Introduction testing

This guide will help distance instructors install and use Centra software (students should use the Student Guide).

Centra is a powerful tool for online multiple-user interaction and course organization that includes real-time two-way audio, application sharing, web browsing, white boarding, and text chatting. Once you are familiar with the Centra environment, you will be able to design and deliver materials for synchronous and asynchronous use by your students and lead interactive sessions at a distance.

Select from the following topics to help yourself become acquainted with Centra.

Getting started:

• Your Account - Set up your account and Centra events through IDDL
• Scheduling - Create an event
• Your Computer - Make sure that your computer and network connection are ready

Programs and Events:

• My Schedule - Navigate through the first screen when you log in to Centra
• Lead an event - Start, and manage your classroom in a Centra event
• Record an event - Save your Centra events for later viewing

Agendas:

• Build an Agenda - Prepare content and structure for your class
• Upload an Agenda - Put your agendas online
• Modify an Agenda - Make changes to an already existing agenda

Designing Lessons:

• Screen Resolution - What your students can see
• Design - Images, fonts and layout
• Files - Powerpoint options, files types and markup tools

If you have need for any further assistance, please contact IDDL Support Staff.

Getting Started: Your Account

As a distance instructor, you'll first want to create your client account on the Centra server.

NOTE: If you do not have Virginia Tech PID, please contact us via our help request form and request an account. - continue to scheduling -

If you have a Virginia Tech PID, please set up your account as follows. The following domains are available for enrollment. If you are unsure which domain you should choose, contact us via our help request form.

Link to Domain Description Virginia Tech Classes: Most Virginia Tech courses. School of Biomedical Engineering & Sciences: Courses offered by the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering & Sciences Virginia Cooperative Extension: Courses offered through Virginia Cooperative Extension

Enter your Virginia Tech PID and password, then select Continue. If you enter a PID / password combination that is not valid you must try again. If you have a Centra account, you will be logged in at this point. You may continue to the scheduling section New users will be taken to a page to enter in their account information.

When entering in New User Information:

Enter your name with your first name in the first field and your last name in the second field.

The email address entered should be your primary email address that you will be used for contact with IDDL Support.

The display name will be used by the rest of your class to identify you. Do not use your login name here. Instead enter in how you would be addressed in a classroom setting. Good examples of Display names are Dr. Davis, Professor Orum, Miss Shaeffer or Mike.

If you find it necessary to change any of your information, you will need to request the changes through our help request form.

Next, you'll need to schedule an event using the Centra Class Request Form. An event is your virtual classroom which IDDL staff will create for you. You will need to know the following information in order to schedule your event:

Class Term
Course ID
Course Title
Primary Contact's Name *
Primary Contact's Info (Email, Phone)
Event Leader's Name *
Event Leader's Info (Email, Phone)
Leader's Centra LogIn
Preferred Day and Time
Max # Students

* Primary Contact and Event Leader may or may not be the same person. A class may have several sections, each with its own leader, but only one Class Lead Instructor responsible for the course.

IDDL Support Staff will contact you to schedule an online training session in your event, if you request one, so you can become comfortable with the interface and practice using Centra.

Student Groups may have their own events with the Instructor's permission for large projects that require meeting time outside of class hours, if the instructor is using Centra for the class and the instructor alerted IDDL within the first two weeks of class that they will have student groups. Student Groups need to be scheduled to specific days and times as well to prevent server capacity conflicts. Additional days/times may be added to the request form in the comments box.

Getting Started: Your Computer

Before you use Centra, make sure your computer satisfies the following requirements

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) audio is not required for events that use telephone for audio. Some events may not require you to have a microphone. Check with your event organizer for specific event requirements, such as sound card, speakers/headphones, or a microphone.

To check your system automatically you must first log in to your assigned Centra domain. Select System Check from the menu at the top of the screen. This will launch Centra's system check in a new window. Users with Pop-up window blocking software may need to temporarily disable this feature.

Once you are on the System Check page, click the start button to begin.

