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Active Learning Classroom Guide: Lecture or Presentation Settings

Lecture or Presentation Room Settings

These directions are for instructors planning to teach a lecture class or a presentation with no instructor/student screen sharing except to share instructor content to the Big TV and all student table screens.

This image shows the Big TV monitor sharing content with the smaller table monitors.

Basic Lecture or Presentation Instructions

  1. Power on Equipment (see Power Instructor Computer & Big TV tab on the right for instructions)
     
  2. Log into the instructor computer with your Island ID and Password.
     
  3. (Optional) Plug in your personal USB drive with instructional content you want to share in one of the two ports located on the back of the instructor computer screen. (review the Optional Tools or Features tab to the right for more information)
     
  4. Open the Solstice Active Learning App on the desktop and log in with guest account - Library.Instruction@tamucc.edu and GuestAccess1! to project to all student table screens (see Share to All Student Table Screens tab in the box below for instructions)
     
  5. Choose screen display mode (see Choose Screen Display Mode tab on the right for instructions)
     
  6. Create a custom message to project to all student screens. (see Create Custom Message tab in the box below for instructions)
     
  7. (Optional) Use the instructor microphone to amplify your voice to the room speakers. (review the Optional Tools or Features tab to the right for more information)
     
  8. Class Wrap-up: log out of equipment, collect personal items, and return any checked out items to the circulation desk. (See Class Wrap-Up tab on the right for detailed instructions)
     

Power Instructor Computer and Big TV

1. If the logo screen is showing, touch the logo anywhere on the instructor podium display control screen to access the display controls.
This image shows the ALC Crestron Room Controller screen saver reading "Touch LOGO to Start."

2. Press “Power On” and “PC” under Main Display grouping, and “Power On” for Student Displays. 

This image shows the ALC Crestron room controller Display control screen for powering on the main and student displays.

3. Log into the instructor computer with your Island ID and password. 

This image demonstrates the user login screen for the ALC instructor podium monitor.

4. Press “Wireless Presentation” under Main Display grouping to share instructor computer screen to Big TV.
This image shows the ALC Crestron room controller with the student displays powered on.

5. Power on Big TV using power button on lower right corner. 

This image shows the ALC Big TV and the power button on the lower left side to power on this device.

6. If needed, set Big TV to "HDMI" mode to share content from the instructor computer screen. 

This image shows the ALC Big TV touchscreen controls to return to the Big TV home screen

7. Then touch the "HDMI" button on the Big TV home screen. Wait a few seconds for the instructor compuer screen content to appear on the Big TV screen.

This image shows the ALC Big TV home screen menu options.

8. Now review the Choose Screen Display tab in the box below to adjust how you want to manage your displayed content.
This image shows the ALC Instructor monitor projecting to the Big TV.

Optional tools or Features

You may need the following tools or features to enhance your classroom experience.

  • Wireless keyboard and mouse
    The wireless keyboard and mouse are stored above the pc tower behind the left instruction podium cabinet door. Check out the instructor podium key at the Circulation Desk to access the wireless keyboard and mouse.

The wireless keyboard and mouse is located inside the instructor computer cabinet. Check out the instructor cabinet key at the Circulation desk to access this equipment.

  • A wireless lapel microphone 
    This microphone broadcasts to the room speakers, and is stored in the instructor podium. Check out the instructor podium key at the Circulation Desk to access the microphone.
    Check out the instructor computer cabinet key at the Circulation desk to use the lavaliere instructor microphone.
  • USB ports 
    There are two USB ports on the back of the instruction computer screen.
    Connect usb or thumb drives behind the instructor computer monitor on the podium to project your own content.
  • Instruction computer access 
    Check out the Instruction podium key at the Circulation Desk to access additional USB connection points and for Instructor computer access.
    Check out the instructor podium key at the Circulation desk to access devices stored in the locked podium cabinets.
  • Whiteboard markers
    Check out whiteboard marker packets at the Circulation Desk.
    Check out marker packets for whiteboards at the Circulation desk.
  • Lending Laptops (for students without their own devices)
    Students may check out laptops for 3 hours at one of the two Laptop Checkout Kiosks in the library. Kiosk 1 (12 laptops) is located on the 1st floor right inside the front door and opposite to the Circulation desk. Kiosk 2 (12 laptops) is located on the 2nd floor near the Immersive Reality Lab (IRL).

Common Issues & Solutions


You stepped away and returned, and now everything is completely frozen and/or logged off.
 
This image shows the instructor computer podium. This image shows the ALC big TV and where to locate the power button on the lower right side of the big TV.
The room sensor will shut down equipment after an hour of inactivity.
Open the cabinet (you need to check out the key at the Circulation Desk) to restart the instructor computer and login in again.		 Press the button on the lower right corner of the Big TV to restart. 

The Big TV is showing a "No Signal" message.
 
