Video Conference Classrooms

Summary

This article explains how to use video conferencing equipment in certain classrooms on campus.

Body

Overview:

These classrooms were designed to support teaching situations where some students are attending in person while others are attending at a distance from one of the other UofI campuses or from home. The technologies in these classrooms include a control panel at the lectern that enables sharing the PC, document camera, or another connected device to a projector or large display. These systems also include two displays at the front of the room and one at the rear, an auto-tracking camera at the rear, an audience camera at the front, ceiling microphones, and two monitors on the lectern to support the use of Zoom.

Tap the touch panel to get started, and the main control page will appear on the screen. All LCDs/projectors will automatically turn on as well.

Main Controls

Select the content that you want to send to Display 1, Display 2, and the Rear Display. Note that only display 1 has video and audio.  

For Display 1, you can share the Computer, Doc Cam, or an external device that you connect via HDMI.

For Display 2 you can Mirror/Extend the computer content or share the Doc Cam or HDMI.

The Rear Display can be used to show the Tracking Camera, Audience Camera, or Mirror/Extend the computer content. 

Displays

Tap the Displays button to mute video/turn off/turn on displays individually. 

Back to top

Volume

Tap the Volume button to access controls for the room volume. Note that TLC 022 also includes volume control for the lavalier microphone.

Screen

Tap the Screen button to lower or raise the projector screen.

Cameras

Tracking Camera

The auto-tracking camera can follow the instructor throughout a lecture or be used manually from the touch panel to focus on different areas of the room. To use the camera, you first need to open Zoom and turn the camera on in the Zoom toolbar. The camera is programmed to focus on the person standing behind the lectern and then follow that person's movements throughout the room. This works very well with an active instructor who moves around, perhaps checking on students or pointing out things on the projection screen. If the camera does not appear to be auto-tracking,

  1. Tap the Camera button on the touch panel. The Tracking Camera control appears at the top of the page. 
  2. Tap Auto tracking (turns gold when on)
  3. The camera will then focus on you behind the lectern, and you can begin to move around to be sure it is working properly 
  4. Be sure that USB Capture HDMI is selected as the camera in Zoom. This picture shows to select USB capture HDMI

You can also use the camera manually. You can also use camera presets or control buttons on the touch panel if you want to focus on certain parts of the room. 

  1. Tap Auto tracking to turn it off (turns gray when off)
  2. Use the presets on the right to see what shots are already programmed into the camera. Preset 1 (Home) is a wide shot of the lectern area while the other presets vary according to the room.
  3. Use the arrows and zoom in/out controls to adjust the camera shot 

Audience Camera

The Audience Camera control appears at the bottom of the camera page. This camera can only be used manually as shown above.

Back to top

Zoom Devices

Tap the Zoom Devices button to select which devices you want to be able to share in Zoom.

Note that if you want to share an external device in Zoom via HDMI, you can set Zoom Content From 2nd Camera to HDMI. 

You can display the Tracking Camera or the Audience Camera as the Primary Zoom Camera. For Zoom Content from 2nd Camera, you can use the Tracking Camera, Audience Camera, Doc Cam, or share an external device via HDMI.

Keep in mind that you will still need to use the Share function in Zoom for students on the far end to see the content from the 2nd Camera. To do so, click the Share button in Zoom, click the Advanced tab at the top, and select Second camera. Click the blue Share button. 

You can click the Switch camera button in the upper right corner to switch between your two camera in Zoom. 

Back to top

Microphones

Ceiling Microphone

The benefit of the ceiling microphone in these classrooms is that speakers can be heard from anywhere in the room in Zoom. This enables the instructor to easily walk around the room without needing a lapel mic and makes it possible for students at a distance to hear students in the room when they are speaking as well.

Lavalier Microphone

Only TLC 022 has a lavalier microphone available. It can be found in the top drawer of the lectern cabinet (open the door). Tap the Volume button to mute/increase/decrease the microphone volume. 

