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ISLA (Inclusive Synchronous Learning Activities) guide

This guide will explain what the capabilities and use-cases are for rooms set up for ISLA teaching.

ISLA in-room PDF guide

Please find a link to our in-room PDF guide below.

Setting up for ISLA

Teaching considerations:

  • Assume that more time will have to be devoted to explaining how differently attending students will interact and engage in the session, as well as planning for both online and in-person interactions yourself, such as checking the chat, changing camera angles, etc. Make sure you plan time for all of these things into your lesson plan and communication to students. 

AV tips:

  1. If this is your first time logging into a City computer in a while, give yourself some time at the start of the session to log in as this may take a while. We recommend using the Pod PC for synchronised Zoom sessions. Connecting your laptop to the Pod will limit functionality.
  2. Set the camera to your preferred position, either: 
    • Positioned in the audience with view of the Pod and teaching zone, including nearest whiteboard.
    • View of yourself from the Pod.
  3. Make sure to set your microphone and speaker to the desired outputs. To do this, select the little arrow next to the microphone icon.  
    Then under the Select a Microphone and Select a Speaker headings, select the desired microphone and speaker.
  4. If the PC volume output is too loud, adjust this to the required level on the PC, not the Crestron panel.
  5. Lower house lights to appropriate level for webcam.
  6. Mute the audio speakers on the Pod to avoid feedback.

Admin requirements:

  1. Check that the Zoom meeting has been scheduled for each class. These can be recurring. Send the link to all participants in advance.
  2. Book Lecture Capture, if using. If you have Lecture Capture booked, you will not need to record the Zoom call. 
  3. Ask students in the room to bring a laptop, iPad or tablet with headset or earphones with built-in microphone if possible.

During an ISLA session

Teaching considerations

  1. Encourage students to use the chat function to ask questions. Make sure that you have built in enough time to read through the questions in chat, or have scheduled a Q&A as part of the session.
  2. Clarify consent for the recording: students who do not want their contributions to a face-to-face class recorded should be referred to guidance about lecture capture. This might, for example, involve students sitting further back from the camera, and being aware that conversations held near the microphone might be recorded.  

AV tips

  • Once your Zoom meeting has launched, drag your Zoom screen over to the right-hand screen/monitor and have your lecture notes/slides/presentation on the left-hand screen.
  • Select Share Screen. Select the screen you want to share. This is likely to be Screen 1 which is the left hand screen.
  • Once you have shared your screen, drag the zoom toolbar over to the right-hand screen (if it isn’t already).
  • If there are participants at home with their cameras on, you will see their videos in a small view. Select Show grid video and drag the screen to the size of your preference. We recommend as large as possible.  
  • From the Zoom toolbar, select Chat. The Chat will pop up and you can also drag it over to the right-hand screen/monitor. You can then resize your zoom and chat windows to fit to your preference.
  • It is possible to record your ISLA session in Zoom or Teams. As Lecture Capture is automatically recorded then the session does not need to be recorded twice, unless for specific reasons such a requiring a copy of the session transcript or chat conversation.
  • When you are presenting to the class, i.e. no class discussion, you must mute the ceiling tile microphones. These are very sensitive so can pick up any noises which could distract the students viewing on Zoom. These can be muted on the Crestron Panel in the bottom right.

Admin requirements

  • Ask all students to mute their microphones when not speaking
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