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Teachers: Setting Up Your Classroom Tech Equipment

This is a presentation on how to set up your new classroom tech equipment.

Setting up your new classroom technology does not have to be difficult.  This presentation will walk you through the basic steps of setting it up.

As with any new technology, it is important to practice using it until you become comfortable and proficient with it.

Follow these instructions with the photos and it should take you no more than 10 - 15 minutes to set up and use your new tech equipment.

Power Strips

Before you start, make sure you have at least 2 power strips available for plugging in all your tech equipment.  Your school should have received a shipment of power strips for this purpose.

New Equipment

This is all the new tech equipment you will be setting up in this presentation. 

You will be setting up your new monitor, USB hub for connecting all your devices, the new Jabra PanaCast camera, and turning on your new classroom microphones for using the sound system.

Power up your new monitor

First, plug in the power cable from the monitor to a power strip.  Then power up your new monitor by pressing the small button underneath the panel (right side).  The monitor power light will turn on.

Plug in the HDMI cable

Next, take the HDMI cable that is connected to the monitor and plug it in to the HDMI port on your laptop computer.

The location of the HDMI port will vary depending on the model of your laptop.

Mirrored screens

Immediately, you will notice the laptop screen will be "mirrored" on the new monitor.

Select Display Settings

To "extend the desktop" on your laptop, follow these steps.  Extending the desktop will allow the user to have separate browser windows open and visible at the same time, creating the feel of a longer desktop screen.

Step 1: Right click on the desktop screen and select "Desktop settings."

Select Extend these displays

Step 2:  When the settings window opens, scroll down to "Multiple displays" and select "Extend these displays."

Keep changes

Step 3:  Your laptop will ask you if you wish to keep the new setting.  Click on "Keep changes."

Monitor after Extended Desktop

Step 4:  To utilize the new "extended desktop," create a new tab in Chrome.  As you will notice, the new monitor will look like a blank version of your laptop screen.  It is waiting for you to drag a new window into it.  Think of it as if your laptop screen has gotten longer to the right.

How to Extend the desktop

Step 5:  With your mouse or touch pad, click on the new tab you created and drag the tab to the right side of your laptop screen.  The tab window will separate from the original browser window.  As you drag the new window to the right, you will immediately see that window begins to appear on the new monitor.

Two windows open

Step 6:  Keep dragging the new window until it fully appears on the new monitor.  You will also notice your mouse arrow will appear on the new monitor.  To move it back to your laptop screen, simply move it to the left until it reappears on your laptop screen.

Using Zoom or Google Meet on Extended desktop

Now you can take class roll on your laptop, and/or log on to another website on your laptop, and log on to Zoom or Google Meet on the new desktop monitor.  You have created two open and active windows which are visible on two separate monitors.

Connecting the new USB hub

To plug in all your USB connected devices, first plug in the power cord from the USB hub to an available power strip.

Then plug in the USB cable from the USB hub to an available USB port on your laptop.  This will allow your sound system to run into your laptop and will power up the new Jabra PanaCast camera.

Connecting the new Sound System/Mics

Connect the sound cables from the Lightspeed Media Connector to the USB Audio Stereo Sound Adapter.  Connect the Adapter to the USB hub (the Adapter is the first device connected closest to you in this photo).

Using the New Jabra camera

To use your new Jabra PanaCast camera, first make sure the USB cable that is connected to the back of the Jabra camera is also plugged in to the USB hub.  When it is plugged in, the "blue" lights will turn on from the front of the camera.  That means it is powered on, but not activated.

Selecting the Jabra camera

In Google Meet, find the three vertical dots on the lower right side of the screen.  Click on the three dots and a menu will appear.

Go to Settings

In the menu, click on "Settings."

Select Video

A window will appear where you can select different devices to use during Google Meet.  On the left side of the screen, click on "Video."

Select Jabra PanaCast

Under Video, a pop-up window appears displaying all your video devices available.  Find the "Jabra PanaCast" camera and click on it.  Close the Settings window.

Camera activated when white lights turn on

You will immediately notice your Google Meet screen is using the new Jabra PanaCast camera.  You will also notice the "blue" lights on the camera have turned "white."  This means the Jabra camera is activated on your laptop and will use this camera for your classroom presentations when your camera is normally in use.  You can always switch back to your laptop camera by following the same steps above.

Zoom Set Up

If you are using Zoom, click on the Video button arrow on the lower left-hand side of the screen.  You will see a list of available camera options.

Zoom camera select

In the camera options window, find "Jabra PanaCast" and click on it.  The Jabra PanaCast camera will turn on and now your Zoom meeting will be using the new camera.  You can always switch back to your laptop camera by following the above steps in Zoom.

Microphone activation

To activate the new microphones in your Zoom meeting, click on the microphone button on the lower left side of the screen.  Select "Microphone (2-USB Audio Device)."

Microphone Activation Google Meet

To activate the microphones in your Google Meet virtual meeting, first click "Settings."  On the left side of the Settings Screen, click on "Audio."  Then click on "Microphones" to see the list of available microphone devices.  Select and click on "Microphone (2-USB Audio Device)" to activate the microphones.

Turning on Classroom mic

Last but not least, you have a new sound system in your classroom.  To turn on the classroom microphone, press the middle button on the mic.  The red light will turn off and the blue light will stay on.  If you speak into the mic, your voice will be heard through the new speakers which have been mounted on your classroom ceiling.  Your voice will also be projected on your laptop.

Turning on teacher mic

To use your teacher's microphone, which can be hung around the teacher's neck, remove it from its charging base.  Then press the clear rectangular button on the top of the microphone.

Mic on when Blue Lights up

The red light on the mic will turn "blue."  This means the mic is on.  If you speak, your voice will also be heard from the speakers that are mounted on the classroom ceiling.

As you can see, setting up your new classroom technology does not have to be difficult.  This presentation walked you through the basic steps of setting it up.  Review this presentation as needed.  You will also find out there are other ways of utilizing this equipment, using other settings.  Talk to your colleagues and share new ideas on how to use them.