Learn · Tutorials

Join a Space and Post as a Student

How learners open a shared Vivipod Space, join open or private Spaces, record a response, and submit—including membership approval notifications and moderated Pending posts.

Higher-ed educators and studentsGetting startedStudentsPostsMembership

6 min read · Published July 24, 2026 · Updated July 24, 2026 · By Vivipod

Instructors set up Spaces, Topics, and share links. Students need a clear path to open that link, join, and post. This tutorial covers both open and private Spaces, then the shared record → upload path (including moderated Topics).

If you are still setting up the Space, start with Create Your First Space, Add a Topic, and Share a Space.

Open the shared Space link

Students receive a Space URL (email, Canvas, LMS module, or chat).

On an Open Space they can see Topics and prompts before signing in; Log In appears in the corner.

An open Space link shows Topics and prompts before sign-in. Students sign in when they are ready to contribute.

Sign in or create an account

From Log In, students use email + a 6-digit code (or Google, if enabled). New accounts work the same way as instructors—no special “student” account type.

Open vs private: what students see when joining

Access level on the Space changes the membership step. Compare the two experiences:

Open Space

Create a post asks non-members to join. On open Spaces, membership is immediate.

Private Space

Non-members cannot see Topics. They must request access and wait for an admin.

Use an open Space when the link alone is enough trust (plus a moderated Topic if you still want to review posts). Use a private Space when only approved members should see prompts and content. Many instructors start the term open so students can join from the shared link without friction, then switch the Space to private once the roster has joined so outsiders cannot walk in later.

Open Space join (detail)

Viewing an open Space does not automatically make someone a member. When a student chooses Create a post without membership, Vivipod shows Join this space? with Join Space. They can also open ⋯ next to the Space name and choose Join space.

Tip: open early, private later

You do not have to keep one access level for the whole semester. A common pattern:

  1. Create the Space as Open (or leave it open) while you share the link in the syllabus, Canvas, or email.
  2. Ask students to open the link, sign in, and Join Space in the first days.
  3. When everyone who should be in has joined, open Update space (Space options → Update space) and set Access Level to Private.

Existing members keep access. New visitors must Request access and wait for approval. You can still control what classmates see of each other’s work by using moderated Topics for posts.

Private Space request and approval (detail)

  1. Student opens the private Space link and signs in.
  2. They see This is a private space and choose Request access.
  3. The screen becomes Request Pending.
  4. Space admins get a notification and can approve in Members → Pending.
  5. The student is notified when approved, then can open Topics and post.

Instructor: membership request notification

Admins see join requests in the notification bell (for example, “sam_rivera requested to join Psych 101 Private Section”).

Member requests appear in the admin’s Notifications alongside other activity.

Instructor: approve in Members

Open Members on the Space (or ?panel=members&tab=pending) and use the Pending tab to Approve or Reject.

Approve pending members so they can view Topics and contribute posts.

Student: approved notification

After approval, the student gets a notification such as “Your request to join … was approved,” and the Space appears under Joined on their dashboard.

Students learn they can enter the private Space once an admin approves the request.

Record the response

After the student is an active member, Create a post opens the recorder with the Topic title and description over the camera.

The Topic prompt stays with the student while they prepare to record.

They allow camera and microphone if asked, press the large record control, speak their response, pause if needed, then choose Next.

Same recorder happy path as instructors: record, then Next to review.

Review and Upload

On the preview screen they can watch the clip, add an optional description, and choose Upload. A thumbnail is required; Vivipod often captures one automatically.

Retake if needed, then Upload to submit the Post to the Topic.

For more detail on this step (without the join flow), see Record and Upload Your First Post.

What happens after submit (Topic moderation)

Membership access is separate from Topic moderation:

If the Topic does not require approval, the Post appears under Published.

If the Topic requires approval, the student sees “Submitted for review.” Their Post shows a Pending badge until a space admin publishes it.

On a moderated Topic, the student submission waits in Pending until an instructor publishes it.

What to tell students (short script)

Open Space

  1. Open the Space link.
  2. Log In with your school email (or Google).
  3. Topic → Create a post → Join Space if asked.
  4. Record, Next, Upload.
  5. If the Topic is moderated, your post may show Pending until the instructor publishes it.

Private Space

  1. Open the Space link and Log In.
  2. Choose Request access.
  3. Wait for approval (you’ll get a notification).
  4. Then create a post as above.

Open vs private vs moderated (quick map)

SettingStudent experience
Space OpenCan view Topics before joining; join is immediate when they contribute
Space PrivateMust Request access; content hidden until an admin approves
Open early → private laterStudents who already joined stay members; latecomers need approval
Topic moderatedPosts go to Pending until an admin publishes
Topic not moderatedPosts publish immediately after Upload

Next steps