Teaching & learning goal

My goal with this chapter is to:

• Provide an overview of the Adobe Connect platform;  
• Identify how the Adobe Connect features support creating an engaging learning environment.

Using Adobe Connect as a virtual classroom

Adobe Connect (n.d.) is an online meeting platform that I have been using since 2017. During that time I have utilized the platform in a few ways:

1. as a student attending interactive trainings,
2. as an instructor teaching graduate courses,
3. as a meeting host providing office hours for students, and
4. as a meeting attendee and presenter at faculty meetings.

I have appreciated the versatility and complexity of the platform in each of my roles. Although, I can still remember my initial reaction to the platform - amazement and overwhelm. There were so many components on the screen and I worried I would never learn how to use all of the features of the platform. So, as you go through this chapter and the rest of this book I encourage you to remember that you don’t need to know all of the ins and outs to get started or need to implement every feature the first time you host a meeting or a class. I recommend learning the basics and as you become more comfortable, try out something new.

When it comes to using Adobe Connect, or any platform, as a virtual classroom, there are two main approaches to consider: 1) how can I re-create an in-person classroom experience in the virtual space; and 2) how can I use the virtual space to create an experience that can’t be re-created in an in-person space. As you will see below and throughout this text, you can use the Adobe Connect platform to create the type of virtual classroom experience you are going for. For example, you could recreate the in-person experience by filling the space with webcam videos and having students raise their hands to speak on the mic. Or, you could utilize virtual tools such as chat pods and polls to support interactions not typically found in an in-person classroom. My personal favorite approach is to blend these two. Adobe Connect makes it easy to navigate between layouts so you aren’t locked into one classroom view the entire time. That way I can have segments of the class period that are more focused on having students engage in the discussion over the mics, and other segments that heavily lean into using polls, typing in the chat, or drawing on a whiteboard. 

Preparing the classroom

Being able to set up the classroom ahead of time is a wonderful feature of Adobe Connect. At first, thinking through the session flow and creating layouts may feel cumbersome, but doing so makes the flow of online meetings and classes exponentially better, for you and your students. Setting up the room beforehand allows you to: 

• Think through the goals of the activity, (see: Creating a Mindful Learning Environment using Adobe Connect),
• Ask yourself what you want the students to focus on during the session or segment, (see: The Use of a Large Chat Pod to Encourage Chat Participation About Particular Questions and Using Large Slides and a Smaller Chat Pod to Focus Attention on Mini-Lecture Content), and
• Identify which Adobe Connect features you want to use during the session or segment (see: Using a Poll and a Second Chat Pod to Wrap Up the Class Session and Enriching Classroom Discussions with Breakout Rooms)

Loading all of your media into the room prior to the session has several benefits. Firstly, this allows you to verify that you are using the correct files and that they are displaying/playing correctly. For example, verifying you have the correct slide deck, that the text on your slides is a readable size, and that audio and video files are playing correctly. This minimizes the need to keep asking questions during the meeting like “are you seeing my screen?” and “can you hear the video?” which are common when using platforms that rely on screen sharing. While there will be the occasional person who is having difficulty seeing the slides or hearing the audio, this will most likely be due to their personal internet connection and not a global issue impacting all attendees as the files are loaded into Adobe Connect and not dependent on your internet connection or confidence using the platform.

Secondly, having the room set up ahead of time can save you time on the day of a meeting or class session. For example, when I teach on other platforms I need to sit down at my computer ahead of class to open the various files and programs I will need during the session (slides, music, videos, websites, etc.). However, when it is time for a class in Adobe Connect, all I need to do is log in. When teaching 2-3 hours per sitting, identifying ways to minimize how much extra time is needed at the computer before and after the session is important to me.

Depending on the goals of the session you may wish to create one or more layouts. For example, in my Adobe Connect classes, I like to have a lobby layout that students see when they arrive before class begins; a lecture layout when I want the focus on the slide deck; a discussion layout when I want more room for students to turn on their webcams; a break layout to switch to during in-class breaks which usually include music, a game, or a video; and one or more layouts with pre-planned polls. As I mentioned before, you don’t need to try everything out during your first meeting. When I first started teaching in Adobe Connect I used a lot fewer layouts such as using the same lobby layout for both pre-class and in-class breaks, and the same layout for lecture and discussion time. Something to keep in mind is that while creating all of these layouts may sound like a lot to prepare, the layouts stay in Adobe Connect from class session to class session. So rather than creating these layouts each week, I simply go into the existing layout, stop sharing the old slide deck, for example, and upload the next slide deck. Then go to the next layout and swap out the video or the poll. For me, updating the room week to week is a very quick process if I am going to repeat similar activities (for example, having lecture time and discussion time each week). Plus, as you will find, creating and modifying layouts can also be a quick process once you know which features you want to utilize. 

