Welcome to Pencil Spaces! This guide will help you prepare for your online lessons, join your classes with confidence, and review your learning afterwards.
Before your class
1. Run a quick tech check
Before your lesson begins, we recommend checking that your device is ready to use.
Visit the Tech Check page to confirm that your:
Browser is supported
Camera is working
Microphone is working
Speakers or headphones are working
Network connection is stable
If your browser asks for permission to access your camera or microphone, make sure you select Allow.
2. Make sure you have the correct Space
Your lesson takes place in a Space, which is your online classroom.
Before your first class, check that you’ve received the correct Space link or Space name from your tutor or institution. If you’re unsure, contact them before your lesson begins.
During your class
1. Join the call
Once you’ve opened your Space, click the green Join button in the right-hand corner of your screen to enter the lesson.
Note: You’ll only be able to join a call after your tutor or host has started one. If you don’t see the Join button yet, your tutor may not have started the lesson. If you’re unsure, contact your tutor or institution for assistance.
If you want to learn more about joining or starting calls in Pencil Spaces, read our guide: How to join or start a call.
2. Make sure you’re on the correct board
Each Space can contain multiple whiteboards, called boards. Your tutor may use different boards for different lessons or activities.
If you can’t see the same content as everyone else, you can:
Use the Follow tool to move to wherever your tutor is on the board.
Ask your tutor to use Lead, which will automatically bring everyone to the correct board.
If you want to learn more about these functions, read our guides: How to use Follow, or How to use Lead.
3. Learn, collaborate, participate, and enjoy!
Pencil Spaces has plenty of features to help you express your ideas and solve problems in all kinds of classes.
Depending on your lesson, you may be able to write on the whiteboard, use built-in educational tools and apps, upload files, or work through activities as a group.
If you want to learn more about what you can do inside a Space, read from our collection: Virtual classroom.
After your class
Review your lesson
Anything that you or your tutor adds to a Space will remain there until it’s deleted, so you can return to previous lessons and review your notes, resources, and whiteboard activities whenever you need to.
If you can’t access the Space after your lesson, your tutor or institution may have enabled the Waiting Room, which requires approval before entering.
If you find that you’re unable to re-enter your Space, contact your tutor or institution for assistance.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Space?
What is a Space?
A Space is your online classroom in Pencil Spaces. It’s where you’ll meet with your tutor or classmates, join video calls, collaborate on a whiteboard, and access your different lesson materials.
To learn more about Spaces, read from our collection: Virtual classroom.
How do I join a Space?
How do I join a Space?
Before your class starts, you’ll usually receive a Space link from either your tutor or learning institution. Once you’ve opened the correct Space and/or passed through the Waiting Room, you can join the lesson as soon as your tutor starts the call.
To learn more about joining or starting calls in Pencil Spaces, read our guide: How to join or start a call.
How do I move around the whiteboard?
How do I move around the whiteboard?
Pencil Spaces uses an infinite whiteboard, so you can move around your lesson as your tutor teaches. You can zoom in and out, pan across the board, and use Follow to stay on the same part of the board as your tutor.
To learn more about navigating the whiteboard in Pencil Spaces, read our guide: How to move and zoom in/out, or How to use Follow.