Frequently Asked Questions about using Classroom Technology with your own laptop or other mobile devices.

In Summer 2024, Carleton shifted to a larger number of classrooms where bringing your own device (BYOD) is essential.  If you are taking your laptop to a classroom and want to be prepared, please find some useful guidance below. 

Note that you can also use your iOS or other mobile devices with the classroom technology, but we will focus on MacOS and Windows laptops for these questions.

Before you go:  check this list to determine if your classroom has a BYOD Teaching Podium or a Computer Ready Podium.

For BYOD Teaching Podium rooms, consider…

  • Bringing your laptop, a power supply, and an HDMI adapter dongle.  While each BYOD classroom will have an available power supply and HDMI dongle adapters, bringing an extra that you’re comfortable with is always a good idea.
  • Installing Airmedia Wireless Presentation Application on your laptop.  For detailed instructions on installing and using Airmedia, check out our Wireless Presentation Technology articles.  
  • Adjusting your calendar & messaging notifications and screensaver or power settings, to avoid unintended disruptions.  Read on for more details.

For all classrooms, we recommend that you visit and test the teaching podium prior to your first class, including how to adjust the sound (input and volume).  If you prefer some guidance, please connect with Paul Bernhardt or Bryan Reed through PEPS.

How do I prepare my laptop before I get into the classroom (or conference location)?

Adjust Notifications settings

You may have your laptop configured to allow for notifications from different applications, such as calendar reminders, reminders for updates, messages from your chat apps, or Slack notifications.  Only software updates and Malwarebytes notifications are not controlled by you.

These notifications can be distracting during a presentation or class, especially if the message preview contains personal information or the calendar notification reminds of upcoming events.

Detailed Instructions to Manage Notifications for MacOS and Windows

Adjust Screensaver/Sleep settings

Sometimes, during a lively conversation, our laptops fall asleep or the screensavers start, disrupting the display of the presentation.  The length of time before a laptop goes to sleep or before its screen saver starts tends to be shorter when the laptop is relying on its battery.  To avoid this kind of disruption in your class, consider turning off your screen saver and/or adjust the length of time before your computer goes to sleep.

Note:  Sometimes your computer may want to restart because of pending updates.  Postpone them but do run updates when you are back in your office.

Detailed Instructions for MacOS and Windows

How do I connect my laptop to the wireless presentation tool, Airmedia?

Check out our guides for using the AirMedia app with different devices.

Note that the AirMedia Connector “Puck” makes the connection to wireless presentation even faster.  Each puck can only work in the classroom it is assigned to.

Airmedia puck with room label

My laptop is not showing what I am expecting.

How do I manage displays?

Usually, we expect to see the same content on our laptop screen and on the projection screen. Or, we want to not mirror the screen but extend the desktop.  Instructions for Mirroring or Extending your Laptop (MacOS and Windows)

I cannot see my Google Slides as I am expecting.

If you’re presenting from Google Slides, look near the upper right corner of the browser window for the button labeled Slideshow. If you want to be on mirror mode (where the extended display is set to mirror to main display), click Slideshow.

Google Slides Slideshow button to present and options underneath, with focus on Presenter View for displaying notes associated with the Google Slide presentation

However, if you want speaker notes on your laptop and slides on the projector, click the down arrow in the right side of the Slideshow button and choose Presenter View. This presents your slides in the first browser window and opens a new browser window with presenter notes and timer in it. You can then drag and resize each window as you’d like it. To stop Presenter View, click on the slides (not presenter notes) and press the escape key (Esc).

I cannot see my Powerpoint Slides as I am expecting.

When using Powerpoint with more than one display (your laptop’s screen plus a projector), and you play your slide desk and your speaker notes are on the projector and not your laptop, find the Swap Displays icon in the top left corner of the speaker notes. With one click, the displays will swap.

menu in top left corner of speaker notes screen in PowerPoint, including the Swap Displays option

Other questions and tips

How do I use the Bluray player or document camera?

Find the option on your touchscreen. If the document camera does not have its own icon on the touchscreen, there may still be one at the podium. Simply plug it in to the provided power and HDMI cable and choose the Laptop/HDMI icon. To check if a classroom has a document camera, search for the feature in 25live.

What are my options to improve video conferencing experience?

  1. Check if your department has a video conferencing kit.  If so, you have a webcam and jabra mic to bring to the classroom.  Your department can request one video conferencing kit from ITS.
  2. For a better experience, consider finding a classroom with a dedicated video conferencing system – list?  To check if a classroom has video conferencing, search for the feature in 25live. 

I am worried about battery life of my laptop – what are my options?

Look for the black cable for power usbc in the room – do note that if your laptop only has one input for usbc, you can either charge or connect to projector.  If that is the case, please practice using the wireless presentation option without the “puck.”

I am in a computer lab and see my students using their phones.

To tighten Carleton’s network security, ITS followed advice from our auditors to move as many computers as possible to require Duo, even on campus. Starting Fall 2024, this will include computers in public computer labs on campus. Students most likely will need to use their phones to respond to a Duo prompt.
If you do not want your students to use their phones during class, please make them aware that they have other options to use Duo.

On the rare occasion, as a backup plan: My computer has issues, but I need a computer for class today – what do I do?

Contact the ITS Helpdesk asap – 507-222-5999 – and request a loaner laptop.

Which classrooms and other spaces have a dedicated computer?

The following classrooms and event spaces have a dedicated computer:

  • AGH 114 (a.k.a., the Meeting room)
  • Anderson 121
  • Anderson 123
  • Anderson 129
  • Boliou 104
  • CMC 102
  • CMC 110
  • CMC 306
  • Hulings 102
  • Hulings 316
  • LDC 104
  • LDC 205
  • LDC 241
  • LDC 242
  • LDC 243
  • LDC 244
  • LDC 302
  • LDC 330
  • LDC 335
  • LDC 345
  • Leighton 304
  • Leighton 330
  • Library 306
  • Olin 004
  • Olin 011
  • Olin 102
  • Olin 141
  • Olin 149
  • Sayles 251
  • Sayles 253
  • WCC 026
  • WCC 136
  • WCC 138
  • WCC 161
  • WCC 235
  • WCC 236
  • Willis 204