Creating Layouts

The building blocks of Adobe Connect are known as pods. And an arrangement of pods in the viewing area is a layout. As already mentioned, you can create several layouts within your room which allow you to utilize the various pods to maximize their pedagogical value. There are several types of pods that you can use to create your desired classroom experience:

• Video pod:
• • The video pod allows users to turn on webcams - this is not used for sharing a video file.
  • You can have up to one video pod per layout and it can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.
  • See: Bringing All Students onto Webcam Together for Special Circumstances: Using a Large Video Pod and Live Drawing Using a Second Webcam 
• Attendees pod:

• • The attendees pod allows users to see who is in the room. The pod displays the list of people logged into the session by role (host, presenter, participant). You can also use the attendees list to start a private chat with another user (if this feature is activated).
  • You can have up to one attendees pod per layout and it can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.

• Chat pod:

• • The chat pod allows users to type messages which can be seen by everyone in the room or kept private between users.
  • You can have multiple chat pods in the same layout and they can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.
  • See: Using a Large Webcam Pod and Large Chat in a Panel View Layout: How to Create a Custom Virtual Stage for Successful Guest Speaker Presentations and Dedicated Chat Pods for Simulated Client Role Play Video Exercise in an Online Skills-Based Lab 

• Share pod:

• • The share pod allows you to display most of the files used throughout the session including Powerpoint slides, pdfs, pictures, music, and video files (.gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .mp4, .mp4, .pdf, .png, .pod, .ppt, .pptx, and .zip), as well as use the Whiteboard and screen sharing. While using this pod you can also activate additional features such as a pointer or drawing tools that work within the boundaries of the pod.
  • You can have multiple share pods in the same layout and they can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.
  • See: Using PowerPoint Portrait-Oriented Slides to Maximize Content Sharing and Group Presentations in Adobe Connect: Using an Extra Wide Video Pod and Dedicated Second Chat Pod for Q&A 

• Poll pod:

• • The poll pod allows users to respond to questions or other prompts via short answer, multiple choice, or multiple answers. The responses can be kept confidential (only seen by the hosts), or broadcast so that all users can see the responses.
  • You can have multiple poll pods in the same layout and they can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.
  • See: Creating Opportunities for Student Voice in Online Classes by Using Polls for Feedback and Using Polls to Guide Class Check-in Time 

• Note pod:

• • The note pod allows users to type in a document-like style.
  • You can have multiple note pods in the same layout and they can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.
  • See: Showing Note Pods from Breakout Groups in one Layout to Debrief or Monitor Progress of a Breakout Conversation: Using a Birds Eye View Setup  

• File download pod:

• • The file pod allows you to display files you want available for users to download during the meeting.
  • You can have multiple file pods in the same layout and they can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.

• Wed Link pod:

• • The web link pod allows you to display a web link (URL) that you want available for users to open during the meeting. This is in addition to clickable links within slides and other documents. Having the URL in the web link pod can be helpful when you want a link available for longer than you will be on a particular slide.
  • You can have multiple web link pods in the same layout and they can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.

• Q & A pod:

• • The Q&A pod allows users to type messages, usually questions to be answered by hosts and presenters. Typed responses are posited in line with the question (keeping the responses grouped with its question).
  • You can have up to one Q&A pod per layout and it can be placed anywhere on the layout and resized to take up as much or as little room as you’d like.  

In most, if not all, layouts I create, I begin by adding the video pod - so students can at least see me, the attendees pod - so everyone can see who is in the room, and a chat pod - so everyone has the means to communicate with me and the group. These pods can be arranged by dragging them around the layout area and resizing them to fit the goal of the session or segment. For example, I may want the video pod to be on the smaller side and set in a corner if I want another pod to take up more room. Or, I could make the video pod larger, if I want more space taken up by webcams. When there are only a few users, like in a breakout room, it makes sense for the attendees pod to be relatively small. However, when there are many users, I like to make this pod tall and narrow so I can see more of the list. 

