Orientation



Welcome to Zoom Ikebana Dojo. We hope you will enjoy your time with us.

Zoom Ikebana Dojo group workshops differ from a face to face or individual workshop. It is not a conventional learning process. Rather, the focus is on working independently and receiving expert feedback from your instructor. This maximises your time with the instructor and minimises the fee. Importantly, it enables you to observe, and hear expert feedback on, a range of other participants’ work - a great way to learn.

To help ensure you get the most out of this workshop, our Dojo team has developed the following advice based on their experience with global online learning and previous Zoom Ikebana Dojo sessions. The key to success is for all participants to prepare well and be respectful of each other. Remember time is limited, so we must use it efficiently to be most effective.

Before the workshop

1. Become familiar with Zoom. Learn how to mute and unmute, how to share your file, and how to exchange messages. Check Youtube videos for basic instructions.

2. Practice with your family or friends. Check whether the other person can see your ikebana work easily on screen. Depending on the size of your work, a tablet or iPad may be more useful.

3. If you are joining a special dojo session, practice by joining one of our other dojo sessions beforehand.

4. Do your homework and send a photo of your work at least 24 hours before the session starts. Generally, your work should not be too large (less than 0.5 Meg.; ideally 600px wide by up to 900px tall).

5. Prepare One Specific Question about your work. You want to receive as much advice as possible from your facilitator, but remember you are sharing this opportunity with others. Try to come up with a question that you really want to ask. “Is this branch too long?” “Did I use too much red flower?” - these will help your study. Ideally, include your question when you send the photo of your work. 

6. Check the starting time again. The starting time in our post is the Melbourne Australia time. 

On the day

1. Join the session five minutes before the session starts to check your connection. Click the link we sent you.

2. Our facilitator will introduce you briefly, then you can talk about your work, your intention, most difficult point and your specific question. No need to introduce yourself.

3. Each person has about four minutes for show and tell and to receive feedback from our facilitator and other students. Our facilitator will make comments on your photo.

4. Please mute when you don't need to talk.

5. Adjust your work after the Zoom session. Enjoy show and tell by other students before and after your own presentation. Group interaction is helpful for your learning. Works by others can inspire you.

6. Our facilitator may wish to see your 3D work on the screen. Have your actual work near 
you so it can be easily seen if asked. Using a rotating turntable can be very helpful.

After the Workshop

1. After the session please rework based on comments from facilitator. This is as important as your homework and your session of Zoom Ikebana Dojo will be complete only then.