Perculus - Basic Instructor User Manual (English)

PDF of the Manual: Perculus - Basic Instructor User Manual.pdf

Reviewing this manual will help you navigate and use the system effectively.

This guide has been created to assist you in using the Perculus platform for conducting your virtual classes.

I. Introduction to the Virtual Classroom

Once the virtual classroom is set up, it will become active when your scheduled lesson time arrives. We recommend checking your microphones and cameras before starting the class to ensure everything is working properly.

a. First, log in to your course by clicking the "Join" button in the Virtual Classroom activity.

b. Next, you will see your speaker, camera, and microphone settings. If you are using more than one camera or microphone, make sure to select the correct ones.

c. Your Default Camera will be selected. But if you have an external camera, you can choose it.

d. It will be selected by default on your microphone. But if you have headphones plugged in, you can choose the microphone you prefer to use.

e. Your speaker will come with your computer itself. If you are going to use a different speaker, you can choose it.

f. After making all your settings, click the Join Session button.

1. Starting the Lesson

As the instructor, you have the authority to start the course. If you want to upload course presentations before beginning, follow the document upload steps. You can also upload documents after the course has started.

Virtual Classrooms does not start until you, as the instructor, click the Start button.

a. Click the Start button to start the lesson.

b. You must confirm by clicking the start session button.

c. Then your virtual classroom begins, you'll see the word "LIVE," indicating that the session has started.

2. Turning on Camera in Virtual Classroom

After your virtual classroom starts, follow the steps below to turn on your camera.

a. Click over the camera icon at the bottom if you want to turn on / turn off your camera.

b. After clicking and waiting for a moment, your camera feed will appear on the screen. You'll know your camera is on when the camera icon lights up and your image is displayed.

c. If you are having problems, check your Google Chrome Camera permission.

3. Turning on a Microphone in a Virtual Classroom

After your virtual classroom starts, follow the steps below to turn on your microphone.

a. Click to the microphone icon at the bottom of the page.

b. Your microphone will activate. You can tell it's on when you see the green volume bar moving and the microphone icon is lit.

I. Virtual Classroom Menus

1. Participants Menu

This is the menu that allows you to see the participation of students registered in your course in the virtual classroom. It is the first of the menus in the lower right corner of the page.

Click on the participants icon your active participants in the virtual classroom will be listed.

If you wish, you can give your students Camera, Microphone and File Sharing permissions from here.

Click to send a Camera sharing request to your student named Eda.

Click to send a Microphone sharing request to your student named Eda.

If you want your student named Eda to upload documents to the virtual classroom, click to authorize. If you do not give students file sharing permission, students cannot share documents in the system.

You can expel students who sabotage the lesson.

2. Chat Menu

This is an area designed for you to communicate with students enrolled in your course and students in the virtual classroom.

When you click on the chat icon, you can type the sentence you want in the chat window that will open and send your message by clicking the Enter key or clicking the tab. It is an instant chat box. It becomes inactive after the virtual classroom is over.

3. Session Statistics Menu

This feature measures whether the students enrolled in your course and present in the virtual classroom are actively listening and attentive to the lesson.

First, click the analytics button. To activate this feature, you must first activate the I'm Here Feature.

When students acknowledge the prompt that appears on their screens at specific intervals, you can check their scores through the statistics menu.

The alert that will appear on the student's screen will prompt them to click the "I'm Here" button. The quicker they respond, the more points they will earn.

4. Information Menu

In this menu, you can access information about session details.

Additionally, if you have guests who are not registered for the course, you can invite them to your live lesson using the Invitation Link. However, when guests click on this link, they will need to register by providing their name and surname.

5. Settings Menu

In the Settings section, you can make adjustments to your session settings and your profile.

When you click on the settings icon, you will see the following options:

· Profile photo: You can add your own photo by pressing the "Change" button.

· Camera / Microphone Settings: You can adjust these settings if you need to use a different camera or microphone, similar to the setup when entering the session.

· Session Settings: Here, you can manage various settings organized into the categories of Messaging, User, and History.

In the features in the messaging section, you need to click on the box next to the feature you want to be active and click on the Save button.

In the features in the user section, you need to click on the box next to the feature you want to be active and click on the Save button.

In the History section, select the box next to the feature you want to activate and click the "Save" button. You can also select delete all session messages from here.