After setting the pods that support communication, then I add the pod(s) needed for each activity. For example, if I want to display slides then I will open a share pod and upload the slide deck. If I want to play a video during class, I will open a new share pod and upload the video file. If I want the students to answer a question, I will add a poll to the layout. And so on.

Breakout Rooms  

There are a few more Adobe Connect features that improve the online event experience, the first of which is the breakout rooms. When I’ve used breakout rooms on other platforms, users are usually limited to using webcams, mics, and chat. I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of being sent to a breakout room and everyone begins asking “What were we supposed to be discussing?” However, in Adobe Connect, each breakout room can use the same pods and features we’ve already discussed. In addition to being able to speak to each other, participants can see slides or other media displayed in share pods and file download pods, participants can type in a chat pod and note pods, use a whiteboard, and more. Similar to creating an engaging layout in the main room, you can think through which pods you want present for the breakout room activity and where you want students to focus. For example, during activities that center around the students speaking with each other, I want the video pod to take up a larger area, whereas if I want students to discuss a series of questions I want to make sure the slides are large enough to read easily, or if I want the focus to be on creating a list or typing out responses to a prompt I want to make sure the note pod is given enough space. Personally, I may have several weeks in a row where the only thing in the breakout room being updated is the slide deck, and other weeks where more changes need to be made to add in, take away, or resize pods for the specific activity. Students can also be randomly assigned to a breakout room or assigned to a specific room (see: Enhancing Student Engagement in the 10-Minute Breakout Activity: Pre-assigning Groups and Roles).

During the breakout activity, I or other hosts/presenters can move between rooms to check in on the students. I like to move from room to room checking on each group, but can also go directly to a particular room in response to a student sending a message asking for assistance. Another useful feature while in breakouts, is the ability to send a message to all of the rooms at the same time. For example, to let the students know when there are approximately 2 minutes left to complete the activity. 

Status Icons 

Status icons include actions and requests that appear as small emojis next to a person’s name in the attendees list. You can instruct students to use them literally, for example, to select the thumbs-up icon when agreeing with something and the thumbs-down icon when disagreeing. You could also instruct students to express more novel responses using the icons. For example, when I want to take an unplanned poll, I might instruct my students to give the thumbs-up icon for option A and the thumbs-down icon for option B, such as thumbs-up to do one more example before break and thumbs-down to head to break now. Or, you could invite students to share other kinds of information by choosing an icon. For example, you could assign weather conditions to some of the icons and direct students to select “speak louder” if your area is sunny, select “speak softer” if your area is snowy, and select “speed up” if your area is rainy. This is a fun way to get students acclimated to the Adobe Connect room and practice locating some of the features. Now, when they need to select a status icon during class, they will know where to locate them. (see: Adobe Connect Status Icons: A Useful Feature to Increase Engagement )

Presenter Area

The last feature I want to note is the presenter area. This is an area that when activated is only visible to Hosts or Hosts & Presenters, depending on your preference for the session or segment of the session. When the presenter area is not activated, your screen is filled the same way the participant's screens are. When the presenter area is open, the layout seen by the students will appear a bit smaller on your screen to you to make room for the presenter area. 

I like to have a few items in the presenter area every meeting: a share pod displaying my agenda for the session and any notes I have for myself such as how long to spend on each section of the lecture and the order of polls and layouts; a chat pod to privately communicate with others who have access to the presenter area during the session; and a note pod to make any quick notes that come up during the session. But the presenter area can hold so much more. For example, for most of my polls, I want to pre-set them on a layout. However, there is one poll that I like to have waiting in the presenter area, and when it is needed I drag and drop it from the presenter area onto the share pod covering the slide deck. I have found this to be an effective visual cue to silently communicate that a certain segment of the discussion is over and it is time to fill in the poll. You could also store other files or share pods here to bring in if needed or time permitting, or to just be visible to those in the presenter area.

Conclusion  

Given the many features and options within the Adobe Connect platform, it has easily become my favorite platform for teaching synchronous online classes. Having the ability to utilize tools that help to recreate the traditional learning experience such as webcams, raising hands, and having students speak on the mic alongside tools that take advantage of the online setting such as chat pods, polls, and more allows me to be more purposeful when creating the online learning environment for my students. 

