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FAQ's
for Instructors about Videoconferencing
Getting Started
- Who
should I contact if I wish to use videoconferencing?
Check
with your campus IVN site coordinator. They will provide
you with basic information on converting a face to face
class to videoconferencing, including scheduling, training,
etc.
- What
about moving a program to videoconferencing?
You
should check with your department head and then work with
your
campus IVN site coordinator. If you are moving an entire
program to videoconferencing, you will need the State Board
of Higher Education approval. For information, check out
the SBHE website.
- When
do I need to start planning?
Check with your campus IVN
site coordinator to begin planning for your course as soon
as possible. They can also provide you with a scheduling
timetable for classes over IVN. This will enable you to
have a wider selection of scheduling dates and sites for
your course.
The
Equipment
- Are
all the videoconference systems compatible with one another?
Due to the growth of the statewide network over the past
few years, IVN has begun to experience incompatibility
issues relating to older equipment and more diverse equipment
(different brands). Videoconferencing standards are being
drafted by the statewide network which will be established
to provide guidelines for consistency.
Compatibility
with other videoconference equipment depends upon where
you are teaching from and
what sites are receiving
your course. The IVN Public Rooms, located on the Higher
Ed campuses have the same video conference equipment and
will have no problem with items you present. All of these
classrooms have the same audiovisual equipment as well – document
camera, VCR/DVD combo. Some campuses provide laptop computers
in the room and others have the instructor bring their
own.
When
connecting to other sites that are not an IVN Public Room (campus
IVN Local Rooms, high school, NDSU Extension or government
sites) some features may not be available depending upon the
videoconference equipment and its compatibility with the host
site. Should you have any further questions about this, contact
your campus IVN site coordinator.
-
When
I presented a PowerPoint, one of the sites could not see
this, why was that?
Again
this is a compatibility issue. If the receive site(s) are unable
to see your PowerPoint presentation or other computer generated
document, this means their equipment is either outdated or
not compatible with the system. An alternative solution to
this problem would be to print out your PowerPoint slides and
show them on the document camera which is compatible across
all systems.
Another option would be to provide your materials on your course website or course
Learning Management System which will allow students to access the material and
print it.
Check with your campus site coordinator if you experience this problem and they
can research it further. It may be something other than the equipment.
-
If
I experience a problem during an event, will the classroom
technician report it?
The
classroom technician will report problems to either the campus
technical coordinator or the IVN Help Desk.
As an instructor, do not hesitate to contact your site
coordinator for follow-up and problem resolution. Please
do not wait until the end of the year evaluations to notify
your campus IVN site or technical coordinator about a problem.
Your campus site coordinator, along with the IVN staff, want
you and your students to have the best experience possible
using videoconferencing and they will be happy to address
any problems or concerns you may have.
-
What
audio visual aids are available in the videoconference
classroom?
The
established IVN Public Rooms on each higher ed campus
will have a document camera, VCR/DVD combo. Some may
have a laptop computer. For all other rooms which are
classified as IVN Local Rooms, the equipment will vary.
Always check with your site coordinator before your course
begins to find out what equipment is available to you.
-
If
I use the document camera, will the receiving site
students still see me? What about when using the computer?
Students
at the receive site will only see the article on the
document camera, not the instructor. When using the
document camera, try and limit the amount of movement
for a better picture. Normally, students at the receive
site will see you and the computer image at the same
time because it is located on a different connection.
The document camera can not be moved to this connection
to allow you to see both the instructor and document.
-
If
the room does not have a laptop can I bring one in?
Check
with your site or tech coordinator on campus rules.
If it is a campus computer it should not be a problem.
If you bring in a computer from home to use, some
campuses require a check for viruses. It is also
a good idea to test your laptop for system compatibility
before your course begins. Your campus IVN site coordinator
can help you with this
- Can I use a jump drive if there is laptop already in the
room?
Yes, however it is still a
good idea to have a back-up plan (bring item on CD rom) in case
the computer has trouble reading your jump drive for some reason.
- Sometimes I have had problems viewing a tape for the class,
what could be the problem?
Again it may be the
case of an older tape with newer VCR equipment. Or, another
problem could be if it is a copy and not an original, problems
may occur. All IVN Public Rooms have VCR/DVD combos. It is
recommended that a tape be tested prior to the date and time
of the class.
- I
could not play sound off a CD-Rom. Is there a different
way to have this done?
IVN has fixed this problem with audio cables from the ImageShare device which
connects to the laptop or desktop computer. Check with
your campus site or technical coordinator. It is always
a good idea to test a CD-Rom or tape you plan to use at
least a week prior to class.
Technical Support
- Will
I be provided a classroom technician at the higher ed site
when I teach?
Yes,
classroom technicians are provided at the host site.
- What
type of technical support is provided at the other sites?
At the receiving sites on higher ed campuses, classroom
technicians are provided, however, they may be monitoring
more than one room.
At non campus sites, the student may serve as the technician.
Most often this is the procedure for evening classes, where
adults serve as the technicians. Instructors need to inform
the
Students of their technical responsibility for videoconferencing in the non-campus
sites. You can do this in your syllabus (see Sample Syllabus) or information
on your course management system (e- College, Blackboard, Desire2Learn)
The student responsibilities include:
- Arrive 10 minutes before the start of class to participate
in the technical roll call.
- Call the host site of the class if experiencing problems
during the class. (Since most schools do not have phones
in the room). As an instructor you should supply this
number in the course syllabus.
- Check with school facility, even though already scheduled-
to ensure room and building will be opened for class.
- Students at non-campus sites, should seek training
from the videoconference contact on
- How to mute/unmute microphone
- How to maneuver camera
- How to reboot (restart) the equipment if asked
to do so
- How to adjust the volume on the monitors and
on the remote
- How to use the document camera or ImageShare
device with laptop, if asked by the instructor
for a presentation.
- If
I plan to not hold class the following week or will be
teaching from another site, do i notify the classroom technician
or the site coordinator?
You
can mention it as a courtesy to the classroom technician, but
your campus IVN site coordinator should be notified at least
a week prior in order to make scheduling changes if a class
is cancelled and arrangements with the other site, if you plan
to teach from another site.
- Can
I have my classes videotaped? What is the process? How
do students check them out?
Check with your
campus IVN site coordinator for information about taping.
- Are
there any copyright considerations when taping?
Refer
to information in the Instructor
Handbook,
and visit with your site coordinator regarding any forms
to complete.
- I
have heard some instructors are streaming their class. What
is streaming? How can I get my class streamed? Is there a
cost involved?
To get more information about streaming click
here.
To
get your class streamed, contact your campus site coordinator.
They can explain the process and the costs involved.
- Is
there a way I can see all sites at once?
Yes,
you can ask for a feature called continuous presence. Currently
we have the voice activated feature; sites will switch depending
upon who is speaking. With continuous presence depending
upon the number of sites, you can have one of these views,
shown below. Remember the larger the number of views, the
smaller the appearance on the screen. This works best if
you have 1-2 people per site rather than a large classroom.
Other Questions
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