Classroom Orientation Guides
The following classroom orientation guides can help the Laurier community:
- Operate classroom technology, including:
- audio visual control
- document cameras
- Live Captions using PowerPoint
- Microsoft Whiteboard & digital collaboration
- Microsoft 365 collaboration
- classroom etiquette and general information
- Use Zoom in web conferencing classrooms, including:
- beginning a Zoom session
- choosing cameras and microphones
- sharing content
- welcoming guest speakers
- Get oriented in active learning classrooms, including:
- sending content to all screens
- sharing student content
- displaying local content at student pods
Classroom Orientation Guide
The multimedia control panels in classrooms provide a similar range of options for instructors to display their content. Content can be projected from the classroom computer or from a device like a laptop or tablet.
- Turning on the Projector: Press the “On” button on the teaching console or wall panel to activate the room’s projector.
- Using the Classroom computer: The classroom computer is the default input when the projector is on. Use the “PC” or “Computer” button on the control panel to select the classroom computer. Log into the classroom computer using your Laurier login and password, the same as you would with your email. While classroom computers don’t require your authenticator app to log in, you’ll need it to log into some of the internal systems you may be accessing like MyLearningSpace or Zoom.
- Connecting Devices You Bring: Use a laptop input on the teaching console and select “Laptop” or an alternate source on the main control panel. When multiple laptop connections exist, the control panel will allow you to specify “HDMI” or “USB-C.”
- Troubleshooting Device Connection: If your device isn’t recognized promptly, restart it with the cable connected. Check display settings in your device’s options or preferences.
- Audio Connections: Sound should play through the room's speaker or projector upon device connection. Adjust audio settings in the Control Panel (Windows) or System Preferences (Mac).
- Adjusting Audio Levels: Audio control involves app volume, computer volume, and teaching console volume. Adjust each for optimal sound. Ensure the computer and app are not muted. Verify volumes on the sound source, computer, and teaching console.
- Audio in Web Conferencing Classrooms: To route computer sound through Zoom: Click the speaker icon in the lower right of the classroom computer taskbar. Select the computer audio output listed on the bezel of the classroom computer monitor.
- Camera and Microphone Settings: In web conferencing classrooms, camera and microphone names are listed on the console control panel for web conferencing
- Default settings are typically “Extron” devices listed
Document cameras are available in all multimedia classrooms. They enhance writing and drawing options in spaces with limited whiteboard area or magnify non-digital content for larger classrooms.
- Turn on the document camera by either lifting the arm until it turns on or pressing the “On” button on the unit.
- Select the “Doc Cam” on the console control panel to display it.
- To work with the document camera digitally on the computer, turn it on and open the “Camera” app through the windows start menu to display the camera on the computer. This allows the document camera to be used for web conferencing.
- In the Slide Show tab, choose “Always Use Subtitles”
- In Subtitle Settings, select the microphone for the classroom which is listed on the console (or your own microphone or wireless headphones if you’ve brought your own devices). You can edit other captions features to change where they’re displayed and how they appear.
- Start the PowerPoint show and the captions will appear at the bottom of the main show window which will be the main display in the classroom.
- Even if you’re not using PowerPoint for the class, you can put up a single generic slide in show mode and the captions will appear on top of it.
Microsoft Whiteboard is available as a free download or web app that allows instructors and students to collaborate in real-time on an infinite canvas. Shared whiteboards are editable, saved automatically, and can be accessed and updated or reviewed after class. The typing tools are robust and allow faculty and students to fully engage in the whiteboard on any device, without any stylus required.
Whiteboards can be accessed through any web browser on any device, and instructors can edit and share whiteboards in class while giving students the ability to view content clearly on their own devices.
The classroom computer can be used to display the whiteboard to the classroom or instructors can connect the tablet directly to the room’s display system.
Instructors and students log-in using Laurier Single-Sign-on (SSO) credentials on the web, through the desktop or mobile apps to get started whiteboarding. Use the “Share” function in the top right of any whiteboard to get a link that allows viewing or collaboration on any whiteboard.