Back to top

Two Lectern Monitors

The benefit of the two monitors in these classrooms is to improve the Zoom experience. A touch monitor serves as the primary monitor to allow annotation or use of the whiteboard in Zoom (or annotation in PowerPoint). The secondary monitor can be utilized for dragging content from the primary monitor that you need to focus on as an instructor (Zoom chat,preparing other content to share, etc.). Note that when sharing Slide Show mode of a PowerPoint, you may need to use the DISPLAY SETTINGS button at the top left in PowerPoint to Swap Presenter View and Slide Show view in order to display the correct view to students in the classroom.

Back to top

Annotating in Zoom on the Touch Monitor

To annotate in Zoom, first share the screen you want to annotate over.

  1. After you open the screen you want to annotate on, click the green Share button in the the Zoom toolbar
  2. Select the screen you want to share
  3. Click Share 
  4. Click the annotate button in the Zoom toolbar.
  5. The annotate toolbar will pop up to the left. Note that you can click and drag the toolbar to relocate it. 
  6. Use the provided stylus or your finger to annotate. This is a photo of a screen and stylus

Back to top

Annotating in PowerPoint on the Touch Monitor

  1. After you open the PowerPoint you want to annotate on, click the Share button in the the Zoom toolbar
  2. Select the PowerPoint screen you want to share and click Share 
  3. After beginning your slideshow in PowerPoint, use the toolbar at the bottom left to select the pen. Choose pen/highlighter and the ink color. Use the provided stylus or your finger to annotate on the touch monitor.  

Back to top

Using the Zoom Whiteboard

The benefits of the Zoom whiteboard over a document camera are that you can use it collaboratively so that students are also able to add content. Sharing is also simpler since the Whiteboards button is right on the Zoom toolbar. Using the whiteboard through Zoom will better support students at a distance versus writing on the traditional whiteboard. The camera in the room will not show the writing on the traditional whiteboard as clearly, and the person writing on the board will be blocking some of the content as they write. You can now create Zoom whiteboards before class and use them collaboratively during a meeting or outside of a meeting. See this article for more details on everything you can do with Zoom whiteboards. To use Zoom whiteboards, with the touch monitor:

  • Click Whiteboard in the Zoom toolbar and select to start a New whiteboard or access Existing whiteboards. You may need to click More to access the Whiteboard if it doesn't already appear in the toolbar. 

Back to top

Shutting Down the System

Remember to sign out of the computer to protect your account.

Tap the End session button and then tap Yes to shut down the system. This will turn off the LCDs/projector. 

Note that a message will pop up on the touch panel to "Please logout of the computer."

Classroom Help

If you are experiencing an issue with the classroom equipment in a general university classroom scheduled by the registrar's office there are multiple methods of requesting prompt help. On most classroom touchpanels, you can press the eHelp button in the upper right corner to request assistance. Select the option that best fits your issue. This will send your help request to a centralized system that will notify a Classroom Support Technician of the issue. A technician should arrive in the room within 5 minutes to assist.

eHelp Button 

Use the eHelp button to enter and send a help message.

This is a photo of the assistance menu on the touch panel.

Requesting Help via Ticket

If you are in a room where the touch panel is not working, request help through this link: Classroom Technology Issues and click the Request Help button. 

You can also access the ticket via the Classroom eHelp button on the lectern computer desktop This picture locates classroom eHelp on the desktop of a computer.

Help via Phone

Finally, you can request classroom assistance by calling 208-885-0570. Note that this is generally the least effective method of contacting help.

Back to top

Related Articles

Related Articles (5)

Information on how to operate dual displays through the room's touch panel.
How to record speeches using Blue Iris Software in equipped classrooms.
A guide for a new UI employee covering basic OIT services and general orientation.
How to contact Technology Solutions Partners for classroom support.
This guide serves as a step by step for setting up zoom conference calls.

Related Services / Offerings

Related Services / Offerings (2)

I need help with multimedia computers and audio-video equipment in classrooms.
Zoom Collaboration assistance or webinar need.