Skip to main content

Classroom Technologies

How to Use General Classroom Technologies

Using the Control Panel

Here’s how to use the Crestron control panel in general classrooms at Boise State. We’ve also posted a demonstration of the A/V control panel on YouTube.

  1. Tap anywhere on the Crestron Control Panel to activate it.
  2. The DISPLAY settings operate the projector.
  3. Tap the ON or OFF buttons to turn the projector on or off.
  4. Toggle AV MUTE to temporarily turn on or off the projector. Use this method to temporarily hide your computer desktop and screen.
  5. Select MEDIA settings to choose the device to project on the wall or screen:
    PC projects the computer in the classroom.
    DOC CAM projects the document camera.
    LAPTOP projects your laptop screen.
  6. Raise, lower, and mute the audio levels using the Crestron panel.
  7. If you’re using a laptop in the classroom, you may have to adjust the audio level to around 75% for the best audio in the room.

Contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 for immediate assistance with classroom technology.

Starting an iClicker Session

The instructions below assume you have already set up iClicker in your course. Visit our iClicker knowledge base to learn more about setting up your course.

Students must install iClicker from the app store or sign into the browser version before participating in classroom activities.

  1. Click the iClicker Cloud shortcut on the podium computer and log into your iClicker account.
  2. Select the desired course and click Start Class or create an Event for a general audience or non-student session to initiate the polling. This opens the polling widget.
  3. Drag the polling widget (the blue cloud icon) to the top right corner of the screen.
  4. Click the polling icon (the checkmark in a circle).
  5. Open your PowerPoint presentation in Slide Show mode.
  6. Click the drop-down menu to choose the question format type. Multiple choice is the default.
  7. Click Start (green play icon) on the polling widget to start polling.
  8. Click Stop (red stop icon) to stop polling.
  9. Advance to the Powerpoint next slide to poll another question.
  10. Repeat steps 6 – 9 as applicable for each polling question.
  11. Click the left arrow (next to the blue cloud icon) to return to the main menu.
  12. (Optional) Click End Class with Exit Poll to ask students to give post-class feedback.
  13. Click the X button to end the class.

Contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 for immediate assistance with classroom technology.

Zoom in the Classroom

Here’s how to use Zoom video-conferencing in the classroom to accommodate both remote and in-person students. Visit the knowledge base for best practices using Zoom in the classroom.

  1. From the podium computer, log into Canvas.
  2. Launch your course materials (e.g., PowerPoint).
  3. Click on the Zoom link on the left-hand navigation menu in Canvas.
  4. Click Start to start the Zoom meeting.
  5. Click Join with Computer Audio when prompted.
  6. Click the ^ next to the mic icon to select the speaker and microphone for the classroom.
  7. Click the ^ next to the video icon to select the video input source for the classroom.
  8. Click Record and choose Record to Cloud.
  9. Click Share Screen.
  10. Click on Chat to monitor questions (can minimize Chat window if desired).
  11. Click on Participants to admit students from the Waiting Room.
  12. At the end of your class period, end the Zoom meeting. You will be alerted when your video is ready. Your video will automatically be available in Zoom and Panopto.

Contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 for immediate assistance with classroom technology.

Recording with Panopto

Here’s how to record your classroom lecture, PowerPoint presentation, the computer screen, and the document camera (doc cam) using Panopto.

  1. From the podium computer, log into Canvas.
  2. Launch your course materials (e.g., PowerPoint).
  3. Click on the Panopto Video link on the left-hand navigation menu in Canvas.
  4. Click Create to launch the Panopto app.
  5. Confirm the Folder Name in Panopto is correct. If not, use the drop-down to navigate to the correct folder.
  6. (Optional) Name the video file.
  7. Select the camera for the classroom using the Video drop-down menu.
  8. Select the microphone for the classroom using the Audio drop-down menu.
  9. Test your audio levels by observing the meter. If levels are too high or too low, use the slider to adjust the sensitivity.
  10. Check the box to Capture Computer Audio.
  11. Check the box to Capture PowerPoint (if using a Microsoft PowerPoint).
  12. Check the box to Capture Main Screen.
  13. Click the fps drag bar at the bottom of the Panopto recorder and drag it to the middle (30 fps).
  14. Click Record. Minimize the recorder while recording your session, then open it back up to either pause or stop your recording.
  15. Click Stop on the recording and then click Done. The Manage Recordings screen will appear, and Panopto can be closed.

Contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 for immediate assistance with classroom technology.

Connecting Personal Laptops

Here’s how to connect your laptop to the classroom projector in general classrooms at Boise State University. The instructions for how to connect your laptop to a classroom projector are also posted on YouTube.

  1. Find the HDMI cable at the lectern. The HDMI cable is a rectilinear-shaped connector with slanted sides.
  2. Plug the HDMI cable into the HDMI port on your laptop. You may need an HDMI or VGA adapter if your laptop or device does not have an HDMI port. If using video adapters, you may need to plug in the audio cable to the headphone jack on your laptop or device for sound.
  3. Tap anywhere on the screen to wake the Crestron A/V control panel.
  4. Tap ON under DISPLAY to turn the projector on.
  5. Tap LAPTOP to display from your laptop. Your laptop should now display on the wall or screen at the front of the room.
  6. Toggle AV MUTE to temporarily turn on or off the projector display. The AV MUTE button flashes when the display is off.
  7. Raise, lower, and mute the audio levels using the Crestron panel. When using a laptop, you may have to adjust the audio level to around 75% for the best audio in the room.

Contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 for immediate assistance with classroom technology.

Using the Classroom Computer

Here’s how to use the computer in your general classroom at Boise State. Specifically, here’s how to use the DVD player, USB drives, and where you can find the keyboard and mouse. You’ll also find these classroom computer instructions on YouTube.

  1. Wake the classroom computer by moving the mouse. The keyboard and mouse may be stored in a drawer of the lectern.
  2. Sign in to the room computer with your Boise State username and password.

USB and Thumb Drives

USB ports are located on the side or bottom of the monitor and sometimes on an extension cable from the computer.

How to Play DVD’s

  1. Open the lectern to access the computer.
  2. Open the DVD tray, snap in the disc, and carefully close the DVD tray.
  3. Double-click “This PC” on the desktop to open a new window.
  4. Go to Devices and drives and double-click the DVD RW Drive icon to launch the DVD software.
  5. Use the software controls to play, pause, and stop the DVD.

Contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 for immediate assistance with classroom technology.

Displaying with Doc Cam

Here’s how to use the doc cam (document camera) in general classrooms at Boise State. Visit YouTube for a video that demonstrates using a doc cam at Boise State.

NOTE: If using Zoom or Panopto to record your lecture, access the Document Camera application on the podium computer’s screen. If you use the Crestron control panel, your recording will not include the doc cam content.

  1. Press and hold the power button to turn on the doc cam.
  2. Tap anywhere on the screen to wake the Crestron A/V control panel.
  3. Tap ON under DISPLAY to turn the projector on.
  4. Tap DOC CAM to display from the doc cam.
  5. Experiment with where to place items under the doc cam for best results on the wall or screen.

Contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 for immediate assistance with classroom technology.

Back To Top