Centra checks your browser, network connection and audio capabilities one at a time. Between each check you must prompt Centra to Continue. The audio check requires that you test out the speakers and microphone on your system. Follow the prompts to set your playback and recording volume levels. Make sure you do not select voice activated at the bottom of the screen which asks you to choose speaker or headset mode. If you select this option, your breathing could inadvertently activate the microphone. If you have problems you should check your audio manually. Click exit to end the system check once it has completed.

To determine your Windows version, your central processing unit (CPU), and the amount of RAM you have installed: Right click the desktop icon labeled My Computer and select Properties. Under the General tab you'll find your operating system (Win 98, Me, NT, XP or 2000) and the amount of RAM installed. You can also refer to the written documentation that came with your computer.

To determine the screen resolution (size) and color depth you are currently showing: Right click the desktop, select Properties, and then click the Settings tab. You should have at least 256 colors under the Color Pallet box, and 800 X 600 pixels under Desktop Area box. Higher settings for both are fine.

To determine the browser version, open IE or Netscape, go to the Help menu at the top and select About Internet Explorer or About Communicator. A page or box will open indicating your current browser version. Other browsers will have similar paths to find out what your current version is.

To determine the sound card installed on your system (most modern multimedia computers come equipped with a 16 bit sound card), refer to your written documentation that came with your computer.

If, during audio wizard tuning, you can't hear a voice during Play or your voice after Record, please follow these steps:

1. Make sure you have the headset jacks (or speaker and separate mic jacks) plugged in securely to the correct holes. Colors do not always match, so look for the small symbols or "phones", and or "mic" for the microphone. If you have a USB headset or microphone, it will have a rectangular port with a symbol.


2. Right click the volume icon in the lower right menu bar. (If there is no icon go to the Start Menu, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, and choose Volume Controls. In some versions it may be under Control Panel, Sounds and Audio Devices, and then clicking on Advanced under the volume tab.)


3. Left click Open Volume Control.
   
   


4. Under the Options menu, select Properties.
   
   


5. Select Playback and make sure all of the boxes are checked. Click OK.
   
   


6. Mute mic, mono-in, and serial-in by checking the Mute boxes beneath each of their individual volume control sliders.


7. Master out, wave, synth, CD, and line-in should not be muted in the Volume Control.


8. Next, go back to the Options menu and select Properties again.


9. Select Recording and make sure all the boxes are checked.


10. If the Recording Control shows Select boxes in place of Mute boxes, select the Microphone.


11. Wave, synth, and serial-in should be muted in the Recording Control.


12. CD, line-in, and mic should not be muted in the Recording Control.

After logging in to the Centra server. The first thing that you will see is 'My Schedule.'

The three tabs will have programs and events that you are enrolled in as either a leader or an attendee. Selecting the Ongoing tab will display events that you have scheduled with through IDDL. If your scheduled event is not visible, contact the IDDL Support Staff for assistance. The first and last tabs, Upcoming and Past, will not contain any events.

Once you are listed as a leader for an event, you can:

If you are not a leader in an event you may:

After logging in to your assigned Centra domain choose the Ongoing tab and locate and the event you wish to lead. Click the Lead link under the event to begin the event. If this is the first time you are connecting to Centra with your computer, Centra will need to download and install the conferencing software. This will occur differently depending on the browser you use.

Once you are connected, the graphic interface for Centra Symposium will open. Your name will appear as a presenter. Reid is leading the event at left and no students have logged in to view the whiteboard. As students log in, their names appear in the Participants window.

Beginning the session

The session does not automatically begin once the presenter arrives. The presenter must click the green light BEGIN Session button at the top right of the screen. Until this button is clicked, the session has not officially started and everyone has much the same privileges. Once the session is begun, the Presenter has control of the audio and visual environment.

Also, any prearranged recording of the event will begin and end with the session. Recordings can only be made once per day due to current limitations, so be careful when starting a test session to be sure that you do not have any sessions later that day that you will miss being able to record.

Talking

Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard while you are speaking. If you plan on speaking for an extended period of time, click once on the lock icon just below the file menu item. This is called the Lock to Talk button and let's you speak hands-free until you click the lock button again.