Taking the time to create layouts based on learning activities prompts you to consider where you want students to focus, what pods would be the most effective and engaging for the activity, and makes the session more visually interesting. Plus I have found that giving students multiple ways to communicate with you and classmates, through speaking on mic, responding to polls, typing in chat, and participating in breakout activities, promotes student engagement and participation. 

Technical details and steps

Step 1: Open Adobe Connect

Upon entering Adobe Connect as a Host you will have access to the many features including the Presenter Area. In Image 1, the gray area is the area that participants will be able to see and the black area is the presenter area. 

Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.

Image 1: Empty Layout and the Presenter Area is activated/visible.

Image 1 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The left three-quarters of the area is gray and the right quarter is black and titled Host & Presenter Area. On the far right, the Layout navigation bar is visible with thumbnails of the existing layouts in this room.

Step 2: Customize the layout background

The room background is gray by default, and you can leave it this way and skip this step. Or, you can upload a picture to be the background, now or at any time you’d like. Customizing the background can be helpful for students who have more than one class held in Adobe Connect. While it might not seem like much, switching from “all of my classes are online, set in a gray room” to “my 10 a.m. class has a blue background and my 2 p.m. class has a red background” can help students anchor their experiences to each class and reduce the feeling that all of the discussions just happened online.

To customize the background, click on the name of the classroom at the top-left of the screen. The drop-down menu which begins “Record Session” will have the “Preferences” option (image 2). Clicking on “Preferences” will open the Preferences window (image 3). Under the heading “General”, the background is already set to Default. Clicking the button next to Custom will open the file window (not pictured) allowing you to select the desired file. Once the file is selected you will see a preview of the file within the Preferences window (image 4). Click “Done” to close the window. You should now see your picture as the new background. In this case, I’ve selected a file of a blue rectangle, and now the layout background is blue (image 5). 

Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.

Image 2: Locating the Preferences option.

Image 2 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The gray and black areas from image 1 are visible and a drop-down menu is open below the name of the classroom. The menu includes the options: Record Session, Host and Presenter Area, Layouts Panel, Switch to Prepare Mode, Manage Access & Entry, Change Role, Preferences, Speaker & Microphone Setup, Manage Meeting Information, and Exit Room.  

Image 3: The Preferences window is open. The room background is set to Default.

Image 3 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The Preferences window is open and fills most of the screen. On the left-hand side of the window is a list of menu options with “General” highlighted in gray indicating this item is currently selected. On the right portion of the window are the menu items under the General heading beginning with Room Background, Default (currently selected), Custom - Upload image. In the top right corner are the options Cancel and Done.

Image 4: The file for the Custom background is now uploaded within the Preferences window.

Image 4 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to image 3. The Preferences window is open displaying the General options page. Under Room Background the Default option is now note selected and the Custom - Upload image is nowselected. Under this is the file name “dark blue background.png” and on the far right, below Cancel and Done, is a small blue rectangle (a preview of the uploaded file).

Image 5: Empty layout with a custom background (blue).  

Image 5 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 1. The left three-quarters of the area is now dark blue, and the right quarter remains black and titled Host & Presenter Area. On the far right, the Layout navigation bar is visible with thumbnails of the existing layouts in this room.

Step 3: Set up your first layout

At the top of the screen, you should see an icon that is nine dots in a grid with a small down arrow next to it; this is the pods icon. Select the pods icon to reveal the pods menu. Near the bottom of the list, you should see “Move and Resize Pods”. If there is a blue checkmark next to this item (image 6) you are good to go and are able to open new pods and resize pods that are already out. If this option does not have a blue checkmark, you won’t be able to make changes; This can be helpful if you want to prevent pods from being moved or resized during the class session.

Pods can be added to the layout in any order. However, as I mentioned earlier I have a few that I always like to add first, just to make sure they are present. Let’s begin by adding the video pod. With the pods menu open, select “Video” (image 7). If you have the presenter area open, as I do in these examples, the video pod will appear in the presenter area (image 8). If the presenter area were closed, the video pod would appear directly in the layout (not pictured). Whether the pod opened in the presenter area or directly in the layout, the next step is to drag and drop the pod where you would like it on the layout. For example, in image 9 I’ve moved it to the top left corner of the layout and in image 10 I’ve moved it to the center of the layout. In image 11 I’ve increased the size of the video pod.

