Video calls
A session can be a video call on SKRM Learn itself. The call opens right beside the page you are on, so you keep teaching (or working) while you talk.
Starting and joining
The teacher presses Call (top right of the group's pages): the call starts at once, with the microphone, camera and background used last time. Students then see Join call wherever they are on the site, and are in with one press. Only the group's teacher and students can be in it; there are no links to share.
The very first time, a setup screen comes first (below). Not now goes back to the page.
Before joining (the first time)
The setup screen shows your camera and microphone level. Choose the microphone, camera and speakers (with a test sound), turn each on or off, and pick a background: none, a blur, one of eight pictures, or a picture of your own. Brighten my picture when the room is dark is on unless you turn it off. Default (…) is your computer's own choice, named, and follows it if you change it there. Your choices are remembered; change them later under Settings in the call, where each change applies straight away (Done closes it).
Backgrounds work best with light on your face, not behind you (a window or a lamp at your back makes it harder to tell you from the room). The first time you choose one, the browser fetches it once (about 16 MB); on a slow computer a simpler one is used.
Three sizes
- Beside the page (the usual one): the call on the right, whoever is talking large and the others under them; the page makes room. Move between Classroom, Boards, Activities and the rest: the call stays.
- Small tile: just the speaker, with microphone, camera and leave. Drag it anywhere; the page gets its whole width. (On a phone the call is always a tile, or full size.)
- Full size: everyone, with the whole bar, the chat and people. Esc goes back beside the page.
The buttons at the top right of the call switch between them. While you are in a call, the top of the page shows In call with its length: press it to show or shrink the call, and use its microphone and leave buttons from anywhere.
Open in its own window (the last of those buttons) moves the call to a window of its own, for a second screen: you go straight into it there. Meanwhile the page you came from says Call in its window at the top (it brings that window forward). Close the window and the call comes back beside your page; if you left the call there first, it doesn't.
In the call
Gallery (everyone in a grid) or Speaker (whoever is talking, large), at full size. The bar has Mute (M), Stop video (V), Share screen, React, Raise hand, People, Chat, Settings and Leave. The teacher also has End for all, and under People: Mute everyone, mute one person, take someone out, Lower all hands, and whether students may share their screens. M and V work while the call is full size, or after clicking in the call (so typing code or drawing never mutes you).
Breakout rooms
The teacher's People › Breakout rooms… puts the students in the call into small rooms of their own: choose how many rooms, Shuffle or move each student by hand, and how long they last (or until you bring everyone back). Everyone's call moves to their room by itself and says which room it is, with whom, and the time left. Under People the teacher sees each room with who is in it: Visit one, Back to the main room, and Bring everyone back when it is time. The Members page shows who is in the call, and in which room.
Recording
The teacher's People › Record… records the call, after a word about asking first (and the parents, for children). In the browser's share window, choose this tab and tick Share tab audio, so everyone's voices are in it. Everyone in the call sees a red Recording while it records. Stop recording saves it on the teacher's computer as a video file (in Downloads): nothing is kept on SKRM Learn.
Mini window
If you switch to another program with the microphone or camera on, the call can stay on top in a small mini window (Chrome and Edge on a computer); the mini window button is also at the top of the call, with the size buttons. While it is open the call is only there, not on the page too; the call's pill in the top bar (or closing the mini window) brings it back as it was. Coming back closes it. Firefox and Safari don't offer this. A call opened in its own window doesn't use a mini window.
The teacher comes in with microphone and camera on; students with both off. Nothing is recorded unless the teacher records (above), and then everyone sees it. Closing or reloading the page during a call asks first.
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