Faculty and students can leverage cloud-based platforms to facilitate shared document creation and collaboration among students. The collaboration tools in the Microsoft Office 365 suite (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Whiteboard) allow students to simultaneously collaborate using any device.
Both instructors and students can share document collaboration links and simultaneously work in files together during and after class time. Students and instructors can save documents in their OneDrive folders and use the "Share" button in the top menu of any Office document to collaborate in real-time on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Choose "Anyone with the link" to create a link that will be accessible by the whole class and choose to allow or restrict editing when creating the link.
There are some steps that instructors and students can take to help maintain classrooms for the entire community:
- Reporting Issues: Promptly report technology issues or general classroom problems for quick resolution.
- Whiteboards: Erase whiteboards before leaving class to ensure they’re clear for the next class.
- Whiteboard Markers: Custodial Services restocks whiteboard markers overnight (two black markers and one eraser per whiteboard). Bring additional markers or specific colours as needed. Alternatively, consider digital whiteboarding solutions like Microsoft Whiteboard outlined on this page.
- Furniture Arrangement: Return furniture to its original location before the end of class, avoiding unnecessary rearrangements for other instructors. Avoid removing or moving furniture between classrooms to maintain a consistent number of seats in each room.
- Energy Conservation for Projectors: Turn off projectors if there's no immediate class following to conserve energy and extend bulb life.
- Log-Out from Classroom computers: Log out of classroom computers using the “sign out” option in the Start Menu to protect personal information. The automatic logout timer that appears when you sign into a classroom computer is programmed for common class times to make logging out easier.
- Wireless Microphones: Some larger classrooms and lecture theatres have a wireless lapel microphone provided in the room. Instructors should bring their own AA batteries with them to each class.
- PowerPoint Remotes: Wireless remotes to advance PowerPoint slides are provided in multimedia classrooms. Remotes are specific to each classroom and should not be removed. Report missing or damaged remotes to ICT for replacement.
Reporting Issues
For support for all computer, projector, audio, video, or technology, please contact the ICT ServiceDesk for immediate assistance.
Problems with classroom furniture or facilities issues in classrooms should be directed through the general classroom problem reporting form.
Web conferencing Classroom Orientation Guide
When you arrive at the classroom, log into the classroom computer using your Laurier login credentials. When you’re starting a Zoom session, it’s recommended that you restart the classroom computer to ensure smoothest performance and resolve many issues before they happen.
Classroom computers are hardwired into the internet and will have better reliability and speed as well as being connected into the classroom’s camera and microphone systems to quickly start a Zoom session. Find more information about teaching with Zoom, including configuring its options to get familiar with Zoom's functionality.
Opening Zoom with SSO: Open the Zoom app using Single Sign-On (SSO). Avoid using default Zoom login and password fields, instead locate the “SSO” button next to or below default username and password fields. The company domain is "wilfrid-laurier." Log in using your Laurier credentials.
Starting Zoom Session: Upon starting the Zoom session, ensure the correct room camera, speakers, and microphone are selected. Use the small arrow in the corner of the camera and microphone icons. Indications for the correct camera and microphones are around the bezel on the classroom's computer monitor.
Web conference classrooms contain ceiling microphones, speakers, and cameras in web conference-enabled classrooms are managed through the classroom computer. These devices are selectable as audio and video sources for Zoom meetings. By default, the correct audio and camera sources are pre-selected. Configuration adjustments are possible both before and during a Zoom session.
Teaching Console Control Panel
- Look on the teaching console control panel for buttons that quickly mute microphones and cycle through preset camera angles.
- Rooms typically have one set of microphones oriented to the front of the room for the instructor separate from another set of microphones over student seating designed to enable questions and discussion from anywhere in the room.
- Student or Instructor microphones can be muted or unmuted by pressing them on the console control panel.
- Start the Zoom session and use the small arrow in the corner of the camera and microphone icons to verify and select the correct room camera, speakers, and microphone as well as test your audio. Indications for the correct camera and microphones are found on the console control panel or along the computer monitor and are usually set in Zoom by default.
