VC best practice
Your presentation (more information, using PowerPoint)
Technical information to help you optimise your videoconferencing
Why do we do it the way we do
We try to ensure that our conferences contain:
- interesting mathematical content appropriate to the suggested age range
- links to other curriculum areas
- interaction with the presenter(s)
- interaction with other schools
- short activities and longer tasks which are intended to be hands-on and collaborative
- an opportunity to present students' own work to an audience outside their own school and respond to questions and comments
- opportunities to discuss other schools' presentations with them (where there are two VCs, with the second session devoted to schools' presentations)
These elements provide a rich learning environment, in which asking good questions and not being content with easy answers are valued. We try to maximise interaction between the presenter(s), the students and the content. At the same time, we have to ensure that the pace and timing of the session do not suffer. Interaction in a multi-point VC needs to be facilitated more formally than would be the case in a face-to-face or even a point-to-point session in order that all participating schools have a good experience. We therefore rely on teachers to facilitate activities and to ensure students are ready when they are called to report on a task or to question another school.
Carrying out the activities, preparing a presentation, asking and responding to questions are all important in our VCs. We also feel that it is important for students to be able to listen actively to others, whether that is the presenter(s) or other schools. To assist this, we would encourage teachers to brief students as far as possible beforehand. Having paper and pen available so that students can make notes as they listen helps to encourage active listening and the development of note-taking skills. It also makes it much easier for students to ask good questions of the presenter(s) or the other schools.
We send an evaluation form to all participating schools following a conference. We need to know what you think if we are to ensure all our conferences are of a high standard.
Your presentation
General do's and don'ts
A good presentation needs to be seen and heard clearly by other participants, and to be clear, interesting and relevant. At the beginning of your presentation, take a little time to explain what you are doing - other schools won't necessarily have done the same projects as you, and may not know anything about your particular topic. If you are going to use powerpoint, please ensure that it will be clearly visible via VC. You will also need to check that you can show it directly through your VC camera. If not, you will need to point the camera at the computer screen (more information).
Because we are using the VC medium, there are also some constraints particular to that medium which have to be taken into account. You need to be aware of these DOs and DON'Ts:
- DO ensure the microphone is near to the students who will be speaking or that students move close to it.
- DO ensure students know what they are going to say, how to pronounce difficult words, and to speak out clearly into the microphone. Putting a piece of paper in front of their faces is an effective way to ensure we can't tell what they are talking about.
- DO use both sound and vision - show text on screen (using either a poster fixed to a wall or flipchart or powerpoint slide) and get students to read it as well - hopefully if either the sound or the visual content isn't entirely clear, the other will be.
- DON'T let students whiz through their posters or powerpoint slides so quickly that we are still reading the top line when they move onto the next one.
- DO make sure that all diagrams are big with bold, black lines - you need greater clarity than you would in a face-to-face presentation.
- DON'T put too much text on a poster or powerpoint slide - use two instead - again you need greater clarity than for a poster that will be shown in a classroom or corridor display.
- DON'T have students standing in front of the camera holding up a poster - their inevitable movement will mean that no one can see anything on the poster (we mean this quite literally - everything will be fuzzy and we are unlikely to be able to read text).
- DO stick posters to a wall or flipchart and zoom the camera in on them instead.
- DO remind students that we may well be able to see them on screen even when someone else is speaking - make sure they are not doing anything they wouldn't want anyone else to see (it does happen ...!).
Simple ways to optimise your videoconferencing
Phone number to use immediately before or during a VC: +44 (0)1223 766824
Camera
Displaying the VC
Audio
Room layout
JVCS
Auxiliary preset feed from PC/Interactive Whiteboard or PowerPoint input
- If students' work is to be seen clearly by other participants, it needs to be displayed clearly. The best way to achieve this at the moment is to use PowerPoint. It is straightforward to connect a PC/Mac via a single cable to the VGA input of the codec.
- If the students wish to use other methods of delivery, for instance, video footage, please email Adrian (phone: 01223 765669) to discuss the limitations well before the videoconference.
- If you have a document camera attached to the codec it is possible to display 3D objects or A4 sheets but make sure that they are printed in landscape only.
