All classrooms at Miami University are equipped with classroom technology. IT Services supports classroom technology, but Miami Online provides additional support for faculty who are teaching with these tools.
Quick Links
What do I do when classroom technology isn’t working?
For immediate assistance, dial 9-7900, option 9 from the classroom’s phone. There is also a label near the phone with instructions. If you’re requesting help, please stay on the line with the help technician so that you can be routed to the appropriate campus support personnel. Hanging up will delay IT staff in assisting you.
All classroom tech instructions can be found in the IT Knowledge Base under ClassTech.
Instructions for Use
Room Setup
Log in to the resident computer (i.e. the stationary instructor computer) by moving the mouse to “wake it up,” then log in. If the Easy Interactive Tools V4.11 app opens, you can close it if you will not be using the interactive whiteboard (Note: not all classrooms have interactive whiteboards).
Locate the wireless microphone unit (which should be located within the instructor station or on the station’s table top).
- Place the microphone on your lapel (it should not touch jewelry/clothing; the lapel clip can change orientation to account for different styles of clothing).
- Turn on the wireless microphone’s power pack.
- Attach the power pack to your waistband or place it in a pocket before moving away from the instructor station.
Click POWER on the Crestron panel to turn on the overhead projector.
Turn on the Ladibugdocument camera—when the light is solid on the control panel, the document camera is ready.
Viewing tips to make shared content visible to students:
- Write with a dark marker for the doc camera notations.
- Set font size to 24 or zoom in if using Microsoft applications or other software.
Camera app
Use the Camera app to switch between screens. Share the screen for video conferencing for people to see the screen. This allows you to use other screen inputs as well as the Ladibug document camera for both a simple webcam and a document camera. Use the Camera app when sharing from a laptop or tablet (you can switch between sources), or turn on the Ladibug if you want to share a whiteboard or video of yourself or the classroom.
To use this method, open the Camera app before opening your web conferencing tool. For example, if you open up the video conferencing tool first, it will take control of the Camera app, meaning that Webex is what gets shown on the overhead rather than course materials.
Crestron
On the Crestron panel, select the source equipment: Computer, Laptop, or Wireless.- Computer (resident computer is fully set up for presentation)
- Close the Camera app (if it opens) if you plan to only share the screen on the resident computer.
- Laptop, tablet, or mobile device (wired—unit attached via HDMI cable)
- Wireless (AirMedia)
If you want to use the document camera as a whiteboard but also want to be seen, you will need to attach an external camera using the USB connection. External cameras are not standard equipment in classrooms at this time.
Please do NOT disconnect any tech found in the classrooms.
Presentation Mode (Resident Computer – Video Conference)
Powerpoint, Excel, Word, PDF (not YouTube or videos)
Caution: if you are sharing your screen on Webex, click Picture Mute on Crestron—room attendees do not see the screen, but those on video conference will continue to see your screen.
- Open the application you will share (Powerpoint, Excel, Word, PDF—not YouTube or videos)
- Start Webex or Zoom (turn off the camera on Webex/Zoom if it auto starts).
- If using Webex to share, optimize for video and motion.
- If using Webex in browser:
- Select sources by clicking on Settings in the lower right hand corner:
- Room speakers are speakers/headphone (Realtek High Definition)
- Click Test button to hear test sound.
- Microphone – Microphone Shure Mvi) for wireless microphone
- Camera – leave at default setting for now
- Click the Start Meeting button.
- Share the application (ppt, xls, doc, etc.)
Note: The down side to this set up is that faculty cannot see Webex shared content or Chat. A suggested solution is to appoint a student to monitor the Chat in class—you can hear questions if spoken by remote attendees, but Chat will not be visible. The remote attendees should send private messages to the designated monitor if they do not want to share their question with all attendees. In addition, students attending remotely will not hear questions from students in the classroom. Faculty will need to repeat questions from the classroom for remote attendees.
AirMedia Presentation Mode
- Open Camera app on resident computer
- Connect to laptop/tablet to AirMedia (wireless on Crestron)
- Select sources by clicking on Settings in the lower right hand corner:
- Room speakers are speakers/headphone (Realtek High Definition)
- Click Test button to hear test sound
- Microphone: Microphone Shure Mvi for wireless microphone
- Camera: leave at default setting for now
- Room speakers are speakers/headphone (Realtek High Definition)
- Start Webex/Zoom Meeting
- Share content Camera app – do not share the Screen to minimize clutter behind the Camera app
- Share optimize for audio/video
- Webex shares laptop/tablet through AirMedia Wireless
- Webex chat is not visible on overhead and instructor can monitor chat on resident computer
- Reverse the image using the camera icon on the Camera app to toggle between showing the screen and showing the instructor (instructor presence best practice)
- Share optimize for audio/video
YouTube or Video Presentation
Play video through Webex/Zoom on the resident computer only to share the audio with remote attendees.