Letting others talk

As a leader you must grant speaking privileges to participants. This is accomplished by clicking beside the participant's name in the microphone column. A single click puts a small microphone icon beside their name. With this icon, they may interact orally and visually with everyone in the event until you remove their microphone with a click identical to that which you used to give them the privilege. If you want everyone to be silent, click the Clear microphone button just below the View menu. Your class won't be able to speak until you give them back their microphones.

Calling on students

All students have the ability to raise their hands to signal their desire to speak. A number appears beside their names indicating the chronology of raised hands in the class. Therefore, you always know who has had their hand up the longest or who had the first question. The instructor may lower one hand at a time or all hands at once. To lower one hand, click in the hand column beside the participant's name. To lower all hands at once, click the Lower hands button at the top of the screen.

Signals from your class

Notice that the icons at the top of the window are different for your participants than for you (Figure 1). CentraOne has some built in feedback mechanisms for your students. When they click the green checkmark button, a green check appears by their name in the participant list. Clicking the red X button icon places a red X by their name. A tally of all the checks and X's appears at the bottom of the participant list. This way, you'll know immediately how many of your students agree and how many disagree with what you said. Students can also indicate laughter with the smiling-face button and applause with the clapping-hands button. A single click on your Clear checks and X's button will wipe these clean.

Collecting Feedback Your students are also able to send you feedback concerning the pacing and clarity of your instruction. At right, a student has selected Send Feedback from their Tools menu and is informing you that the instruction is OK.

Occasionally, you'll want your students to be able to break out into small groups. CentraOne lets you create assigned or random groups and then allows you to visit each group individually much as you would in a traditional classroom. When you're ready, a single click puts them back in the main room again. To create groups make sure that the class is In Session. Select Breakout under the Tools menu (or click the 4-arrows icon). When prompted, create the number of breakout rooms you want and either let CentraOne randomly assign students to groups or drag and drop students into the desired group. Drag the student's name into the folder representing the appropriate group and release. The student's name will be listed below the group folder and he/she will be able to see the names of all those in the group. When you click the Start button the group members will be able to interact in group-fashion without interference from other groups. You can visit whichever room you wish from the Go menu. When you select Breakout and then Stop, everyone is placed back in the main session and the class continues.

Granting Presenter Status

From time to time you may wish to give the control of the class to a student, perhaps during a presentation or demonstration. While you remain, as always, the ultimate control in the session, granting Presenter privileges to a student enables him/her to do many of the things you do as leader: control student microphones, lower hands, erase checks and X's, navigate the agenda, create and assign breakout groups, and share applications. To grant Presenter privileges to a student, right click the student's name and select Promote [name of student] to Co-Presenter. The students name will be removed from the class listing and placed underneath yours to signify this change in status. When you wish to remove these privileges, right click the student's name and select Demote [name of presenter].

Application Sharing CentraOne also enables you to share your applications in an active session. After you have begun the session, launch your application. Select the icon showing a hand holding a green folder at the top. Click the Host button to select the application you wish to share (above there are two applications that may be shared, Desktop and Adobe Photoshop). Next, select your name from the Host being viewed menu. This let's CentraOne know who is sharing the application from the list of presenters. After the application sharing has started, any students with microphone privileges will be able to interact with you in the application. For example, in Microsoft Word, students may type and delete words, make tables, and open new files. Application sharing ends when you select another menu item or agenda item.

Chatting

You may also use the chat tool (the icon with the keyboard and text bubble, second from the left). Chat allows you to send and receive text messages to individual students or all students. This functionality can be very useful: Your audio is not working. Have you run the audio wizard? Text messages may also be sent in the Whiteboard environment, but are seen by everyone. Also, students can send public messages or private messages to you (the chat tool changes color when you get a private message). The chat will not open automatically, however, and you'll need to remember to monitor it from time to time.

Modifying Your Agenda Once the Session Has Begun

There are two ways to bring in materials during a session. You can pull in PowerPoint files by clicking the Import button at the bottom left of the screen. When prompted, just browse to the location of the PowerPoint file and CentraOne will upload them to the server and place them in the agenda. They are ready for immediate use.