Inputs to the Codec
The input buttons change the various inputs of the codec. These usually include:
- main PTZ camera
- PC/Mac input (for PowerPoint presentations and electronic whiteboards)
- other
Camera
- avoid the idea that you are the “Match of the Day” cameraman following the live action!
- in videoconferencing it is far better to strictly limit the amount of camera movement
- a golden rule is … DON’T DO IT!
- most systems have preset buttons, so use these instead and let the equipment do the work for you!
Preset buttons:
- used to position the PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom) camera in a pre-determined position
- it is usual to only have a single PTZ camera which can be used to broadcast the live action
- so often difficult to determine what is being broadcast to the other participants of the conference ie. the remote audience
The solution to this is to use the camera presets which can be pre-programmed into the conferencing system prior to the start of the conference.
A good way to set the presets is:
Camera preset 1 : A group shot of all those participating
Although this is usually just a general impression of the students, it is an important shot. It may lack fine detail, but it gives the general impression of those assembled in the room to others at the other remote site(s). This should be the main shot used during the videoconference.
Camera preset 2 : A shot of the students actually presenting
Mark an X on the floor with tape, so that the students know where to stand.
Camera preset 3: A shot of the coordinator
If the coordinator needs to explain something to the other participants, it will be much more effective if they can be seen. Mark an X on the floor with tape, so that s/he knows where to stand.
Displaying the videoconference
Give some thought to how best present the video and audio signals from the broadcast. Ensure that any room lights are switched "on" otherwise your students' images will be in deep shadow.
A standard 25" TV screen is not large enough for more that 10 seated for an hour. If you decide to use a data projector, consider running this in parallel with a TV unit for the received audio, as data projector audio circuits are not usually powerful enough and the students will not be able to hear clearly.
If you have an interactive whiteboard it is worth displaying the broadcast video images there but check the positioning to avoid any "reflective sheen" for those seated.
It is worth remembering to position the codec away from the lens of a data projector (as this could easily burn out the CCD circuits of the camera/codec) and also it is good practice to avoid crossing the beam of the camera (this can result in diffusing or "Blowing Out" of the image transmitted).
Audio
Probably the single most essential ingredient of a videoconferencing session is good quality audio. However
- it is often difficult to balance the outgoing audio signal with the incoming audio signal
- this can lead to echoed voices returning through the system
- so once set make a note of the settings and avoid altering the audio levels during the conference.
A tip is to switch “off” the AGC (automatic gain control) and switch “on” the echo cancellation circuits.
No matter how high the quality of the microphone, it is essential to position the microphone as close to the students speaking as possible (without distortion). If students are not close to the microphone either it should be passed to them, or they should move close to it, otherwise we won't be able to hear them.
Room layout
This may need to be adjusted so that students can have access to a microphone. If you have microphones on tables, make sure that if a student moves an object around, the audio at the remote site doesn’t pick this up, or at least that students know not to talk at the same time. Also:
- Try to control any noise in the surrounding areas, eg. corridors, slamming doors.
- Of course, this may not always be possible, so at least remember to close the windows and keep the mute on unless someone wishes to be heard from your end. This will help to eradicate outside noise and will also reduce the reverberation in the room and generally improve the audio and video quality transmitted from your site.
- Always use fluorescent lights - the camera/codecs are designed to work under these and draw any blinds or curtains in the room. Full sun in a bright room puts everyone in deep shadow.
JVCS
If you are using ISDN, the numbers issued to you will give access to JVCS. All ISDN callers dial in and are connected to each other via a bridging network. The ISDN issued will be a single number, BONDed (bandwidth on demand), eg. 02085879349, and will be emailed in advance of the videoconference. Some equipment (Polycom and Sony codecs) will automatically duplicate the digits for the second ISDN number. You then need to just delete this number and then press connect. The MCU bridge network will automatically configure the number of lines required. Any problems, contact Adrian who will help you.
If you are using IP, the MCU will dial through to you at a given time (usually half an hour before the conference). Please make sure your equipment is turned on well before then or you will miss your connection.
This half hour before the VC starts is an opportunity for those handling the technical aspects of a conference to check the connection is good, to balance the audio levels, and to test any other AVA being used. We would encourage all participants to make use of it.