- Start Webex/Zoom (turn off camera on Webex/Zoom if it auto starts)
- Select sources by clicking on Settings in the lower right hand corner the (three dots in the app):
- Room speakers are speakers/headphone (Realtek High Definition)
- Click Test button to hear test sound
- Microphone: Microphone Shure Mvi) for wireless microphone
- Camera: leave at default setting for now
- Room speakers are speakers/headphone (Realtek High Definition)
- Click Start Meeting button
- Open YouTube or video location
- Share content:
- Select Share Optimize for motion and video option in the box on the upper left side of the screen
- Check the box for Share your computer audio
Interactive Whiteboard (Easy Interactive Tools) and Formulas/Equations
Note: Not all classrooms have the interactive whiteboard
- Start Webex/Zoom (turn off camera on Webex/Zoom if it auto starts)
- Select sources by clicking on Settings in the lower right hand corner the (three dots in the app):
- Room speakers are speakers/headphone (Realtek High Definition)
- Click Test button to hear test sound
- Microphone – Microphone Shure Mvi) for wireless microphone
- Camera – leave at default setting for now
- Room speakers are speakers/headphone (Realtek High Definition)
- Click Start Meeting button
- Start interactive whiteboard application
- Share screen
Epson BrightLink Projector resources
- Take the Tour of the Interactive Whiteboard
- How To Use the Easy Interactive Tools in Whiteboard Mode
- How to Use the Finger Touch Feature
- How to Use the Interactive Pens
- Pen & Touch Calibration – submit a ticket to IT
Document Camera (Ladibug) for Math/Science/Formulas/Whiteboard
If the document camera does not respond, just unplug the power cord, wait a few seconds, and then plug it back in.
- Turn on Ladibug if you want to share whiteboard (on instructor station or boards on the wall)
- Open the Ladibug app – rotate the image if needed
- Adjust the camera and angle of the Ladibug unit to capture what you want visible
Using the Document Camera as a Webcam
Many of the rooms do not have separate Webcams. If the room has a Ladibug it can be used as a webcam if you switch the “orientation” of the webcam.
- Lift up the Ladibug camera and point at the instructor.
- Open the ladibug software if not opened (it is best practices to open this software first before opening the conference software).
- Select the Gear icon for settings.
- Select the Camera Settings.
- Click on the Orientation until the orientation of the image is correct.
- To restore the ladibug orientation for use as a doc cam, click the orientation button until orientation is correct.
Recording Class
In order to accomodate asynchronous students, as well as to provide recordings, you can use the conference software and the Canvas LTI to automatically record and post class.
Exiting the Room
- Turn off/close Airmedia before leaving the room
- Take off the wireless microphone
- Turn off the microphone and place it in the charger
- Power down the Crestron unit to turn off the overhead projector
- Log off the resident computer (use the sign out option people icon to log out – no need to shut down the computer)
- Plug in all unplugged equipment (i.e. Interactive Whiteboard)
- Disconnect laptop or tablet from cables
- Disinfecting protocol should be followed except for the electronic equipment which could be harmed by liquid. Please spray the cloth and then wipe down the document camera, keyboard, mouse, Crestron panel. Desktop, cabinet handles and drawer pull for keyboard, white board on instructor station can be clean following the recommended disinfecting protocols.
Classroom Technology for Remote or Hyflex Learning
Primary Modes Anticipated
- Traditional Face-to-Face (F2F)
- Hybrid or Partial F2F, where some students are in the classroom and others will attend remotely and synchronously
- Recording class so remote participants can attend asynchronously
Other potential but less likely uses:
- If the instructor is unable to teach from the classroom, it is possible to have students in the classroom while the instructor delivers class remotely.
- It could also be used by instructors who are teaching fully remote courses, as well as situations where the instructor is in the classroom and all students are remote. Instructors can also do this from their home or office instead of the classroom.
Notes About Technology
Technology in the room provides a wireless microphone to capture the instructor in high quality audio. Remote students can be heard over the room speakers.
All content is sent to the projectors and the virtual conferencing software—Webex, Zoom, or Google Meet. Note that Google Meet does not allow for recording.
The Ladibug document camera will become the whiteboard replacement. Crestron AirMedia and laptop interfaces will continue to work as before, and their content will be sent to the virtual conferencing software.
Webex will be the default tool for recording and/or remote instruction. All devices need to connect to the resident computer (i.e. the computer at the classroom’s instructor station) to enable Webex to broadcast or record them. This means the camera, wireless microphone, and document camera needs to be connected to the computer.
- Using Webex/Zoom and the Canvas LTI (allows for web link added inside of Canvas) will enable the recording to start/stop at the appropriate times.
- Using Webex/Zoom and the Canvas LTI (allows for web link added inside of Canvas) will also automatically present the stored recordings to the students. Instructor will not need to download or upload the videos.
- If you are not using the Canvas Webex/Zoom integration, then the delivery should be the same. If recording your session, upload the recording to My Media in Canvas.
