Distance Learning Practice-Centered Programs

[Yudron]

Can you tell me about any Lama led internet (or phone app) distance learning programs that you are aware of? Specifically, I am interested in ongoing programs that may combine on-line video conferencing with a daily practice commitment on the student's part. I am interested in what software and hardware successful programs are using, and whether they charge for the program, and if so, what. These inquiries are on behalf of a Tibetan lama.

[heart]

Can you tell me about any Lama led internet (or phone app) distance learning programs that you are aware of? Specifically, I am interested in ongoing programs that may combine on-line video conferencing with a daily practice commitment on the student's part. I am interested in what software and hardware successful programs are using, and whether they charge for the program, and if so, what. These inquiries are on behalf of a Tibetan lama.

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche have a online Tara program based on the Zabthig Drolma cycle from the Chokling Tersar. The empowerment's are given IRL it seems like, but all the preliminary mind training is given in the for of audio/video led contemplation for 2 daily sessions.

https://dharmasun.org/index.php?dharmas ... &re=viewpp

/magnus

[lama tsewang]

the largest is the dharma gar of dzongsar khyentse

[jeeprs]

I have signed up for newsletters from Nithartha Institute. They offer lectures to remote students. I haven't enrolled in any yet but I am seriously considering it.

[Yudron]

Can you tell me about any Lama led internet (or phone app) distance learning programs that you are aware of? Specifically, I am interested in ongoing programs that may combine on-line video conferencing with a daily practice commitment on the student's part. I am interested in what software and hardware successful programs are using, and whether they charge for the program, and if so, what. These inquiries are on behalf of a Tibetan lama.

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche have a online Tara program based on the Zabthig Drolma cycle from the Chokling Tersar. The empowerment's are given IRL it seems like, but all the preliminary mind training is given in the for of audio/video led contemplation for 2 daily sessions.

https://dharmasun.org/index.php?dharmas ... &re=viewpp

/magnus

It doesn't look like anything is happening with that program at present. Can you share a little about how it worked? Did it cost anything? Is that 2 daily sessions you mentioned a practice commitment? Over what period of time did it run? Did folks do ngondro?

[Lhasa]

Here are links to Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's online courses.


https://www.ligminchalearning.com/

http://www.glidewing.com/twr/soundhealing_rinpoche.html

On Sat. March 30th,2013 there will be a free online retreat. Details aren't out yet.

Check here for updates https://www.facebook.com/ligminchainstitute

Here is their new international website: http://ligmincha.org/en/

[heart]

Can you tell me about any Lama led internet (or phone app) distance learning programs that you are aware of? Specifically, I am interested in ongoing programs that may combine on-line video conferencing with a daily practice commitment on the student's part. I am interested in what software and hardware successful programs are using, and whether they charge for the program, and if so, what. These inquiries are on behalf of a Tibetan lama.

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche have a online Tara program based on the Zabthig Drolma cycle from the Chokling Tersar. The empowerment's are given IRL it seems like, but all the preliminary mind training is given in the for of audio/video led contemplation for 2 daily sessions.

https://dharmasun.org/index.php?dharmas ... &re=viewpp

/magnus

It doesn't look like anything is happening with that program at present. Can you share a little about how it worked? Did it cost anything? Is that 2 daily sessions you mentioned a practice commitment? Over what period of time did it run? Did folks do ngondro?

The Zabthig Drolma is called the threefold excellence. The first excellence is training the mind in renunciation, more or less the four mind changings, this program is about 2 months of 2 sessions of 40 minutes a day. The second excellence is training in bodhicitta, lodjong and so on. It is longer, I don't remember how long maybe 4-5months of 2 sessions of 40 minutes a day. The third excellence is vajrayana stretching from kriya yoga to annutarayoga (maha, anu, ati). This third excellence don't exist yet. CNR been giving the outer empowerment a lot the last few years. The training include also from the beginning wake-up practice, dream practice, guru yoga on Tara. It seems to be a big success because it is translated to several languages right now, like spanish and german. Some people have done the first and second excellence several times.

https://dharmasun.org/index.php?dharmasun=cms&id=14

/magnus

[Yudron]

Here are links to Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's online courses.


https://www.ligminchalearning.com/

http://www.glidewing.com/twr/soundhealing_rinpoche.html

On Sat. March 30th,2013 there will be a free online retreat. Details aren't out yet.