Also, CentraOne allows you to upload gifs and jpeg files to your whiteboard as backgrounds during session. To do this, choose the leftmost whiteboard tool (the icon with an open folder) (Figure 7). Again you will need to browse to the location of your file. The picture will appear on the whiteboard and can be drawn on by you and students. If you choose, you may snap shot your new picture to the agenda by clicking the second button from the left in the whiteboard icons (it appears just to the right of the load image tool as a floppy disk). You'll be asked to name the snapshot and it will be placed permanently in the agenda. Any whiteboard may be sent to the agenda in similar fashion and used for later reference.

Recording is available if you would like the option to view your Centra sessions at a later date. To set up your event to be recorded, submit our help request form, or choose it in the Centra Request form by saying "yes" to "class to be recorded and archived."

Once your event is set up for recording, log in to your assigned Centra domain and click lead under the event you have set up for recording. After clicking the Begin you will begin the event as well as the start the recording. Again, please keep in mind that the Centra software currently only supports one recording per day.

When the session has begun The record and pause button will become active. Click the Pause button to pause any recording. Click the record button to resume a recording. The recording status will be indicated by either or being displayed in the lower left under the Agenda window.

End the session by closing the Centra window. A pop up window will ask whether or not you want to publish the recording. Chose yes to publish, or cancel to resume the event. If you have recorded this Event before you will be asked if you want to overwrite the previous copy. Choose yes. Centra will send the recording to the IDDL Centra server and report that the file has published successfully.

After you have published your recording, Centra confirm that you wish to exit. Choose yes.

To view the most recently recorded Centra session log in to your assigned Centra domain. Choose the Ongoing tab and click Playback under the session you wish to review. You will be offered the choice to either playback the file, or download it to your machine.

If you choose playback, Centra will open the session and begin playing it back. Use the controls at the top of the screen to rewind, fast forward, pause, and play the session as it plays back. Close the window when you are finished.

If you choose to download the file, a File Download pop-up window will open. Select Save from the File Download pop-up. Choose a location for the file to be saved, and select Save. The file will then download to your computer and alert you when it has completed. Close the Download Complete window and locate the downloaded file. Double click on the file to view your Centra recording. You may view this file at any time.

To view a recorded Centra session other than the most recent session, log in to your assigned Centra domain. Along the top header image, select the Download Archived Recordings link in the toolbar. Open the folder for the course you wish to review. Right click on the file you wish to download, and choose copy to folder. Choose a location for the file to be saved, and select OK. Once the file has been downloaded, locate the downloaded file. Double click on the file to view your Centra recording. You may view this file at any time.

Note: if password protection was requested for archived recordings, only the instructor will have access to the archived recordings for the class. Most instructors who do so will post the recordings on the courses' Blackboard website.

Agendas allow event leaders to provide content and structure for your class. The Agenda Builder is linked on the left hand side when you log in to your assigned Centra domain. The first time you use the Agenda Builder on any machine, you will need to download the software. Clicking on the Agenda Builder link will automatically start the download if needed.

Once you have downloaded the Agenda Builder software, you may run it at anytime by Clicking the Start button on your windows toolbar. Then choose Programs -> CentraOne -> CentraOne Agenda Builder.

Running the Agenda Builder will bring up a new window. You will see the Agenda column on the left and the large Media Window on the right. The Agenda column is a list of agenda items. Clicking once on any single item will display it fully in the Media Window. The items you can put in an agenda are:

