Atlas Obscura Courses

We want to welcome you to our student community, made up of knowledge-seekers from across the globe who share a commitment to curious and compassionate learning. Within this community, we strive to create an online classroom that is respectful, collaborative, dynamic, and inclusive—where folks can learn from each other, stretch their brains, share their thoughts, and feel safe doing so! In preparation for your upcoming class, please take a moment to review the following guidelines to help us co-create the most exciting and fulfilling learning experience possible.

Arrive on time!

It makes a huge difference to your instructor and fellow classmates to be able to start and end class on time, and for your instructor and/or moderator to be able to focus on the in-class experience rather than monitoring the waiting room.

Take space and make space.

Inclusive participation drives the energy of the class! Share when you can, and listen as well. If you find yourself dominating the conversation or chat, take a beat to make room for others to contribute.

Use the chat to engage with class content.

The chat is the perfect place to ask a question, respond to a question or comment raised in class, or share a relevant experience or resource from your own life. The chat is not, however, the place to share negative or disruptive comments in the chat or live discussion. If you have feedback about the class you’d like to share with us, you’ll have the opportunity to do so after the course has ended. If there’s anything time-sensitive, feel free to email us at experiences@atlasobscura.com.

Be conscious of your mic.

Whenever you’re not speaking, make sure your microphone is turned off to minimize background noise and avoid being disruptive when others are speaking.

Join with video.

If you’re comfortable doing so, switch on your camera. Though we will never require you to, this can help instructors and other students feel connected, energized, and engaged.

Show up in a collaborative spirit!

Be willing to share projects, take risks, connect with one another, and learn a thing or two.