III. Virtual Classroom Time Display Menus

These menus are located in the upper right corner of the screen.

The icon indicates that the virtual class has started.

This button allows us to leave the virtual classroom before the scheduled end time. If you, the instructor, end the session, the session will be closed for everyone.

This indicator shows the time remaining until the end of the virtual class.

This button allows you to take a break during your live lesson if needed. Click the button to initiate a break, then enter the desired duration in minutes and add a break note.

If there are 10 minutes left before your lesson ends, the system allows you to extend the session. Click the "Extend +" button to do so.

Then, you can choose from the following options: +10 minutes, +30 minutes, or +60 minutes. You don't have to use all the extra time; you can end the session at any point by clicking "Leave.”

IV. Menus on the Home Screen

This section will cover the menus and their functions located in the center of the main screen.

This is the camera icon that lets you turn your camera on.

This indicates that your camera is on.

This is the microphone icon that allows you to turn your microphone on.

This indicates that your microphone is on.

This indicates which students have raised their hands.

You can access other settings with the three dots icon.

This is the icon that allows you to share your screen.

1. Steps to Screen Share

If you plan to share your screen and present to students during your lesson, follow these steps.

a. Click to the screen sharing icon.

b. If you choose to share a Chrome tab, select the specific tab you want to share. This way, only the selected Chrome tab will be visible to students, and your other activities on the computer will remain private.

c. You can choose to share a specific window. This way, only the selected window will be visible to the students, and your other activities on the computer will not be seen.

d. To share your entire screen, select your screen from the "Whole Screen" section. If you want to include system sound, ensure the "Share system sound" option is active. Once you've made your selections, click the "Share" button.

Your screen will be shared without any issues. You can stop sharing by clicking the "Stop Sharing" button.

V. Flow Menu

The flow menu allows you to utilize multiple documents, videos, screen sharing, and other methods during your virtual classrooms. The Flow panel is a tool that lists the tools you've used, enabling you to easily return to previous documents or presentations. For example, if your students are stuck on a topic discussed earlier, you can go back to the initial presentation using the flow panel.

First, we need to create Activities. To do this, you can click on the red plus button, which serves as a shortcut. The function of this button is detailed in the "6. Adding Activity to the System from Shortcut Menu" section. You can also click on the white plus button in the flow.

Then the following menus will appear.

1. Files and Whiteboards

This is the menu that allows us to upload documents to the system and add a whiteboard.

1.1. Adding a Whiteboard

The steps to add a Whiteboard to your virtual classroom for use in class are given below.

a. Click on the Whiteboard button.

b. Name your Whiteboard activity, and then you can specify how long this activity stays on the page with a timer. After the process is completed, click the Save button.

c. The Whiteboard will then appear in the Activities section. When you click the Play button on it, the whiteboard will be displayed on the screen and become visible to the students.

d. You can explain your lesson to students by making drawings. You can find the pen, highlighter, pointer and eraser on the left toolbox.

e. If you want to remove the whiteboard from the main screen, you can stop the visibility by clicking the Pause icon.

1.2. Document Upload

The steps for uploading documents to the virtual classroom for use in virtual classroom are given below.

a. Click on the Upload Document button.

b. Then click on the blue plus button.

c. Since only PDF files are uploaded to the system, select your relevant PDF document and click the Open button.

d. Your file has arrived, but click on it to reflect it in the activities section.

e. You will see that your document is in the activities section.

f. In order for the document to be reflected on the main screen, you must activate its visibility by pressing the Play button, as in other activities.

g. The document is opened to the visibility of students.

h. Press the pause icon on your file in the Activities menu to remove it from the main screen.

Note: You can only upload a PDF file to the virtual classroom. If you have any, you are expected to convert your Powerpoint presentations to PDF format.

2. Videos and Cameras

This menu offers options for screen sharing, using a second camera, video sharing, and video uploading to the system.

2.2. Screen sharing

You can follow the steps below to mirror your computer screen to your students.

a. Click on the Screen Sharing button.

b. Name the activity. If you wish, you can specify your screen sharing duration from the timer section. Then press the Save button.

c. If you press the Play button on the activity. Screen sharing options will appear.

d. If you are going to share a Chrome tab, you can select the relevant Chrome tab. This way, only the relevant Chrome tab will be visible to students. Your other operations on the computer will not be seen.

e. To share your entire screen, select it from the "Entire Screen" section. If you want to include system sound, ensure the "Share system sound" option is enabled. Once you've made your selections, click the "Share" button.

f. Your screen will be shared without any problems. You can stop sharing by clicking Stop Sharing.