Files Agenda builder will place text, html, gif, jpeg, wav, au, and PowerPoint file types in the agenda. You can rename the agenda items by right clicking the names to the right of the agenda item icons. Drag and drop them in any order you wish. You can insert more folders and drag and drop files into the folders. Whiteboard This tool allows you and your students to graphically interact. While still talking, you can use the Whiteboard tools: pen, highlighter, shapes, eraser, text, etc. to draw on a white screen in the Media Window or on your graphics. You can highlight, circle, underline, etc., type equations and other text with the text tool, and even Snapshot your Whiteboards to the agenda for later use. Finally, please note that Whiteboards appear blank until you formally Begin Session. Web Safari This allows for collective web browsing. Students see what you see as you follow links. Web Safari uses Application Sharing of your default browser, so rather than having to retype all of your saved URL's, you can use existing Bookmarks or Favorites. Because this is based on Centra's application sharing architecture, you can even use the mouse as a pointer during the Safari, and all of your users will see what you are pointing to. Application Sharing In the same way that you share your browser when using Web Safari, application sharing allows you to share other software, such as Excel, Mathmatica, Word, etc. Applications do not have to reside on student machines but must be resident and open on the presenter's machine. Survey and Evaluation Create surveys and tests using the evaluation tool for synchronous or asynchronous use. You will be able to view the student results and you can allow immediate feedback to your students as well. You can set the tests to be anonymously taken or to track individual performance.

Once you have placed some content into your agenda, you may notice the folder at the top of the agenda remains untitled and can't be renamed. The name that you use to save your agenda becomes the name of that folder, so it is probably best to save the agenda early, and as something close to the name of the course or lesson. The agenda is saved to a folder in Program Files -> CentraOne -> Agendas -> Builder, with the file suffix .saz. (Doing a Find for files with that suffix will help if you get lost.) Your agenda can contain within it separate folders which can hold complete lessons. So, you can use a different folder for each lesson and simply add folders as the semester progresses.

In order to upload an agenda that you have created, you must be logged on to the IDDL Centra server.

Uploading an agenda is different depending on whether it is the first time you are adding a an agenda or you are replacing a previous agenda.

The First Time

Under the Agenda Builder subheading, select Manage Subjects.

Locate your event and click Add link on the far right. Click Add Agenda.

A dialogue box appears which has three parts to it: Agenda File, Comments, and a check box at the bottom. Select Browse beside the Agenda File box. Select the agenda you wish to upload and choose open. The Comment box is for adding information that can be viewed in the Agenda History screen in the Subject Manager. Make sure the add and check out immediately box is unchecked.

When you have finished selecting the file and adding commentary, click Add at the bottom of the dialogue box. When you return to the Launch screen, be sure to click on the Done button. This completes the upload and returns you to the Manage Subjects screen.

Under the Agenda Builder subheading, select Manage Subjects. Locate your event and click the Check Out link.

A pop up window will alert you to the fact that changing the agenda will delete previous recordings. Click OK on the pop up window. (Most recordings are backed up by IDDL staff. Contact IDDL support, if you are unsure if your course is backed up.)

Click Check Out Agenda. You will be prompted to specify a directory to save a copy of the agenda that is currently online. Accept the default directory and click OK to continue. Click Done to return to the Manage Subjects page.

Locate your event and click Check In link. You will receive the same warning as before. Click OK, and then click Check In Agenda.

A dialogue box appears which has three parts to it: Agenda File, Comments, and a check box at the bottom. Select Browse beside the Agenda File box. Select the agenda you wish to upload, and choose Open. The Comment box is for adding information that can be viewed in the Agenda History screen in the Subject Manager. Make sure the add and checkout immediately box is unchecked.

When you have finished selecting the file and adding commentary, click Checkin at the bottom of the dialogue box. When you return to the Check In screen, be sure to click on the Done button. This completes the upload and returns you to the Manage Subjects screen.

You may want to make changes to your agenda periodically. Once you have added an agenda to your subject, the add link on the Manage Subjects page is replaced by checkout.The checkout function allows you to make changes to an existing agenda. (A useful analogy is that of checking out a library book, only this is a book that allows you to add or delete pages.) You will checkout your agenda, make changes to it in Agenda Builder, and then check your agenda back in using the check in link. If you wish, you can use one agenda for the whole semester and just keep adding folders to it for each lesson.

Log in to your assigned Centra domain and select Manage Subjects. Click the checkout link beside your subject. Click launch in the new window. Centra will report that it is verifying your installation. It will then prompt you for a location to store the agenda. After the files transfer from the server to your machine, click the Continue button.

