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Dr. Mark Schuler

About Dr. Mark Schuler

https://markschuler.com

Posts by Dr. Mark Schuler:

Solving the video problem

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While teaching in a hyflex way, I was seeking a way to be sure that students in the classroom seem the same thing on the screen as did the students online. The solution was to connect my iPad to the room projector and log the iPad into the Zoom session. But I quickly learned I had to turn off the audio with the iPad or I would get a loopback feedback in the room. I therefore must route the sound from the remote student thorugh my laptop speakers. I can hear it, but the sound is not sufficient for the rest of the class. More to figure out

Day two — working with the technology

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Audio Equipment

Day 2 -- 10 Sept

I am rather comfortable at this point with my audio setup:

  • a Shure SM58 for the classroom speakers
  • a Rode SmartLav+ attached to my facemask
  • a Zoom H4N Pro audio recorder
  • a Yamaha AG06 mixing console (still finding new ways to tweak the sound with it)

But I have not been satisfied with the video setup. I want the students in the class to see on the screen the same thing that remote students see on Zoom. The client software on the laptop cannot drive such an attached screen.

Today, I used my iPad as a video monitor and it gave me a clear sense of what the remote students see. So, tomorrow, I will attempt to drive the classroom projector with the iPad instead of the laptop.

One more thing to carry with the cable and power cords. But I am getting closer to s setup with which I am happy.

Thankfully, none of my class sessions has another class meeting just before or after them.

Day 1 — Oh, what fun

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1st day teaching

Day 1 -- Sept 8

Despite previous practicing, my first session had problems. 

The good — half the class was remote, allowing for sufficient distancing of students in the classroom.

The bad — I set the laptop and projector into “extend mode” and loaded Zoom with dual monitors. But had trouble enabling both the students who were remote and the students who were f2f to see the same shared materials.

I later discovered an errant setting in Zoom (Enter full screen when participant shares screen) and Kate suggested putting all files on the extended monitor and sharing the screen rather than the tab. I will try that tomorrow.

In the second session, I disabled the dual screens and the extended display.  Both f2f and remote students could see what was shared with none of the earlier scrolling problems.

Audio seemed to work well, as long as students in the f2f session kept their speakers off or used ear buds. (Must add and eq setting to the Lav mic to boost the 4000 and 8000 ranges to get back the consonants.) I do wear the lav clipped to the side of my facemask for better sound quality. (Need a pic of this!)

An adequate start for the first day.

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