Check here for updates https://www.facebook.com/ligminchainstitute

Here is their new international website: http://ligmincha.org/en/

I explored their site, and their course offerings look really excellent--very professional with a lot of organized resources available to the student.. They are using Kaltura as a platform, and the cheapest package that company offers is $499 a month. Unfortunately, that is too steep for our center.

[Yudron]

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche have a online Tara program based on the Zabthig Drolma cycle from the Chokling Tersar. The empowerment's are given IRL it seems like, but all the preliminary mind training is given in the for of audio/video led contemplation for 2 daily sessions.

https://dharmasun.org/index.php?dharmas ... &re=viewpp

/magnus

It doesn't look like anything is happening with that program at present. Can you share a little about how it worked? Did it cost anything? Is that 2 daily sessions you mentioned a practice commitment? Over what period of time did it run? Did folks do ngondro?[/quote]

The Zabthig Drolma is called the threefold excellence. The first excellence is training the mind in renunciation, more or less the four mind changings, this program is about 2 months of 2 sessions of 40 minutes a day. The second excellence is training in bodhicitta, lodjong and so on. It is longer, I don't remember how long maybe 4-5months of 2 sessions of 40 minutes a day. The third excellence is vajrayana stretching from kriya yoga to annutarayoga (maha, anu, ati). This third excellence don't exist yet. CNR been giving the outer empowerment a lot the last few years. The training include also from the beginning wake-up practice, dream practice, guru yoga on Tara. It seems to be a big success because it is translated to several languages right now, like spanish and german. Some people have done the first and second excellence several times.


That's wonderful. This is similar to what we want to do. Were there interactive on-line teachings during that two or four month period? Did they charge for it?

[heart]

That's wonderful. This is similar to what we want to do. Were there interactive on-line teachings during that two or four month period? Did they charge for it?

Yes, it costs money, the first excellence that is 4 months of practice cost a $108. It was and still is a huge work to produce the material. The best way to understand how it is done is to sign up for the first excellence and listen to the material they done. There is 2 files for each day, both mp3 or powerpoint versions exist, and then there are several complete teachings by CNR and one of his lamas. You get a lot of material. CNR also have seminars on the various parts all over the world.

/magnus

[Yudron]

That's wonderful. This is similar to what we want to do. Were there interactive on-line teachings during that two or four month period? Did they charge for it?

Yes, it costs money, the first excellence that is 4 months of practice cost a $108. It was and still is a huge work to produce the material. The best way to understand how it is done is to sign up for the first excellence and listen to the material they done. There is 2 files for each day, both mp3 or powerpoint versions exist, and then there are several complete teachings by CNR and one of his lamas. You get a lot of material. CNR also have seminars on the various parts all over the world.

/magnus

Sounds like a really wonderful program. I'm afraid I am not looking to take any courses right now, just doing research for my lama who would like to offer an on-line program to support people in their ngondro practice. Probably for 10-30 students.

Are parts of it live on-line with the lama? Can students ask questions of the lama in real time?

[heart]

That's wonderful. This is similar to what we want to do. Were there interactive on-line teachings during that two or four month period? Did they charge for it?

Yes, it costs money, the first excellence that is 4 months of practice cost a $108. It was and still is a huge work to produce the material. The best way to understand how it is done is to sign up for the first excellence and listen to the material they done. There is 2 files for each day, both mp3 or powerpoint versions exist, and then there are several complete teachings by CNR and one of his lamas. You get a lot of material. CNR also have seminars on the various parts all over the world.

