Dual-Mode (Full-Hybrid)

What is it?

Dual-Mode is a new design standard for our Hybrid Teaching Spaces. It’s designed to be intuitive to use while offering an powerful range of capabilities to the academic community. Below you can find a printable quick guide and our walkthrough video to help you on your way.

What does it do?

Dual-Mode is being installed to replace the existing Capture & Stream kit in these rooms and will move us from a limited intermediary solution to full hybrid. It represents a complete replacement of the existing kit in these teaching rooms and a brand new, custom design control panel intended to make sure that although the equipment is fancy and new, the experience for lecturers is intuitive and pain-free.

What should I know?

You can see a list of rooms that are designated as Hybrid Teaching Spaces on our room tracker.

Printable Quick Guide

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Log in to PC and switch on system

When an instructor enters the teaching room, the hardware should be in shutdown mode with all cameras in privacy mode, microphones are muted etc. This will allow for a ‘blank canvas’ to prepare the system for your class according to your preferred mode of teaching. You will need to log in to My Dundee on the lectern PC to access Blackboard Collaborate. You will also need to activate settings on the control panel as both of these will be synchronised together for dual mode teaching.

Step 1: Switch on (if required) and log on to the lectern PC using your university credentials.

Hardware should be in Shutdown Mode:

Step 2: From the Control Panel, tap ‘Start your Session’ to move the kit to a staging mode that will allow you to prepare for your session. 

Hardware should now be in Staging Mode:

• Presenter Cam: On
• Audience Cam: Standby
• Mic: On
• Primary Display: Standby
• Secondary Display: Standby
• Speakers: Set to 60% Volume

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Start Collaborate and enable audio and video

Blackboard Collaborate is used for online teaching and can be accessed via My Dundee. Before commencing the session, it is recommended that you test your tech to ensure it is working fine in advance of your class. Once in the room, an instructor will enter a ‘staging’ mode that allows them to prepare for their session (set up any presentation, initiate the online classroom, select and check sound and video devices etc.). This preparation should be able to be done with minimal visibility to the students e.g. large screens should stay off.

Step 1: From the lectern PC, log in to My Dundee

Step 2: Locate your module

Step 3: From within your module, access your scheduled Collaborate session

Step 4: Test your audio and share Audio, checking the right device is selected and that the levels are working

Step 5: Test and enable your video, checking the right device is selected and you can see your video feed.

Staging mode should be passing the Presenter camera to the computer.

The hardware should should continue in staging mode and the control panel screen should have the following view:

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Check online communications and prepare content

After testing your audio and video connections in Collaborate, you will now be able to check with students to confirm they can hear you and prepare your teaching content ready to share in your session later. Once in the room, the instructor will enter a ‘staging’ mode that allows them to prepare for their session (set up any presentation, initiate the online classroom, select and check sound and video devices etc.). This preparation should be able to be done with minimal visibility to the students e.g. large screens should stay off.

Step 1: Greet online participants both to confirm that you are getting ready to start and to test that you can communicate with them. Unmute your microphone for this and type in to the chat. Make sure you mute your microphone again after speaking.

Step 2: Prepare whichever content you wish to start with, whether that is a presentation or other means.

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Arrange monitors and start recording

Once you have confirmed that your students can hear you and your teaching materials are ready to share, you will need to ensure your monitors are arranged appropriately. If applicable, you can now start recording your session. Once in the room, an instructor will enter a ‘staging’ mode that allows them to prepare for their session (set up any presentation, initiate the online classroom, select and check sound and video devices etc.). This preparation should be able to be done with minimal visibility to the students e.g. large screens should stay off.

Step 1: Arrange your computer desktop how you wish e.g. presentation on primary monitor, collaborate window on secondary monitor.

Primary monitor is mirrored to primary display e.g. projector

Secondary monitor is mirrored to secondary display e.g. back of room screen

Step 2: If applicable, start recording the Collaborate session

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Begin session and select teaching mode

When you are ready to begin your session, you need to select an appropriate teaching mode. You can choose from presentation and class discussion. Once started, the instructor can select between modes throughout the session. Modes are present configurations based on the desired teaching activity and can be switched between through a session and combined with different Devices.

Step 1: Tap ‘I’m ready to share’ on the control panel

Step 2: Select your starting Teaching Mode to begin.

Mode: ‘Presentation’

Step 1: Choose ‘Presentation’ mode on panel.

Enable Presentation Mode:

• Presentation Camera: On, tracking presentation zone
• Audience Camera: Standby
• Mic: On
• Primary Display: On
• Secondary Display: On
• Volume: User adjustable

Instructor can use Collaborate screen share on the lectern PC to show presentation to online students. Camera feed working just as a webcam would.

Mode: ‘Class Discussion’

Choose ‘Class Discussion’ mode on panel.

Enable Discussion Mode:

• Presentation Camera: On, tracking presentation zone
• Audience Camera: On, tracking audience zone
• Mic: On
• Primary Display: On
• Secondary Display: On
• Volume: User adjustable

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Choose device displayed

You can choose to alternate between devices you will use in the session. You can choose between room PC, document camera, wireless display laptop HDMI and Blu-ray player. Devices are the different input sources available to an instructor, who will be able to switch between devices as required through a session.

Device: Room PC

Choose ‘Room PC’ device on panel.

Primary Monitor (lectern PC) is mirrored to Primary Display (main presentation display)

Use Collaborate screen share to display whatever is on the Primary Monitor.

Device: Document Camera

Choose ‘Document Camera’ device on panel.

Use on-screen or device controls.

Document Camera activated

Device: Wireless Display

Choose ‘Wireless Display’ device on panel.

Wireless Display activated

Device: Laptop HDMI

Choose ‘Laptop HDMI’ device on panel.

Laptop/HDMI activated

Device: Blu-ray Player

Choose ‘Blu-ray Player’ device on panel.

Use on-screen or device controls.

Blu-ray player activated

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General toggles and exit/reset the session

There are some general toggles on the control panel that you should familiarise yourself with. One of the toggles allows you to exit the session to either reset the control panel at the end of your session or shutdown the system at the end of the teaching day. General toggles allow you to switch cameras, microphones and displays on and off and change in-room speaker volumes. You can also reset the system to standby which resets cameras, microphones and speakers ready for the next session or shutdown the system to switch off all devices.

General Toggles:

Instructors can manually:

• Mute/Unmute Mic
• Toggle Cameras between on and Standby mode
• Toggle primary displays on/standby
• Toggle secondary display on/standby
• Control room volume

Exit or reset the session:

Step 1: Tap ‘Exit‘ from the main screen , then choose either ‘shutdown‘ or ‘reset‘.

Step 2: You should select the Reset Session option at the end of your session to reset the system for the next class.

Tap Shutdown at the end of the day to fully switch off the system

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