statement about your commitment to participate and we will see about making it a scholarship.

The btschool is being developed as we go, so there will be, I suspect, quite a lot of changes and modifications. There are quite a few tools available to us, and we need to learn which ones are appropriate and which are not.

If you're interested:

1. Login to bonsaiTALK School (enrollment link removed since the course is now closed) using your regular forum username and password and an account will be created.

2. Update your Student profile. I'm not actually too concerned with where you actually live, but we will be using "Real Names" in the bonsai school. You can also provide me with contact details in the event there is some administrative problem or emergency. That part is up to you.

3. Enroll yourself in Learning to Critique Bonsai here:
http://bonsaitalk.com/school/course/view.php?id=6 You'll be directed to Paypal, where you can pledge a dollar and get started.

4. Once you're in you won't see a great deal, so I don't want to misinform you. You should see these

a) a survey about how you learn
b) two assignments - to upload a photograph and to describe the tree
you've chosen.


Guests / Observers ?: Currently, guest access is not enabled in this course.. Once things get rolling we might let folks in for a look around but probably not for a couple of weeks.

Feel free to ask any pre-registration questions here in this forum. Once you've been able to successfully login and enroll, there is a class forum which would be a better place

Regards,

Matt

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Will_Heath

Who is scheduled to instruct?


Will

TreeBay

I am the instructor. This first class is primarily a study group format because it is the most flexible. However, I am going to present the tools and materials and define the activities and projects. I will be creating and grading the assignments and leading the discussion, but in this first section, the point is also to learn about the process and see how it can work for us.

Future classes will be more structured than this one. That is not to say that this class is unstructured, but that any creative process has exploration, review, and editorial phases, and we are definitely in at a point of exploration.

Regards,

Matt

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Treebeard

I'm surprised there is only four takers for this...

Regards,

Chris.

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bonsai_assassin

I would be interested in this. I would like some more information on the class...Like course objectives. . . how you invision the classes to evolve, what can we expect etc.... Thanks in advance.

Manny

TreeBay

Hi Manny,

Here are the lofty goals, repurposed from several areas of art appreciation:

1. To understand the principles of design as applied to bonsai
2. To explore the nature of the bonsai as a visual art
3. To become familiar with technique and styling cues used by bonsai artists
4. To develop an appreciation and understanding for the work of a number of bonsai artists

After completing this course, students should have demonstrated improvment in their capacity to view a bonsai critically and be able to identify and articulate critically in subjective and literal terms.

As far as expectations, I do expect things to evolve. A lot.

Regards,

Matt

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bonsai_assassin

Matt, Thanks for the quick response. The tree that students would be ta posting would it be a "finished" tree?

TreeBay

Currently students are posting and journaling on a tree from their collection. Finished is a relative term, but the tree is in a showable condition. These pieces will serve as examples for discussion as we move forward.

Regards,

Matt

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Miss Janel

I understand that "finished" is a relative term but I'm relatively sure none of mine are finished enough to meet the current requirements. Perhaps if this class is successful then in the future a class can be assembled for those of us who do not meet the current requirements. I hope it can be soon though.

MJ