/magnus

Sounds like a really wonderful program. I'm afraid I am not looking to take any courses right now, just doing research for my lama who would like to offer an on-line program to support people in their ngondro practice. Probably for 10-30 students.

Are parts of it live on-line with the lama? Can students ask questions of the lama in real time?

A part of the service is an online forum where some of students that are putting together the program answers questions. CNR is not so modern, but I noticed that he knows how to use his ipad these days . The first part of the third excellence will be ngondro I am told, but no one knows how it will look at this point.

/magnus

[Pero]

There's also Longchen Rabjam Online Shedra from Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche. There hasn't been a practice commitment so far, but this might change it the second year where teachings that require empowerments start being given.

[Dharmaswede]

Sounds like a really wonderful program. I'm afraid I am not looking to take any courses right now, just doing research for my lama who would like to offer an on-line program to support people in their ngondro practice. Probably for 10-30 students.

Are parts of it live on-line with the lama? Can students ask questions of the lama in real time?

It seems to me like most on line shedras/practice programs rely on open source platforms. Foundations Buddhist Thought uses Moodle, http://www.longchenrabjam.org uses Drupla. But these are considerably larger organizations than 10-30 students, and even though open source is free the actual establishment and maintenance is not – unless you have a very skilled programmer with fair share of time to invest. I am by no means computer savvy but spontaneously I would suggest that you keep it simple since it is not such a large group; perhaps just a password protected forum with download capacity of files, complemented wbyith a webinar service (such as Citrix or Webex) that will allow recording and distribution of webinars. Webinar platforms are ideal for live sessions, especially if you want to be able to take questions for the viewers. Usually best to take the questions in the chat section, not through audio, of the webinar software.

Best Wishes,

Jens

[Alfredo]

The FPMT has several types of program (see Wikipedia) including "the Basic Program" ( http://www.fpmt.org/education/programs/ ... tions.html ) and the Masters Program ( http://www.iltk.org/en/study-programs/masters-program ), both of which may be taken either on-site or at-a-distance. The latter has been held at the Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy, using Moodle for the online students, but I understand that other centers may offer the same courses, perhaps with other software. The fee varies according to course length and used to be 45 USD for each course of the Basic Program, and 60 Euro per month for the Masters Program http://www.iltk.org/en/study-programs/m ... ites-costs

Ranjung Yeshe Institute has online as well as residential courses: http://www.shedra.org/portal/index.php?page=oll or http://www.shedra.org/moodle/ Their fee structure varies according to the student's citizenship; you have to write and ask. They also use Moodle (now Moodle 2).

Somebody mentioned Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's Dharma Gar. These begin and end at set times, so one would have to wait for the next one, possibly in several years. Rinpoche addresses the students in the form of webinars through gotomeetings.com. Modest dues are apparently assessed, though not for the first year or so. The content is relatively practice-oriented, though not spelled out in advance. Course participants are not supposed to discuss what they are doing.

Dharmakirti College (Tucson, Arizona) has residential and a few online courses, they charge USD 50 per course: http://www.dharmakirti.org/dc_catalogue.htm Not sure about their technical set-up.

Although not Buddhist, Bhaktivedanta College (in Belgium) offers online course comparable to some of these, and would be a useful source of information: http://bhaktivedantacollege.com/online/faq-online/

[Yudron]

Thanks for the help everyone. Hopefully, this thread will be useful for people who are interested in on-line content.

We have looked at a few interactive webinar services, and have some promising possibilities for services. Our organization is not small, but the possibilities for on-line programs has been limited because of poor internet service at our rural center until the past couple of months.

At this point the lamas are looking at inexpensive and easy to use services, such as anymeeting.com, voxwire.com or fuzebox.com, to help provide guidance and support to people who are seriously practicing, like Dharma Gar, but smaller. One of our Western lamas has been using Fuzebox, with great success for some time now. She is really happy with it. It's slightly more expensive than other comparable services, but it may be our choice because it is tried and true. It works well on handheld devices, and since more and more people are using android and apple devices as their main way of accessing the internet, that's important.