The agenda is now ready to be opened from within Agenda Builder. Add or delete items and save your changes as you would when building any agenda.

NOTE: Any change to an agenda that has been recorded will erase the recording.

Log in to your assigned Centra domain and select Manage Subjects. Click the check-in link beside your subject. Click launch in the new window. Centra will report that it is verifying your installation. It will then prompt you for a location from which to get the agenda.

After the files transfer from your machine to the server, click the Continue button. Your updated agenda is ready to use.

Instead of modifying an old agenda, you may wish to swap it for a new one. Again, any recordings or evaluation results related to the old agenda will be erased.

Checkout the old agenda, then check-in the new agenda just as described above. The new agenda will automatically be renamed with the same name as the old agenda you just checked out.

It is best to save old agendas with a unique name. If not, each checkout will replace the old agenda with the agenda you just checked out because they have identical names.

This guide will help distance instructors create visually well structured lessons for Centra based courses. This is not a complete step by step guide to answer all of your design and development questions. However, it will provide you with tips and techniques to improve the effectiveness of your instruction.

Select from the following topics to help yourself become acquainted designing for Centra.

Screen Resolution

• What is resolution? - A brief introduction to Screen Resolution
• Checking your resolution - Identify the resolution on your own machine
• What your students will see - See what your students will see as they enter Centra

Design:

• Detail - Recommended image types
• Fonts - Choosing proper presentation fonts
• Layout - Arrange content on the screen

Files:

• PPT options - Inserting Powerpoint files in an agenda
• File Types - Allowable file types and the characteristics of each
• Markup tools - Centra and alternate markup tools

Resolution describes the degree of detail. In printers, resolution describes the number of points or dots it uses to draw a one inch long line. For printers, this is measured in units of dots per inch or dpi. Monitors, however, are a bit different. Since monitors have different physical dimensions, the resolution measurement for a monitor, is the area of the screen in pixels. The larger the screen resolution, the more you can view on a screen at one time.

The size of a monitor is listed as the measurement of the screen from corner to corner. Desktop monitors commonly range in size from 14 inches to 22 inches. Laptop screens range are likely to be smaller and will be in the range of 12 to 17 inches.

The resolution of a monitor can be varied and is limited to the capabilities of both the monitor and the video card used by the computer. The resolution is listed as Width x Height. The smallest resolution a screen can have is 640 x 480. The most a single screen can have is 1600 x 1200. Any value that is lower or higher than these two values, is very uncommon. The two most common values for screen resolution are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768.

It is important to know what the resolution is for your screen. To check your resolution right click on the desktop and select Properties. A Display Properties window should appear. When it does, select the Settings tab at the top left of the window. The screen area settings will be listed toward the bottom of the Display Properties window.

A sliding pointer indicates the current setting. You can reduce the screen area by left clicking on the pointer and dragging it to the left until the desired resolution is displayed below the pointer. To increase the screen area click and drag the pointer to the right. Once you have chosen the desired resolution, select Apply (select Cancel if you wish the resolution to remain the same). Once you click Apply, the following window will appear.

Once the Display Properties dialog box appears, click OK. The screen will then be changed to the new settings. If the new settings cause you to not see the screen properly, it will return to the previous setting in 15 seconds. If the new settings work properly, you will see the following window.

This window displays a time that counts down from 15 seconds. If you let the timer count down, your screen will return to its previous setting. Click OK to keep the new settings. If you are satisfied with the resolution, you can then close the main Display Properties window by Clicking OK at the bottom of the window.

It is important to realize that what you see on your monitor is not always what you students will see when they attend a session. This is due to the fact that the screen resolutions can vary between computers. Depending on how your session is developed it may require those with lower screen resolutions scroll from left to right or up and down in order to see what you can see on your monitor.

