All central teaching spaces have been updated to provide an improved experience for teaching staff and students. New equipment and software have been installed to support parallel teaching, enabling teaching staff to simultaneously engage with students in a physical UQ teaching space, as well as those attending remotely via Zoom. This capability is especially important as COVID-19 continues to restrict some students from attending classes on campus. The new equipment is more reliable and is remotely supportable if AV assistance is required. This reduces downtime and interruptions in the class which benefits staff and students.
Equipment set up
There are some important (but simple) changes to the way you must set up your equipment in the teaching session to utilise parallel teaching. In these enhanced teaching spaces, it is essential that you run your Zoom session through the PC in the room (not your own laptop). This ensures higher audio quality for students attending via Zoom as well as those watching the Echo360 recording, as the AV system is run through the room PC. You are then able to connect a laptop or USB to the room PC to share lecture slides, notes etc. A document camera is also available and is run through the room PC. View the instructions for Parallel teaching from a central UQ lecture theatre for more information.
If you are not conducting a parallel teaching session (i.e. no students attending via Zoom), then you won’t notice any significant changes to the way you run your class.
Microphones
Rechargeable microphones (lapel mic and roving radio mic) have now been placed permanently in each central teaching space, and BYO microphones are no longer required or supported. Collaborative teaching spaces have been fitted with ceiling microphones and a room view camera to pick up discussions and activities across the entire classroom. These are controllable by the touch panel located at the lectern.
Training courses
Academic staff utilising central teaching spaces are encouraged to attend a training course designed to help you to get the most out of these new systems to provide an enhanced experience for students whether on or off campus. Register here.
See the AV user guides for further information about using the updated central teaching spaces.