Once you’ve placed and sized the video pod (at least for now), let’s add the attendees pod. Reopen the pod menu (image 12). Selecting Attendees will open the attendees pod in the presenter area (image 13). Drag and drop the attendees pod into the layout area (image 14), then move and resize it as needed (image 15). Next, add a chat pod. Re-open the pod menu and select Chat; this will open another menu to the side (image 16). The chat menu includes Add New Chat - which will open a new chat pod - and any other chat pods already created. In this case, chat pods labeled Chat and Presenter Chat are already created in this room and therefore appear in the menu. Select Add New Chat and the new chat pod will appear in the presenter area (image 17). Drag and drop the chat pod into the layout area and resize it (image 18).

Continue adding the needed pods from the pod menu. In image 19, I’ve added a share pod and a poll pod. This may be a good layout when I want students to focus on the media being shared, like slides or a video, along with having them respond to a poll question. In image 20, I’ve added a second poll and a second chat pod and resized all the pods so everything fits. Even though the pods fit on the screen, because there are so many pods open nothing feels like it is drawing the students’ focus. If I were to use this layout, or another with so many pods, I would want to make sure that there is enough time for students to engage in each element, or maybe invite students to select one or two pods to engage with, rather than all of them. For example, prompting the students to answer the poll that feels most relevant, rather than answering both.

Another thing that will help make the layout look cleaner is renaming each pod. For example, rather than leaving the share pod name “Share 62”, you can double-click on the name and rename it to “lecture slides” or “activity 1 video”. You can similarly update the names of the chat pods to give them a purpose, for example, changing “Chat 50” to “General Chat”, and “Chat 51” to “Reactions to the video”. This way, even when there are several pods on the screen, students can better decide what to focus on. Each layout can also be renamed, making it easier for you to switch between multiple layouts during a session. To do so, go to the layout navigation bar on the right side of the screen, double-click the name of the layout, and type in a new name. For example, in image 21 I’ve renamed “New Layout” at the button of the Layout navigation bar to “Sample Layout”. The pods and the files loaded into these pods will persist throughout the meeting and from week to week until you stop sharing the file(s), move around, resize, or close the pods, or delete the layout.

Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.

Image 6: The Pods menu is open, “Move and Resize Pods” is turned on (blue checkmark).

Image 6 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 5. Within the blue area of the screen a drop-down menu is open below the top row icon of nine dots in a grid formation. The menu includes the options: Share, Notes, Attendees, Video, Chat, Files, Web Links, Poll, Q&A, Engagement Dashboard, Breakout Pods, Move and Resize Pods (a blue checkmark), and Manage Pods.

Image 7: Within the Pods menu, select Video to allow the use of webcams.

Image 7 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 6. The pods menu remains open and the Video option is now highlighted in gray.

Image 8: The video pod has opened in the presenter area.

Image 8 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The blue and black areas from image 5 are visible. A gray square is now visible in the black area titled Video along with a Start My Webcam button, and the words No video feed available (indicating no webcam is displaying at this time).

Image 9: Example of where to place the Video pod within the layout - presently in the top left corner.

Image 9 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 8. The gray square titled Video (the video pod) is now placed at the top left corner of the blue background.

Image 10: Example of where to place the Video pod within the layout - presently in the center.

Image 10 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 9. The video pod is now placed in the center of the blue background.  

Image 11: Example of where to place the Video pod within the layout - presently in the top left corner, but larger than in Image 10.

Image 11 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to image 10. The video pod continues to be in the center of the blue background but has increased in size.

Image 12: Reopen the Pods menu and select Attendees to add the attendees pod.

Image 12 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The video pod is now placed in the top left corner of the blue background and the Pods Menu is open. The menu item Attendees is highlighted in gray.

Image 13: The Attendees pod has opened in the presenter area.

Image 13 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The video pod continues to be in the top left corner of the blue background. A gray square is now visible in the black area titled Attendees (1) along with Hosts (1), Katherine Segal-You, Presenters (0), and Participants (0).

Image 14: Example of where to place the Attendees pod within the layout - presently on the right half of the area.  

Image 14 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. As in Image 13, the video pod continues to be in the top left corner of the blue background. The gray square titled Attendees (the attendees pod) is now placed on the right-hand side of the blue background.