The graphic to the left shows the difference between the viewable areas in Centra for the more common screen resolutions. The graphic is exactly one quarter the size of the real screen area. Click the image to see it at full size Section 1 is the maximum presentation space viewable on a 640 x 480 display Section 2 is the maximum presentation space viewable on a 800 x 600 display Section 3 is the maximum presentation space viewable on a 1024 x 768 display Section 4 is the maximum presentation space viewable on a 1280 x 1024 display

It is important to take note of these screen sizes when you produce your materials for presentations. To guarantee that your presentation will be viewable, keep the any information you use with in Section 1. Since the two most common values for screen resolution are 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768, it should also be safe to keep your information in Section 2 or Section 3. Be wary of using anything past Section 3. It will only be visible on screens of very high resolution.

It is also an option to put objects in your presentation that will automatically resize themselves to the screen of the user. Please review the Files section to learn which file types resize along with the benefits of using each. Powerpoint, Flash, and HTML files can resize in Centra to be viewed at full screen on any resolution. This means that the file will be stretched out so that it will look similar on any size monitor regardless of the resolution.

Because resized images may shrink to fit a screen, it is still important to develop these files so that the detail is still viewable in the smaller resolutions. With this in mind it is good to develop with the yellow area in mind as a target. Resizing from files developed for 800 x 600 should remain clear.

Markup Tools

When viewing files that are resized, the markup tools will not be available. If you need to use the markup tools you should use files that allow markup (.gif, .jpg) or use alternate methods for markup. Use of Centra and alternate markup tools are explained in more detail in the Files section.

It is important to keep presentations as easy to follow as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to keep your graphics simple. The most often used graphics are Images, Charts, and Backgrounds.

Images should be saved in either JPG or GIF format. Pick images that are only as complicated as you need. Images that are too highly detailed may appear unclear depending on the video settings of the students' computers. Simple images with fewer colors will be more easily understood by your students. In addition, the less complicated an image is, the smaller the image file size will be. Reduced file size will relate to faster transfer of the images through the internet to your students.

Often times you may choose to incorporate images into powerpoint slides or on web pages. It is important to note, that any image that is on the screen may distract from other items presented at the same time.

Charts should be simple and clear so that they are easily understood. Choose charts that are bold and stand out. Bar graphs and pie charts are good choices of clear charts. Line graphs and XY plots are often difficult to read. If the data is not ever displayed in such a way, do not force the data into a pie chart or bar graph. If you consider a line graph to be the most appropriate choice to display your data, be sure to make the lines thicker than usual. As with anything else in your presentation, labels, or keys that are included with the chart should be clear and easy to find.

It is best to only use a solid color background. If you must use a background image, keep it simple both to reduce download time and keep the presentation easy to read. Make sure that any background contrasts well with the chosen text, or images that is placed on it. Keep in mind that a presentation that would be printed out at some point, should have a light background with dark text. Only use dark backgrounds with light text for projected presentations that are meant for larger rooms.

The most prominent portion of any presentation, is text. In any computer based (non print) setting, the reader will see text as an image, rather than as words. With that in mind the rule for graphics holds true for text, keep it simple. Text has 4 aspects you may change Font, Type, Color and Size.

Font refers to the set of type made up of letters, numbers and symbols. Many fonts are common among current computers. The more common fonts are clear and easy to read. Some of the most commonly used fonts are:

sans serif	serif

The first two fonts (Arial and Verdana) are examples of sans serif fonts (without serif). The last two (Times New Roman and Courier) are serif fonts. Serifs refer to the strokes in the letters that come off of the main strokes of the characters. This is identifiable when when comparing a serif font to a sans serif font.

Sans serif fonts have less detail and tend to display more clearly than serif fonts of the same size. Serif fonts are always suitable for titles and large bulleted text. However, smaller text such as labels and body text, is clearer and more easily read if it is displayed in a sans serif font.

Text style can help draw attention to sections of your text. Bold, Italics, and Underlined text should only be used to indicate text that is different from the rest. Do not use it continuously. Bold is most commonly interpreted as a reinforcement of the modified text. Italics is often used as a change in voice for any modified text.

