Populating and Arranging Your Classroom 
with AV and Tech Equipment

Things can flow better during a lesson if your AV and tech equipment is arranged thoughtfully and in good condition.  In addition, knowing just a little about the equipment can add to the success of instruction.  For more technical information, you can review a web presentation concerning the television installations at www.librarymedia.net/help/help.htm . 

    Presenting information on the television screen using your computer with PowerPoint as the source, would be most effective if your computer station were turned, so you see the computer monitor and also see your class.  In most cases the computer monitor is against the wall.  Using the television to present what is on the computer screen is much less effective this way because you lose eye contact with students when attempting to bring up information for presentation on your computer.  As seen in the picture below, this hardly makes for a commanding teaching station.    

Less effective arrangement:

 

 

Highlighted below is a more effective arrangement.  If it is possible, carefully turn the teaching station, and then if you are lucky to have a desk that has adjustable legs, raise it up so you may stand, or use a stool as you operate the computer.  Before attempting this, make sure your cords are long enough and they do not present trip hazards. You may need to secure extensions or longer cables.  Visual presenters (Elmo) can be placed near the computer.  Since the television is in the back, you may conveniently switch sources if need be. 

 

 More effective arrangement:

 

 A well thought out and easy to use teaching station makes its use fun - and not an effort.  Nothing is more frustrating than fumbling with equipment during class time.   

Points to remember when authoring PowerPoint for presentation on a television screen vs. in the Academic Theater:

  • Please be aware that the television screen specification technology was essentially agreed to in the early 1950s.  Resolution is poor when compared to today's computer screen, therefore a smaller typeface does not work. 

  • The actual television tube overscans the picture, meaning a sliver of the picture at the edges is not visible.  When authoring PowerPoint for television keep a "safe area" of about an inch all around.   Using a properly installed video projector, you don't have to worry - the picture is usually underscanned so all information will be visible.

  • You will notice that on television, reds and oranges tend to bleed.  Keep away from them.  Blues and whites do well.  For pictures, use a black background.

  • White text on dark background makes the text more assertive with the background more yielding.  This is effective for displaying words and terms important to the lesson.

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