Image 15: Example of where to place the Attendees pod within the layout - presently on the left-hand side of the area below the video pod.

Image 15 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 14. The video pod continues to be in the top left corner and the attendees pod is now placed on the left-hand side of the blue background filling the area directly under the video pod.

Image 16: Reopen the Pods menu and select Chat to reveal the Chat menu.

Image 16 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 15. The Video pod and Attendees pod continue to be on the left-hand side of the blue background and the Pods Menu is open. The menu item Chat is highlighted and extending to the right is an additional menu with the options Add New Chat (highlighted in gray), Chat, and Presenter Chat.

Image 17: A new Chat pod has opened in the presenter area.

Image 17 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 15. The Video pod and Attendees pod continue to be on the left-hand side of the blue background.  A gray square is now visible in the black area titled Chat 50. Below the words Chat 50 is the word Everyone and a plus sign. In the center of the square is a message “Start a conversation with everyone or chat privately with the Hosts, Presenters, or any Attendees”. At the bottom of the square is a white bar that reads “Type here.”

Image 18: Example of where to place the Chat pod within the layout - presently in the middle bottom of the area.

Image 18 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 17. The Video pod and Attendees pod continue to be on the left-hand side of the blue background. The gray square titled Chat 50 (a chat pod) is now placed on the bottom portion of the blue background, adjacent to the Attendees pod.

Image 19: Layout example with several pods: video, attendees, share, chat, and 1 poll.

Image 19 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The arrangement of pods is one example of how to arrange the pods. The Video pod and Attendees pod continue to be on the left-hand side of the screen along with the Chat 50 chat pod on the bottom portion of the screen adjacent to the Attendees pod as in Image 18. A poll pod, titled Poll 110 is on the bottom portion of the screen to the right of Chat 50. A share pod titled Share 62 is on the top portion of the screen above Chat 50 and Poll 110. The blue background is no longer visible due to the layout area being covered with pods.  

Image 20: Layout example with several pods: video, attendees, share, 2 chat pods, and 2 poll pods.

Image 20 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 19. The arrangement of pods is one example of how to arrange the pods. The Video pod and Attendees pod continue to be on the left-hand side of the screen, however, the Video pod is now taller and the Attendees pod is now shorter. The Chat 50 chat pod continues to be on the bottom portion of the screen adjacent to the Attendees pod. A second chat pod, Chat 51 is to the right of Chat 50. The Share 62 share pod remains is in the top middle portion of the screen above Chat 50, approximately 50% narrower than in image 19. The poll pod Poll 110 is placed at the top right corner of the area and Poll 111 is placed below it and above Chat 51.  

Image 21: “New Layout” has been renamed to “Sample Layout” in the layout navigation menu.

Image 21 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The arrangement of pods continues to be present from image 20. On the far right-hand side of the screen, right of the presenter area is the Layouts navigation bar. Five gray layout thumbnails can be seen along with one blue thumbnail. Under the blue thumbnail are the words Sample Layout.

Step 4: Create more layouts 

To create a new layout, click on the three dots at the top of the Layouts navigation bar. This will open a menu beginning with Create New (image 22). Clicking Create New will open the New Layout window (image 23). This window allows you to create another layout from scratch, as we just did, or make a copy of an existing layout. Here I’ve selected Duplicate Existing Layout, selected Sample Layout as the layout I want to be copied, and named the new layout Sample Layout_2. Duplicating a layout can be useful when you want some of the same pods present on multiple layouts. For example, if I wanted the same slide deck and chat pod present across multiple layouts, I could duplicate a layout already using “Share 62” and “Chat 51” or I could add “Share 62” and “Chat 51” to multiple layouts rather than always adding “new” pods. 

Now that you have the new layout, make some changes by adding, subtracting, and resizing pods as needed. In image 24, I’ve replaced the two polls with a Q & A pod and replaced the second chat pod with a file download pod and a web link pod. We can see that “Share 62” and “Chat 50” are still in the layout meaning that whatever media was being displayed in Share 62 in Sample Layout will be present here and whatever conversations have taken place already in Chat 50 will still be present when we switch layouts during the class session. 