Because web pages use underlining along with a color change to indicate hyperlinks, underlined text should be avoided in computer based presentations. In this setting, underlined text that is not a functional link, will be interpreted as a broken link. This has the potential to confuse the reader. You should only use underlining in cases where it is traditionally expected, such as in citations for bibliographies.

Just like text style, color can help to indicate a portion of text that is different from the rest. Continuous changes in color will be more of a distraction than anything. Limit color choices to 2 or 3 outside of your chosen standard text color. Do not vary these colors between screens and between lessons if at all possible. Continuity in all aspects of your design helps to keep the learner focused. All chosen text should contrast well with any backgrounds. In addition to contrast, be sure that text colors match well with each other as well as with any graphics used. Although they may contrast well with dark colors, stay away from very bright colors. Bright green, blue, yellow, red etc., tend to bleed on a computer monitor and become difficult to read.

Layout deals with the way that elements of the presentation are displayed on a screen. You can keep your presentation easy to follow by keeping three items in mind.

1. Limit your presentation to one key point per screen. Reducing visable key points will allow students to keep their focus and keep their mind on the task at hand.


2. Place no more than 3 bullets on a screen at once. Too much information will only distract the user. Similar to the first point, this will help to maintain the student's focus.


3. Keep your presentation aligned to the left. This will insure that the majority of your information will be displayed on the screen and not run off the right hand side.

The most common file type used in Centra is Powerpoint presentations. When added to an agenda, Centra will convert Powerpoint presentations into a series of slides. The two kinds of slide that Centra can convert to are images and HTML (web page format). You should choose the format that best suits the type of powerpoint presentation you have prepared, as described below.

There are two formats that you can pick from when converting to images. GIF images should be used if your Powerpoint is made up only of text and simple graphics such as line art. JPG images are the best choice when your presentation contains text and realistic images such as scanned photographs.

Both formats, JPG and GIF, will allow you to use the Centra Markup tools. Images will also be displayed at a fixed size. They will not resize to fit the screen of the student.

Image versions of Powerpoint will not correctly display the following:

Importing to HTML allows some of the transition animation and media incorporation of Powerpoint. Additionally the resulting HTML file will stretch to fit the screen. This can be very useful if the attendees of the presentation have varied screen sizes. In order to display the the functionality of the standard markup tools is sacrificed.

HTML versions of Powerpoint will not correctly display the following:

A large variety of file types can be placed into an agenda. However many file types will be viewed external to the Centra display window. When you add files to you agenda, you will be asked whether the files should be located Client side, or Server side.

It is not recommended to use large files at all if any of the students attending are using modems to connect. It takes approximately 3 minutes to download a 1 MB file through the fastest modem possible. Audio and Video files can often range from 5-500MB If you must use large files, make sure they are set as Client side to allow students to download them ahead of time.

Client side files must be downloaded to the users machine prior to the start of a Centra session. Because the file resides on the client's machine, performance is significantly better. Be sure to provide plenty of warning so that students will have opportunity to download files before the session begins. Client side setting should be selected for Audio and video files as well as any file exceeding 50K.

Server side files are downloaded to the users machine during the Centra session. Downloading files while the Centra session is running, can reduce the quality of the session for all users. Because of this it is important to limit server side files to those that are under 50K.

Centra provides markup tools for any image file that is in the agenda. The mark up tools allow leaders to alter the image by drawing, adding text and highlighting. Once the images is altered, the image can either be saved or reverted back to the original picture. The tools are most commonly used to:

• Keep the focus on the proper portion of the slide
• Add notations to a diagram or image
• Make corrections or update existing images

However you use them, be sure to keep your extra marks on the screen to a minimum so that it does not distract from the original image.

Since the markup tools are only available for JPGs and GIFs, there are three techniques that can be used to achieve similar results in PowerPoint files that are converted to HTML.

1. Design your text with color, style, or sized differences to reinforce cues and maintain focus.
2. Number your items on the screen and refer to them by the number so that students can easily follow along.
3. Items that need corrections can be fixed by inserting corrected files into the agenda while the meeting is in session. Alternatively, you can share the program you are using to do the editing, and allow the students to view any changes as you make them.