Distance Learning Equipment Basics
IPFW has designed several state-of-the-art Distance Teaching Rooms on the Fort Wayne campus and at our Warsaw Center. These specially equipped rooms have two-way videoconferencing equipment, special audio and video enhancements, as well as a wide array of peripherals that allow faculty to integrate their existing technology with instruction via two-way video.
At IPFW, we conduct videoconferencing using the H.323 videoconferencing standard. H.323 that allows for 2-way voice and video connections over the internet (IP). Plug an H.323 system into a standard IU datajack and you're ready to videoconference with other H.323 systems within IPFW and throughout the globe.
The pictures below represent the typical instructor resources for our distance learning rooms at IPFW:
There is also a PC, document camera, printer, fax machine and phone in each teaching center. Faculty can connect their own laptop to the equipment if desired.
Instructors must know some basics about the equipment. Often technical staff is limited or not available during class sessions. IPFW instructors need to know how to:
- turn equipment on and off; including codecs and monitors;
- integrate computer information with the equipment;
- connect to remote sites if a connection drops during the class;
- adjust volume levels at both sites;
- switch to document cameras;
- input video from a VCR or DVD player;
- terminate/disconnect a transmission; and
- what to do in the event of a connection failure. Be prepared and have a backup plan.
Using IPFW's Electronic Teaching Equipment
Download the newly updated Polycom User Manual here, or follow the directions below.
IPFW's electronic teaching equipment can all be operated from a single AMX Touch Screen (center photo above), which is located on the podium in each multimedia/distance classroom. Users can project an image from a computer, document camera, VCR, DVD, or other external device (laptop, camcorder, etc.). The computer in the room can be used to connect to the Internet and to retrieve files and folders stored on the network or a USB drive. The room also comes equipped with tabletop area microphones and a lapel microphone.
Operating Distance Equipment
The interactive videoconferencing equipment used by IPFW is manufactured by Polycom. The Polycom audio/video CODEC (coder, decoder) is located in the electronic equipment rack of the teaching station. The Polycom should be operated through the AMX Touch Screen.
Look for the Touch Anywhere to Start command on the screen. Select Distance Learning--Local Instructed. This selection will activate the LCD projectors and turn on all of the electronic equipment in the room except the document camera. You can turn on the document camera if needed using the power switch on the device.
All of the instructional equipment can be operated from the Touch Panel buttons shown below:
Push the CODEC button to operate the Polycom two-way video equipment. It will bring up the Video Call Control Screen (shown below). If your call has already been established by the LRC staff, then you can use this screen to Mute your microphone, control your camera, reconnect a dropped connection, and more.
Placing a Video Call
There are two options for placing a video call from this screen:
Use the Directory
a. Press Directory on the Touch Screen to bring up the preformatted Address Book.
b. Find the site you want to call by using the arrow keys on the Control Panel to scroll to the name.
c. Use the alphabet tabs to move through the Directory and scroll to the name you want to call.
d. Press the Call button to activate the connection.
Entering a Number (Address)
a. The most direct method for calling another site is with the entry of an IP address* using the address window and the numeric keypad. The numeric keys can be used to enter numbers, decimals and delete characters. By pressing any of the numeric keys it will enter the selected number.
b. Press the Call button on the Control Panel or remote to activate the connection.
Once the far site number has been identified, you “call” the site by pressing the Call button on the Touch Screen.
For more detailed instructions, including screenshots of the process steps, go to IU's Digital Media Network Services Help Pages.
An IP address is a series of numbers, such as: 149.164.27.85. This unique address identifies a specific piece of equipment available for your connection via the Internet. These addresses will usually contain four sets of numbers, separated by a “dot”.
Ending a Call
Press the Hang Up button on the Touch Screen to end a connection.
Adjusting a Camera
In a point-point conference, you can control the remote (far) site's pan-tilt-zoom camera. You can also select the remote site's camera presets.
From the Touch Screen:
a. Press the Far button on the Video Control Panel.
b. Press the left/right/up/down or zoom +/- buttons to move the far camera. Or, press a number button to choose a camera preset.
c. Press the Near button to return control to your location (near).
d. Press Zoom on the screen or remote to zoom in or out.
Note: To program a camera preset on the remote site: press Select-- then hold down a number button for three seconds. Your presets will not overwrite the local camera presets set by the remote operator, and will only be "remembered" for the duration of your call.
Muting the Microphone
Press the Mic Mute button in the center of the control to mute the sound in your classroom. This will prevent noise from causing problems at other sites in the call. The appropriate protocol is to have your microphone muted unless your site is actively engaged in a conversation.
A symbol shows that the far site’s audio has been muted. It typically will appear in the lower left corner of the monitor/screen you are watching. You will not be able to turn off the Mute feature from your location.
User Tip: Many instructors use the Document camera to inform the far site that their microphone is muted. Lay a white piece of paper under the document camera with instructions to “Turn on your microphone.”
Changing the Camera View
Use the Instructor Camera and Student Camera options on the AMX Touch Screen to select which view of your room is shown to your far-site audience. In most IPFW video instruction rooms, the Instructor Camera refers to the camera on a wall opposite the presentation station.
The default image is the Instructor behind the podium. The Student Camera view typically is located on a wall behind the podium, and this will send an image of your students to the far site.
Using the Document Camera
Document cameras are fixed cameras pointed down to a flat surface. They allow for projection of pictures, graphs, hand-written note taking, and small demonstrations. To send the Document Camera as a video source to your far site audience, press the Document Camera button on the control panel.
This panel can be used to adjust the image on your camera—zoom, focus, lighting, etc. To use the surface as a white board, write or draw on the plain white paper provided by IPFW and lay it on the camera surface. DO NOT use markers that can bleed through the paper.
To switch the video source back to Instructor or Student camera, press the Instructor or Student camera button on the control panel.
IU Digital Media Network Services Online Resources
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