Next, add a link to the Web Link pod. To do so, click “Add Link” to open the Add Web Link window (image 25). Type in the text you want visible along with the URL, then click Done to save the link and close the window (image 26). Your students will now be able to click on the link during the session to visit the website. Finally, add a file to the file download pod by clicking “Add a file”. Once the file window opens, select the desired file. The file will now appear in the pod and your students will be able to download it during the class (image 27). 

Even though Sample Layout_2 is set up we can still make changes. For example, in image 28 I’ve slightly resized the pods to expose more of the blue background whereas in image 29 I’ve made the video pod smaller, moved the file pod from the right side of the layout to the left side under the video pod, and made the Q & A pod slightly taller. Looking at the names of the pods and the link and files displayed in the pods, we can see that I didn’t remove or add any new pods.

Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.

Image 22: Click on the three dots at the top of the Layout navigation bar to open the Layouts menu, then select Create New.

Image 22 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 21. At the top of the Layout navigation bar is the title Layouts next to three dots. The three dots are highlighted gray and the Layout menu is open. The menu includes the options: Create New (highlighted gray), Manage, Lock, Reset to Default, Dock to Right (highlighted gray and blue checkmark), Dock to Left, Auto Hide, and Close.

Image 23: The New Layout window has opened in the middle of the screen. Select Duplicate Esiting Layout, select the layout you want to duplicate from the drop-down list, and name the new layout.

Image 23 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 21. The arrangement of pods continues to be present but is grayed out. The New Layout window is in the center of the screen. The words New Layout are at the top of the square followed by the options Create New Layout and Duplicate Existing Layout (currently selected). Sample Layout is selected as the layout to duplicate, a text bar titled Layout Name, and Sample Layout_2 written in the text bar are present below the options. The buttons Cancel and Create Layout are at the bottom of the window.

Image 24: Layout example with several pods: video, attendees, 1 share pod, 1 chat pod, the Q&A pod, a file download pod, and a web links pod.

Image 24 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The arrangement of pods is one example of how to arrange the pods. The pods are arranged in three columns. The left column has the Video pod and Attendees pod. The center column has a share pod (Share 62) and a chat pod (Chat 50). The right column has the Q&A pod at the top with the words “No questions available” in the middle of the pod, a Files download pod below that titled Files along with the words “Add a file or drag and drop to upload a file” in the middle of the pod, and a Wed Links pod below that titled Web Links along with the words “Add Link” in the middle of the pod.

Image 25: Open the Add web link window by selecting Add Link within the Web Links pod. Enter the text you want to be displayed along with the URL.

Image 25 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 24, but the pods are grayed out. The Add Web Link window is in the center of the screen similar to Image 23. The window is titled Add Web Link. Below this are two text bars, the top one is titled Text and displaying “Designing Engaging and Interactive Synchronous Online Class Sessions”, and the bottom one is titled URL and displaying “https://edtechbooks.org/designing_engaging_interactive_synchronous_online_classes”. The buttons Cancel and Done are at the bottom of the window.

Image 26: A clickable link is now visible in the web link pod.

Image 26 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 24. The words “1. Designing Engaging and Interactive Synchronous Online Class Sessions” now appear within the Web Links pod at the bottom right of the layout area.

Image 27: A downloadable file is now visible in the Files pod.

Image 27 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 26. The words “1. Cover of Designing Engaging and Interactive Synchronous Online Class…” now appear within the Files pod on the right-hand side of the layout area above the Web Links pod.

Image 28: Example of how to arrange the pods - resizing the pods from Image 27 to expose more of the background.

Image 28 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 27. All of the pods have been made slightly narrower, exposing thin strips of blue background between the columns of pods.

Image 29: Example of how to arrange the pods - resizing and rearranging the existing pods from Image 28.

Image 29 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 28. All the same pods from image 28 are present, but in new spots around the screen. The left column of pods now includes the Video pod, the Files pod, and the Attendees pod. The center column continues to be Share 62 and Chat 50. The right column includes the Q&A pod and the Web Links pod.

Step 5: Create more layouts

Continue to create as many layouts as is helpful. Think through each activity or segment of the class session to determine what you want your students to focus on and how you want them to participate or communicate with you and the rest of the class. 

