Computer Tech Support: Contact the computer tech liaison well before the start of the class and make arrangements to meet her/him in the Computer Lab as early as possible. Find how to contact the Tech if you run into problems that you can't solve during the course. If there are missing items the client cannot supply, make arrangements with the BMRA Computer Tech Liaison for equipment to take with you to the site. Examples include: speakers for the Instructor PC, presentation projector, etc.
Get there Earlier: Remember to add an additional 30 minutes to your early first-day start time (90 minutes instead of 60) when you have to set up a computer lab.
Computer Lab PC's: Obtain and write down the
following information:
a. Usernames for each computer (These should be in a common
format, such as StudentXX, where XX is a sequential number found on each PC)
b. Passwords. These should also follow a similar pattern (i.e.,
pwXX where XX matches the PC's sequential number.)
c. Any special requirements for starting and shutting down the
Computer Lab PC's
d. Do the CD-ROM drives autostart when you insert a CD? (You'll
learn how to start the CD's manually in the BMRA CD-ROM Tools Discussion).
Instructor PC: Obtain and write down the following
information:
a. It may have a unique password that does not follow the
pattern of the student PC.
b. How to start the Instructor PC from "cold iron"
(e.g., the PC got turned off during lunch and you have to restart it, sign
in and get back to your placed in the PowerPoint presentation.)
c. How to use the slide projector with PowerPoint.
d. How to advance and go back in your slide presentation.
Normally, you will use the mouse or the keyboard to advance the slides.
e. Occasionally there may be a "Presenter" remote
control that you can carry as you walk around the room. Note how it
works.
| TIP: The keyboard is the most reliable method
for moving to the Next and Previous slides. To move to the Next slide: [Down Arrow] or [PgDn] or [Space Bar] keys To move to the Previous slide: [Up Arrow] or [PgUp] or [Backspace] keys The Left mouse button will move to the Next slide, but the Right mouse button, will pop up a menu with many choices, include Previous slide. This is far less useful and slower than pressing one of the keyboard [Previous Slide] keys |
f. Speakers. For some courses, sound is as important as
the slide show. Test the speakers for proper volume, balance and Treble/Bass
levels.
Presentation Projector:
a. BMRA can provide a presentation projector for a nominal fee,
should the client request.
b. If BMRA is providing the presentation projector, set up the
projector, connect the Instructor Laptop (prior to booting the Laptop) and
turn the projector on, including the projector lamp.
c. When the projector is on, press the Power button on the
Laptop and allow it to start.
d. As the PC is booting, you should see the progress on both the
Laptop screen and on the screen. When you boot the Laptop after the
projector is on, the Laptop should start with the display on both the Laptop
display and the projector/screen.
e. If you do not see the image on both screens, press the Laptop
Function key (often labeled Fn) and the [CRT/LCD] display toggle key (one of
the functions keys, with an icon showing a CRT/LCD label). When you hold the
[Fn] key and press the [CRT/LCD] toggle key, the Laptop toggles through
three possible states: 1) Laptop display alone [LCD], 2) Projector [CRT]
alone, or 3) both at the same time. There may be a delay after you press the
[Fn][CRT/LCD] keys, so wait for the Laptop to complete the transition before
pressing again.
f. Adjust the Zoom, distance to the screen and focus to
maximize the size of the presentation image.
g. Observe the image on the screen. Focus carefully -- few
things are more annoying to a student than an out-of-focus image.
h. As you proceed through the week, you will need to remember
the beginning slide for the next day.
| TIP: To move immediately to a specific slide at the start of the day, type the number of the slide and press the [Enter] key to move directly to that slide in PowerPoint. |
CDROM Drive Testing:
a. For the Student PC, open the CDROM drive and insert a
Student PC BMRA CD. When you close the door, you should see a small window
appear in the upper left portion of the screen with the caption ShellRun and
the announcement: "Starting index.htm." Soon after, you will see a
browser window open with the main or start page for the respective CD.
(You'll learn how to start the CD's manually in the BMRA CD-ROM Tools
Discussion)
b. For the Instructor PC, open the CDROM drive and insert your
Instructor CD. This will most like NOT autostart. Start the PowerPoint
presentation as described in the BMRA Instructor Tools Discussion.
Distributing BMRA CD's: When class starts, pass out he BMRA CDROM Tools CD's. You will find enough CD's in your Instructor Packer for all of the students in that class. To ensure you have enough to go around, give one to each student -- do not let them help themselves to the CD's from a stack. If you are short CD's because of students taking more than one, you will have to call BMRA to get more sent over, which will cause you time and trouble and the expense of getting the additional CD's transported.