Teaching and Learning

at Conestoga

16 mins 38 secs

Introduction to the Active Learning Classrooms

What do the Active Learning Classrooms look like? What technology can I expect in the room? How can I receive training and support when teaching in these rooms?

The Room and Podium

Your Teaching Station

Each room has a teaching station (rather than a podium). Most rooms have standard podium toggle controls. Here you can control the computer, the volume, the mute button, the lighting, and the monitor.

Learn more about the unique touch screen Extron controller in the 1D01 and 2D01 classrooms.

Each room (excluding 1D01 and 2D01) has an extendable arm for the computer keyboard and a touch screen monitor. Turn the screen toward the board to present your slides.

The best place to present is between the two screens, near the door. If you periodically move around, remind the students that their chairs swivel so they can follow you.

Using the PC

Using the PC attached to the monitor allows you to use the touch interactive board.

Make sure the PC and monitor are turned on. Make sure AV Mute is not flashing.

If you encounter any issues when logging in or setting up, use the phone to call IT Services. An IT staff member will be present in the hallways during class sessions and arrive shortly to assist you.

The Interactive Whiteboard Essentials

To use the interactive projector like a tablet, turn the Touch ON/OFF at the podium controls.

If you need it, print out this quick guide for the Interactive Whiteboard.

If you're presenting a PowerPoint, print out this quick guide instead.

Consider attending an Interactive Projectors: Your Turn at the Board workshop (PDEV0269) or request one-to-one consultation.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Be patient with yourself the board! It may take some time for you to learn how the board registers your touch.
  • Try holding your touch or tap for a heartbeat longer than you usually would.
  • Use multiple fingers. Just using one pointed index finger to touch the board doesn’t give it much surface area to “read”, and can have the board guessing between your pointing finger and your folded-under thumb or knuckles.
  • Get comfortable switching between the Pen and the Mouse mode. These are the tools you will need most often, and remembering to switch between them can be tricky!
  • Find an opportunity to practice, or ask the Educational Technology Officer for some training and tips.

The Annotation Bar (on Interactive Whiteboard)

The biggest skill you will need to develop, if using the interactive whiteboard, is switching between Mouse mode and Pen mode.

When you start using the board, it is in Mouse mode. Touching the board will register like a mouse click. The Mouse mode is controlled by the Mouse icon in the Annotation bar.

When you tap and use a Pen, it changes so that touches are registered as a pen marking. The board stays in Pen mode until you touch the Mouse mode again.

Get comfortable switching between the two modes, prior to using this in class.

The Command Bar (on Interactive Whiteboard)

In PC Mode, you are able to control the board like a large tablet.

Switch to Whiteboard Mode to create an unlimited quantity of blank whiteboard pages. Draw, annotate and solve equations as you usually would with a conventional whiteboard. Then, save the file as a .pdf, and upload to eConestoga.

Learn to use the whiteboard mode of the interactive whiteboard. In Whiteboard Mode, use the icon with a plus sign to add more whiteboard pages to write on. Choose the icon to the left of this to see an index of all of your whiteboard pages.

Use the additional buttons to easily duplicate whiteboard pages, and delete them. For more training in using your digital whiteboard, contact the Educational Technology Officer.

Remember, the monitor on the podium is usually touch screen, too. If something is too tall for you to reach, go back to the touch interactive monitor on the teaching station.

Connect your Device (Laptop)

You can also connect your laptop using the Wireless Display.

To Connect Wirelessly

  1. Click the toggle control to Wi-Fi Source. The projector screen will display a connection information screen.
  2. Open your laptop's browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.)
  3. Enter the IP Address from the projector screen, in the browser's address bar.
  4. When prompted, choose the download appropriate to your device (Windows or Mac).
  5. Double click the file that downloads to run it.
  6. When prompted, use the code from the projector screen to connect.
  7. You will be able to display your laptop's home screen and any software you may be running.

The wireless display does not allow touch interaction on the board. However if your laptop has a touch screen, you will be able to use that.

For more help, contact the Educational Technology Officer.

The Lighting

Mounted on the wall next to the teaching station, you will find a pad for the touch-screen lighting. Touch DVP 100% or 50% to change the lighting in front of the Digital Video Projectors. Control or dim all the lights in the classroom under the All option.

Audio Check

Before running any video or audio, conduct an audio check. Contact IT Services using the phone on the Teaching Station if you encounter any issues.

Seating

The chairs are set up as rectangular table groups of 8 students. In 1D01 and 2D01, the tables accommodate 5 students.

If you need a lectern space for your notes, feel free to take up the end of the front middle table. Move any chairs to other locations, so you have your space, and there is still adequate seating for your students.

To manage group work, it sometimes works best to split table groups into 2 groups of 4, rather than one group of 8. Ask one student from each group to move to each end of the table. This makes sure each group has its own space and you can visit each group separately.

Remind students to be conscious of their volume level, as the groups will be in close proximity to one another.