You can consider making the layouts as busy or as simple as you’d like. In my examples, I’ve placed the pods next to each other. However, you could also choose to lay the pods on top of each other. For example, you may choose to have a new layout for each poll. In image 30 you can see layouts titled Poll 2, Poll 3, and Poll 4 in the Layouts navigation menu on the right-hand side of the screen. The layouts Poll 3 and Poll 4 are both duplicates of layout Poll 2. They share all of the same pods, in the same arrangement, except a different poll question is present on each of these layouts. I have found it to be quick and easy to switch between layouts when we need to advance to the next poll question. However, you may feel more comfortable stacking your poll pods instead of separating them between layouts. This changes how you move forward to the next poll, but may be helpful if you want to reduce the number of layouts used during a given session.

Stacking Pods

First, you want to add pods to the layout and arrange them so that some are stacked on top of others. You can arrange these any way you’d like, just remember that you and your students will only be able to see the content in the portions of the pods that are being displayed (you can’t see what is covered up). In image 31, I’ve placed several polls in a pile next to the chat pod. If you look at the layout area, and what your students will be able to see, the layout doesn’t look any different because there is more than one pod in a given spot. However, if you look at the thumbnail of the layout at the bottom of the Layouts navigation bar (also visible in image 31), you can see that the lower right-hand corner of the layout is a darker blue compared to the other shapes in the thumbnail. This indicates that there is more than one pod present.

To reveal the pods located in the stack you can drag and drop the top pod out of the layout viewing area and into the presenter area (image 32) or close the pod. To close a pod, in this case, closing the visible poll pod, click on the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the pod to open a menu. The menu items will vary based on the type of pod, but the first option in each will be Hide (image 33). Selecting Hide will close the pod, removing it from the layout, and in this case, revealing the next poll in the stack (image 34).

You could use this strategy to stack other pods as well. For example, in one of my classes, I present a story each week that I want to be displayed on the screen in a share pod so that we can review and discuss the content during class. I have these stories in a separate layout from my lecture slides (see Using PowerPoint Portrait-Oriented Slides to Maximize Content Sharing) and update the file being displayed each week while keeping the layout the same. One week the class wasn’t able to get to the story, so the following week I wanted both the skipped story and the new story available. I could have duplicated the layout and had one story displayed in one layout and the other story displayed in the other, but instead, I decided to place an additional share pod on top of the existing share pod and display the new file. After reviewing the story for the current week, I closed the share pod by following the steps above to hide the pod and revealed the previous week’s story. 

Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.

Image 30: The layouts titled Poll 2, Poll 3, and Poll 4 are visible in the Layouts navigation menu on the right-hand side of the screen.

Image 30 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 29. On the right-hand side of the screen, the gray thumbnails titled Poll 2, Poll 3, and Poll 4 are visible.

Image 31: In Sample Layout_3, at the bottom of the Layouts navigation bar, the lower right-hand side is a darker shade of blue, indicating that more than one pod is present in that spot.

Image 31 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. In this example of arranging the pods the layout area is divided into a top portion and a smaller bottom portion. The left half of the top portion is the Video pod and the right half is Share 62. The bottom portion includes the Attendees pod on the left side, Chat 50 in the middle, and a poll displaying the words “What is your favorite chapter in Designing Engaging and Interactive Synchronous Online Class Sessions?” is on the right side. On the right-hand side of the screen in the Layout navigation menu the layout thumbnail at the bottom of the list is titled Samply Layout_3 and is highlighted in blue indicating this is the layout being viewed. The boxes within the thumbnail reflect the shapes of the pods included in the layout. The box in the right bottom corner of this thumbnail is darker than the rest of the boxes within the thumbnail.

Image 32: The poll pod that was previously on the top of a stack of polls is now placed in the presenter area.

Image 32 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 31. The arrangement of pods continues to be present from image 31, however now, the “What is your favorite chapter” poll is in the presenter area and Poll 123 is visible on the layout next to Chat 50. Within Poll 123 are the words Multiple Choice, Question, a text bar, Answers (one per line), and a text bar.

Image 33: Click the three dots on the right-hand top corner of the visible poll pod to reveal a pod menu.

Image 33 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 31. The three dots in the top right-hand corner of the “What is your favorite chapter” poll pod is highlighted gray and a menu is open. The top menu item is Hide (currently highlighted gray).

Image 34: After clicking Hide in the pod menu, the previously displayed poll is no longer on the layout and the next poll in the stack is visible.

Image 34 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom similar to Image 32. The “What is your favorite chapter” poll is not on the screen.

References

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