This image shows the ALC big tv and the vertical menus and tabs accessible from the touch screen on the big TV.
This image shows the big tv main screen with connection choices and the Crestron controller on the Instructor computer podium buttons to power different connections between the Instructor computer and big TV.
Touch either tab on the Big TV then press the “Home” icon. Check that “HDMI” mode is enabled. Then alternate pressing the “Wireless Presentation” and “PC” buttons on the instructor podium controller panel.

 

 

 

 

1. If you are sharing your screen to all student table computers, either press the reset button or long-press the primary display in the Active Learning app to cancel screen sharing.

This image shows the Active Learning App screen when actively sharing the primary display to all pods.

2. Sign out of the Active Learning app. Close all windows you may have open, and log out of any other applications or platforms.

This image depicts the Active Learning App logout menu on the upper right side of the screen under the user's email address.

3. Log off the instructor computer. Do not shut down the computer, please.

This image shows the instructor monitor screen when logged out of a user's TAMU-CC account.

4. Remove any USB drives and gather your personal belongings.

This image shows the back of the instructor computer monitor where usb drives are plugged in. Do not forget your usb device when leaving the ALC.

5. On the display controller panel, press the "Power Off" button under the Student Displays heading. Then press the "Power Off" button under Main Display. 

This image shows the Crestron controller on the instructor podium displaying buttons to power off main and student displays.

6. Gather and return any checked-out marker kits or checked out keys to the Circulation Desk.

This image shows the 1st floor Circulation desk. Return checked out keys and marker kits to the Circulation desk before leaving the library.

For More Assistance

For technology assistance in the Active Learning Classroom during business hours Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, please contact Library Technology Services at LibraryTechnologyServices@tamucc.edu or 361-825-5528. 

You may also consider contacting Library Technology Services for any Active Learning Classroom technology questions.

For technology assistance in the Active Learning Classroom Monday through Friday after 5pm and on weekends, please contact the IT Service desk at 361-825-2692 or online.

Displaying and Sharing the Instructor Screen

Choose Screen Display Mode

1. Press Window key plus "p" to adjust screen projection modes.

This is an image of the ALC Instructor monitor showing the menu for projection display.

2. Choose the most appropriate display mode for your needs:

This image shows the ALC Instructor monitor projection setting "Duplicate" screen.

Duplicate mode - the instructor computer screen is mirrored on the Big TV and any content displayed on the instructor computer screen appears on the Big TV screen in real time.

This is an image of the ALC Instructor monitor showing the projection setting Extend screen display.

Extended mode - The Big TV is treated as a separate screen so that you can have a different window open on the instructor computer. Use the instructor computer screen as a staging area for multiple content tabs, and drag selected content over to the Big TV to display.

Share to All Student Table Screens

1. Double-click on the Solstice Active Learning App on the instructor computer. Log in with the guest account - Library.Instruction@tamucc.edu and GuestAccess1! to sign in to the app.

This image shows the Active Learning app on the instructor monitor screen and the Active Learning app login screen. Log in with the guest instructor credentials provided.

2. Double-click on the Active Learning Classroom room diagram.

This image shows the Active Learning app as it appears when login is first completed. Users need to double click on the Active Learning Classroom room icon.

3. Press the Primary Display diagram with your finger for a few seconds or double-tap or click the "Primary Display to All" button on the menu at the bottom of the screen to route the Big TV screen to all student table screens.
This image shows the Active learning app ALC classroom diagram with primary (instructor monitor) content shared to all student tables.

To display from a student table to all screens, press the student table for a few seconds or double-tap with your finger until the screen is projected to all tables and the instructor computer. You can also draw a line from one student table to another to share one student table's screen to another.

This image shows the Active Learning app displaying student table to student table content sharing.

Choose "Reset" to stop screen sharing. Click "Exit" when your class is concluded to exit out of the Active Learning App.


 

Create Custom Message

1. Double-click on the Solstice Active Learning App on the instructor computer. Log in with the guest account - Library.Instruction@tamucc.edu and GuestAccess1! to sign in to the app.

This image shows the Active learning app icon located under the Recycle bin icon on the instructor monitor, and the Active Learning app login screen displayed.

2. Double-click on the Active Learning Classroom room diagram.

This image shows the Active Learning Classroom room link that should be double clicked to access the ALC room controls.

3. To create a custom message that will display to all student table screens, look for the "Plus sign" button at the bottom of the screen. Or click or press the "Eyes to Front" pre-made message to display to all student table screens.

This image shows the Active Learning Classroom diagram, highlights the Add new button, and reads Custom message will display on all student screens.


4. On the "Create" tab, create custom message text, choose an icon and click confirm to create a new custom message button that will display in the menu at the bottom of the screen. Click or press on the custom message button you created to instantly display to all student screens. Use the "Edit" tab to edit pre-existing custom message buttons.

This image shows the Add new Custom Message submenu that allows users to create a message and icon or edit an existing custom message and icon.