- To check your audio configuration, use the “Test Speaker and Microphone” function by clicking on the same arrow in the corner of the microphone icon in Zoom.
Microphone Tips
- Web-conferencing classrooms typically have separate microphones for the instructor (front of the room) and students.
- You can mute/unmute these microphone groups from the console control panel. You can mute entirely by using Zoom’s mute function.
Audio Output
- Sound from your computer and Zoom should play automatically through the classroom speakers. If the audio is low:
- Turn up the overall classroom volume on the console control panel. Ensure it’s turned up to at least 75%.
- Check the volume settings on the computer itself (click the speaker icon in the taskbar).
- If needed, click the speaker icon and select the computer audio output listed on the console control panel.
Sharing from Classroom Computer
- Use the green "Share Screen" button in Zoom.
- Share any open app, window, or the entire desktop.
- To include audio, select "Share Computer Sound" before pressing share.
- For smooth video clip playback, choose "Optimize for Video Clip" and "Share Computer Sound" when starting video sharing.
Sharing from A Second Device
- Join the Zoom meeting from a second device like a tablet for content sharing only.
- Do not connect to audio or turn on the camera on the second device.
- Zoom restricts signing in on one device type at a time: one computer, one tablet, and one phone. For example, if signed in on a computer, you can’t also sign in on a laptop with your Laurier Zoom account. You could be signed into a tablet as your second device, or a phone which would work well for drawing, annotating or sharing web content. Consider this workaround for giving yourself two computers in a Zoom session:
- A separate free Zoom account allows hosting from one the initial computer and joining from another device.
- To do this make sure to allow external users:
- Edit meeting authentication settings to permit external users.
- Change from "Laurier Users Only" to "Sign in with Zoom."
The Importance of Digital Solutions: While whiteboards in classrooms are effective for in-person students, they are not visible in remote sessions. Digital whiteboarding solutions enhance visibility for all students during Zoom sessions.
Zoom has fully featured whiteboarding options that allow instructors and students to collaborate together and features robust typing tools that allow everyone to participate, no stylus required!
Consider Microsoft Whiteboard for it’s ease of sharing and use beyond the Zoom platform. Access Microsoft Whiteboard as an Office365 web app. Collaborate on an infinite canvas and share editable whiteboards with Laurier Single-Sign-on credentials. Available on the web or through the desktop and mobile app.
Digital Writing with Tablet or Phone: You can either connect your tablet to the classroom’s AV system to show your drawings, or leverage Zoom on the classroom computer and your tablet to draw wirelessly.
- Begin a Zoom meeting on the classroom computer or a computer connected to the room’s projector.
- Find your Zoom meeting ID number by clicking the green shield icon in the top left corner.
- Open Zoom on your tablet and choose “Join” and type in the meeting ID number.
- Do not connect to audio on the sharing device and disable the camera to focus on content sharing.
Find more information about teaching with Zoom, including configuring its options and getting familiar with its functionality.
Active Learning Classroom Orientation Guides
Active Learning Spaces have enhanced projection control options than general classrooms as well as connections for students to project their content. Each Active Learning Classroom has its own orientation guide with information specific to each classroom.
Centralized Display Management
Use the black control display on the teaching console to control all of the displays in the room simultaneously.
- To send what appears on the instructor’s computer to all pods, press “Send to All Pods” along the top of the black control display on the instructor console. Select “Podium” and then which input you are using (Classroom PC, HDMI, or VGA). The image will now send to all pods.
- To send what appears on a student table to all pods, press “Send to All Pods” along the top of the black control display on the instructor console. Select the student table you want to project. Student tables are numbered and colour-coded to help instructors identify them. Pressing “Clear Input” will stop pushing content to all screens simultaneously.
- To send what appears on the instructor’s computer to the main projector, press “Main Projector” from the input selectors along the top of the console control box. Then select “Podium” input and “Classroom PC” by default.
- To send what appears on a student table to the main projector, select “Main Projector” along the input selectors along the top of the console control box. Select the student table you would like to project from the on-screen graphic.
