Steps to Follow When Setting Up a Session in the DCC
Virtual Classroom (Elluminate)
1. Schedule your session:
a. Determine the time for the online meeting. You are
welcome to use the ÒChoiceÓ module (turn on editing and click ÒAdd an activityÓ)
to have students vote on a time. Note that they can only make one choice. (They
cannot put a list of times in order of preference).
b. Check the calendar on the main page of Moodle (not the
main page of your course site) to see if the time is available. You can either
ÒhoverÓ your cursor over the date to see what is scheduled or click on the date
to see the schedule.
c. Assuming the date and time are available, email moodlesupport@dallas.edu to have the
online office reserve the time on the calendar.
d. For virtual office hours, please only plan an hour. If
you plan an online activity that requires more time, be certain to request
sufficient time—things tend to take a little longer online than in
person.
2. Go into the DCC Virtual Classroom a few minutes early and
do any needed preparation:
a. Click on the moderator link: DCC Virtual
Classroom (then bookmark it on your computer). Do not give this link to
students. If you have never been in the DCC Virtual Classroom, you need to
follow the ÒGetting StartedÓ instructions.
b. You will want to do the audio setup wizard (ToolsˆAudioˆAudio Setup
Wizard) to be sure your audio is working correctly.
c. If you have prepared a PowerPoint and want to put it on
the whiteboard, you will need to import it.
i. Click the folder icon at the bottom of the whiteboard
icons.
ii. A dialog box comes up asking where you want the slides
to go relative to the slides already on the whiteboard. Choose your preference
and hit OK.
iii. The Open dialog box appears. Navigate to the PowerPoint
file on your hard drive and choose it.
iv. Wait for the PowerPoint to load into the whiteboard.
3. Set up the teleconference connection—you should
always do this.
a. Two circumstances create a need for telephone
conferencing:
i. If you cannot get your audio to work or sound clear,
you should dial-in to the teleconferencing system.
ii. If a student is having problems getting audio to work,
is trying to run their audio through speakers (creating feedback), or are using
a microphone that is picking up echo in the room., You need to ask them to call
into the teleconference system. It is a toll-free number, so it does not cost
them.
b. In order to be able to go bring students into the
virtual classroom via teleconference, you will need to set it up.
c. Click ÒToolsÓˆÓTelephonyÓˆÓConfigure Telephone ConferenceÓ
d. A dialog box appears asking for the toll free number
and the PIN for the host and the guest. Complete it as shown in the screenshot
below.
i. Dial-in number: 1-877-854-9671 (entered in this format)
ii. Host PIN: ,8150 – be sure to include the comma
(please do not give to students)
iii. Guest PIN: 1029
iv. NOTE: You can use Òcopy and paste,Ó but you must use keyboard commands:
Ctrl-C to copy and Ctrl-V to paste. (use Command-C and Command-V on a Mac).
e. Click ÒSaveÓ
(not ÒSave and ConnectÓ). That will take you back to the main page of the DCC
Virtual Classroom.
f. It is a good idea to post the toll-free number and PIN
on the whiteboard, so it is easy to direct students to it if needed.
4. If you or a student needs to dial in with the
telephone:
a. Click on the the telephone icon at the bottom of the
screen with the little red arrow:
b. You will hear the DCC Virtual Classroom connect to the
teleconference and send the host PIN.
c. You may see a dialog box that asks you to confirm that
you want to connect. Click ÒConfirm.Ó
d. The ÒParticipantsÓ list now shows ÒTeleconference
(Bridge).Ó This means you or a student can dial into the session.
e. Please note that DCC is charged by the minute for every
connection. Therefore, if a student comes to your virtual office hours, asks
some questions, and leaves 20 minutes later, please click the same telephone
icon to disconnect the session until it is needed again.