Using Technology in the Classrooms

The Classroom Setup

Walking into a classroom you'll see two displays on top of the classroom lectern: the Preview Monitor for the classroom computer and the Room Control Panel (the smaller of the two displays). You'll also notice the Confidence Monitor, with attached camera, on the floor set at an angle for you to see as you lecture.

Each monitor serves a particular purpose:

• The Preview Monitor is attached to the classroom computer. Logging into this computer will start the Classroom System, and you can then present from the classroom computer if you like.
• The Room Control Panel (RCP) is a touch panel used to control the Classroom System. You'll use this panel to choose where your content is being displayed, the position of the screens, and more.
• The Confidence Monitor is designed to let you see important information as you teach. You can set this monitor up to display whatever you're projecting in front of the class (this is the default), keep track of remote participants, and many more options. Tiered classrooms are all equipped with Confidence Monitors.

Starting the System

To start the classroom system:

1. Tap the Preview Monitor on the lectern or press a button on the keyboard.
2. Log into the classroom computer using your PennKey credentials.

Once you're logged in the Preview Monitor will display a familiar Windows desktop powered by the classroom computer. The Room Control Panel displays the Classroom Interface; this is where you'll control the classroom environment.

Using Guest Mode

If you don't have a PennKey login tap the Guest Access button on the Room Control Panel to access the Classroom Interface.

Using the Classroom Interface

Once activated, either by logging into the classroom computer or using Guest Access, the Room Control Panel (RCP) will display a default classroom layout with Sources (things you want to display from) on the left of the RCP and displays (things you want to display on) on the right.

To select a Source and Display on the RCP:

1. Select the source to display by tapping on the appropriate Source button on the left side of the RCP:
   • PC Main -  Displays whatever is showing on the classroom computer's main display (the Preview Monitor).
   • PC Extended - Each classroom computer is set up to use an Extended Display. Selecting this source will display the contents of the extended display.
   • Laptop - Press this button to present from your laptop; there are cables in the lectern to hook up your laptop so that you can present from it.
   • Wireless - Tap this button to allow people in the classroom to share their displays wirelessly using Solstice. Instructions to connect will be shown on the Display you pick in the next step.
   • Wall Plate Rear - Each classroom includes a rear wall plate that allows you to hook up a device for presenting. If you're using that plate, press this button.
   • None - Audio and video will be cleared from the projector and speakers and nothing will be displayed.
2. Once you have a Source selected tell the system where to display that source by tapping one of the Displays section buttons:
   • Sides - The left and right screens will lower and display the selected source, while the center screen remains up to allow for use of the center whiteboard.
   • Center - The center screen is lowered and displays the selected source.
   • All - All screens are lowered and display the selected source.
   • Whiteboards - All the screens are raised and no video is displayed. This is a quick way to write on the whiteboards.
3. As soon as you tap your desired Displays button the selected screens will lower and the projectors will turn on.

Advanced Options

The Advanced Options allow you to send a mixture of sources to a variety of displays, to support more complex presenting needs in the classroom. Why would you want to do this? For example, you could display the PC Main (aka the classroom computer) on the left screen in the front of the class and use the right screen to display Wireless. This would allow students in the room to display their content onto the right screen while you use the left.

To access Advanced Options and route displays:

1. Tap on the Advanced toggle on the Room Control Panel (RCP).
2. The Advanced Options are now displayed on the RCP. You'll notice that all available Displays are on top and all available Sources are in the gray bar below. Swipe on the bar to scroll through the Sources.
3. Tap the Source you want to display. In our above example we'd tap on Wireless.
4. Tap the Display you want the source to display on; continuing the example we'd tap on Stage Left.
5. Repeat until all your desired sources are displayed.

The Sources are sent to the displays as you tap.

Recording

You can check the status of, and start, a recording right from the Room Control Panel (RCP). 

To access the Recording section of the Classroom System:

1. Tap on the ellipsis button (...) at the bottom of the RCP.
2. Tap on the Record button that is now displayed.
3. The length of the recording and when the next is scheduled to begin are shown. You can also initiate a recording here, but please schedule recordings ahead of time. If you aren't able to do that ahead of time, alert a classroom technician that you'd like to record.
4. To be sure that your recording is working properly, confirm that you can see the red recording line:
   

Adjusting the camera

Each classroom has cameras that move to a default position when a recording starts. You can change the position of the cameras, if you like, using the Room Control Panel (RCP).

1. Once you have access to the Room Control Panel, tap the camera icon on the upper right hand corner of the RCP.
2. Camera controls appear on the RCP and a camera preview displays on the preview monitor (not populated in the screenshot below, but it will show a preview of what the selected camera sees) .
   Each camera in the room can be adjusted individually.
   • At the top of the camera controls is a list of the available cameras in the room (Rear, Left, and Right in the screenshot above). Tap on the name to switch the preview and control to each camera individually.
   • Tap on the directional wheel to change the camera position.
   • You can adjust the zoom manually by tapping the + or - buttons or tap on the Wide, Present, and Tight buttons to cycle through those available zoom presets.

Audio Controls

Volume and microphone mute for the entire classroom can be controlled right from the Room Control Panel (RCP). On the right side of the screen you'll find the volume slider (1) and the mute button for the microphones (2).

• Volume - Slide the volume slider up to increase the level of audio in the classroom, and down to lower.
• Microphone mute - Tap to mute the microphones in the room so that the remote audience can't hear you, though the mics will still be audible in the room.

Detailed Audio Controls

The volume slider on the main screen of the Classroom interface controls all of the volume levels in the room at once. To adjust individual microphone levels:

1. Tap the audio controls button in the upper right corner:
2. Slide the slider up or down to adjust the volume individually: 
   • Main controls the overall audio in the classroom.
   • Program controls the classroom PC audio.
   • Lectern Mic controls the lectern mic audio.
   • Wireless Mic controls the wireless mic audio.

Privacy Mode

When engaged Privacy Mode turns off all the cameras and microphones in the classroom.

Please note that with Privacy Mode turned on:

• Recordings continue, but no audio is recorded and the cameras are turned to the wall.
• Any scheduled recordings will not start as long as Privacy Mode is on in the classroom.

To turn on, and off, Privacy Mode:

1. Tap the room number in the top left corner of the Room Control Panel (RCP).
2. Tap the Turn Privacy On button.
3. A full-screen notice that Privacy Mode has been turned on is displayed. Tap the green Continue button to return to the Classroom Interface (you can also check Don't show this screen again if you'll be using Privacy Mode often).
4. Privacy Mode is now on for this room. A notice appears on the RCP's toolbar and the microphones are muted and control is locked from the interface.

To turn off Privacy mode either:

• Tap the Privacy On notification in the RCP toolbar.

Or

• Tap the Room number in the upper left corner of the screen and then tap the Privacy Off button.

Questions?

The Classroom Technology team is available for assistance with all technology features upon request. If you are having an issue with classroom technology, please call (215) 573-0402.