Centralized Display Management
Use the touchscreen control panel on the teaching console to control all room displays simultaneously. Choose where to display content at the top of the touchscreen and select content using the graphical room layout.
Along the top of the touchscreen, there are two primary options which will control where content is displayed in the room: “Send to All Pods” and “Main Projector”. Whichever one of those options is lit will dictate where the content is sent.
- To send instructor's podium content to all pods, press “Send to All Pods”along the top of the control panel. Choose “Podium” and then select the input (Computer or HDMI if you’re using your own device).
- To send instructor's podium content to the main projector only, press “Main Projector,” along the top of the control panel and Choose “Podium” and then select the input (Computer or HDMI if you’re using your own device).
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To project a student table's content to all pods, press “Send to All Pods”along the top of the console control panel and choose the student table from the numbered and color-coded options. To send it to the main projector, Select “Main Projector” along the top of the control panel screen and choose the student table to project from the on-screen graphic.
Displaying Local Content at Student Pods
- Press the green "Clear Input" button at the bottom of the touchscreen control panel to give control each screen to locally connected content at each pod for individual group work.
Displaying the Centre Blue Pod
- The centre pod (blue) does not have a default display connected.
- Use the Main Projector as a local projector for the blue pod to display its content (see above)
Centralized Display Management
Use the touchscreen control panel on the teaching console to control all room displays simultaneously. Select where you would like to display content and then choose what content you want to display. You can choose either individual screens or “Send to all 6 Pods” to send the same image to all screens in the room.
Projecting Instructor’s Console Content Around the Room
- To send content to all pods, press “Send to All 6 Pods” along the top of the control panel. Choose “Podium” and then select the input (Computer or HDMI if you’re using your own device).
- To send content to the main projector, select it from the graphical layout on the control panel and then select your input (Computer, Doc Cam, or HDMI if you’re using your own device).
- To project a student table's content to all pods, press “Send to All 6 Pods” along the top of the console control panel and choose the student table from the numbered and color-coded options.
Centralized Display Management
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Use the touchscreen control panel on the teaching console for simultaneous control of all room displays.
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To send content to all pods simultaneously, choose either “PC to All” or “Laptop to All”, depending on if you’re displaying the classroom console computer or your own device connected via HDMI or USB-C.
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This will also turn on all projectors.
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To send content to only the front projector, choose either “PC to Front” or “Laptop to Front”, depending on if you’re displaying the classroom console computer or your own device connected via HDMI or USB-C.
Displaying Local Content at Student Pods
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From the Instructor’s console, press the “Breakout” button to return control of each pod screen to its local group.
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Student pods will automatically display whichever connection is plugged into the cable below each projector.
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When you’re ready to resume sharing content from the instructor’s console, press either “PC to All” or “Laptop to All” to switch to your input.
When you’re finished, turning the system off using the console control panel will also turn off the projectors.
Centralized Display Management
Use the control button panel on the teaching console for comprehensive control of all room displays simultaneously.- Projectors automatically showcase instructor's console content when turned on.
- Each pod’s projector activated and deactivated via the white box beside it, and from the console control panel.
- Use the control button panel on the instructor console to select the desired display source:
- Classroom console computer (PC).
- HDMI or USB-C for laptops and personal devices. Ensure you plug in your device to the appropriate cable.
- Document Camera
- The main roll-down screen is controlled at the instructor console.
Displaying Local Content at Student Pods
- Connect personal devices to the cables beneath each whiteboard.
- For all Pods to show local content press Pods Show Pod on the control panel.
- Students can press "Source Search" on the white control box beside the respective whiteboard and cycle to the local content (Input 3, HDMI 1).
- If the connection isn't immediately recognized, try restarting the device with the cable connected.
Returning to Instructor Content at Student Pods
For all Pods to show Console content press the "Pods Show Console" button on the control panel, or from the student pod, press "Source Search" on the white control boxes beside each whiteboard to cycle back to the instructor's content at each projector (DVI/HDMI).