2.2. Second Camera

If an external camera is installed on the system, you can benefit from this feature if you are going to use dual cameras in your lesson.

a. Click on the second camera icon.

b. Select the second camera that you want to use during the virtual classroom.

c. After clicking the Save button, the 2nd Camera activity will appear in the Flow section. From here you can press the Play icon.

d. Use the Pause icon to turn off the camera.

2.3. Share Video

You can share videos to your students here by following these steps:

a. Click on the share video button.

b. To share a video, enter the URL link in the "Link" section. If desired, you can specify a duration in the meter section. You can also choose whether to allow students to change video settings. After making your selections, click the "Save" button. Currently, we support YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion.

c. Your video will appear in the Flow. Click to the Play icon to make it visible to students.

d. Your video will start streaming on the screen.

e. To remove the video from the screen, you need to press the pause icon from the Flow menu.

2.4. Upload Video

If you want to use a video in .mp4 format from your computer during your lesson, follow these steps:

a. Click on the upload video button.

b. Click on the blue plus button to upload a file.

c. Then select the video in .mp4 format that you want to upload to the system. Click the Open button.

d. Click on the video to move it to the Flow section.

e. Click to the Play icon to show the video to the students.

f. The video will be shown to students.

g. After you are done with the video, click on the Pause icon in the Flow to remove it from the screen.

3. Collaboration

The Breakout Rooms feature in the collaboration menu allows you to create groups among students for group activities and discussions.

3.1. Create Working Groups

If you are going to work with a group in your virtual classroom, you can use this feature.

a. Click on the Breakout Rooms button.

b. You can assign name to the breakout room and specify the number of working groups. The students will be evenly distributed among the groups based on the total class size.

c. You can choose the group registration option that best suits your classroom.

d. As instructors, you can switch between groups, but students cannot do so without your permission. Adjust your settings here and click ‘Save’.

e. Then, the Breakout Rooms activity in the Flow becomes active when you press the play button, and students are automatically distributed to groups according to your settings.

f. the Pause icon on the activity in the Flow.

4. Assessments

The assessment menu allows you to interactively use the system, making it easy to ask instant questions.

4.1. New Question

Follow the steps below to create a new question.

a. Click on the new question button.

b. To add a question, click on the Blue plus button.

c. Then select the style of question you want to add.

d. For a multiple-choice question, enter your question text and options. Make sure there's a green checkmark next to the correct answer. For multiple answers, place a green checkmark next to all correct options.

e. For essay questions, provide the question.

f. If your question includes images, you can add an image. Once you've finished, click the Add to session button.

g. Click the Play icon on the activity to publish the question.

h. The question is then broadcast to the students.

i. After the question is answered, click the Pause icon on the activity in the Flow to remove it from the quiz screen.

5. Others

If you need to use some tools such as Google docs or Padlet and want to share them with your students, you can use the External Application feature.

You can share your work with students by getting the embed code from the 3rd party application.

VI. Adding Activities to the System from Shortcut Menu

After clicking the Red plus button next to the Flow menu, it offers you a menu with frequently used features.

a. After clicking on the Screen Sharing feature, follow the same steps as in 2.1. Details are provided in the Appendix for Screen Sharing.

b. After clicking on the new question feature, follow the same steps as in 4.1. Details are provided in the New Question section.

c.  After clicking on the feature for creating Working Groups, follow the same steps as in 3.1. Details are provided in the Create Workgroups section.

d. After clicking on the camera feature, follow the same steps as in 2.2. Details are provided in the Second Camera section.

e. After clicking on the Share Video feature, follow the same steps as in 2.3. Details are provided in the Share Video section.

f.  After clicking on the Upload Video feature, follow the same steps as in 2.4. Details are provided in the Upload Video section.

g. After clicking on the Upload Document feature, follow the same steps as in 1.2. Details are provided in the Document Upload section.

h. After clicking on the Whiteboard feature, follow the same steps as in 1.1. Details are provided in the Adding to a Whiteboard section.