BYL Teacher Training and Resources

Enable Screen Sharing Permission for macOS Catalina (10.15) and later

Apple introduced new security and privacy features with macOS Catalina. Learn how to enable screen sharing for Lessonspace. 

If you are running macOS Catalina — version 10.15 or later — you must grant access to the new Screen Recording Permission to share your screen during an online lesson.

This is a macOS/Apple security setting; we apologize, but we do not have control over this setting.

How to enable screen sharing for Lessonspace

• When you first join a Lessonspace Space on macOS Catalina, you’ll be asked to enable the Screen Recording permission for Google Chrome.

Screensharing PowerPoint presentations and other documents

The easiest way to share a PowerPoint presentation with your students in the Space is by using the screen share function.

• First, open the presentation on your computer and start screen sharing from your Space. Ideally, choose to share only the window or browser tab of your presentation.

• Then, start presenting by either clicking on Slideshow or pressing Alt+F5, depending on the presentation software you use. Now your student will see your presentation in the Space like this:

Why can't my student screenshare?

If your student is having trouble screen-sharing, try asking them to enable screen-sharing permissions.

First, establish which browser they are using:

• Enable screen-sharing permissions on Chrome

• Enable screen-sharing permissions on Firefox

• Enable screen-sharing permissions on macOS

Opening a Cobrowser

• Ensure you have Leading mode access (You will have a crown on your name).

• Open a whiteboard and select the Library option.

• This will open the Apps panel. Click on Web Browser.

This tool is most effective for helping students make sense of a large task or assessment criteria, but by bringing the information back into the space, you can highlight the key areas the student needs to focus on together.

The screen-sharing icon is on the right-hand side of the communications dock. You or your student can click on it and share your screen without installing any plugins (Note: we recommend using Lessonspace with Chrome or Firefox for the best results).

• Click on this icon to begin on the right-hand section of the Lessonspace controls.

• A menu will pop up asking if you would like to share your Screen, an Application Window, or a Chrome/Firefox tab; select your choice. Here's how to enable screen sharing for macOS Catalina (10.15) and later.

Picture in picture: float students' video

Chrome and Safari:

Use this feature when you want to visit another website or document, but still want to see students, or when you are sharing your screen with participants. Here's how:

When in a Space, click on the three dots on any participant's video feed. Here, click the option "Pop Out Video". This will pop the video out, allowing you to freely drag and move the video around your desktop and other applications.

You can now move to any other application or website, and your student's floating video will be visible on your screen, like this:

Infinity mirror effect with screen sharing on Lessonspace

Please note that this article explains how to prevent the infinity-mirror effect on the Lessonspace platform, but the same principles apply in all screen-sharing applications.

When sharing your screen, one common interaction is the so-called "infinity mirror" effect

This happens when you share your (entire) screen, and your Lessonspace space is open and visible in the screen share.

Screen Sharing Issues

Screen sharing in Safari

If screen sharing is blocked in Safari, follow the steps below to enable it:

• Click Safari > Settings for this website:

• Check that the Screen Sharing field is not set to Deny. Set it on Ask or Allow:

Enable Screen Sharing Permission in Lessonspace on Chrome

Chrome is the browser we recommend using for optimal lessons using Lessonspace. Please ensure you are always using the latest version of Chrome to ensure the smooth running of your online lessons.

How to enable screen sharing on Chrome in six steps

• Ensure you have given permission to your browsers to allow for audio and video. When you join a Space, you will see a pop-up that asks you to allow access. Click “Allow”.

• If you mistakenly block the camera and microphone, you will see a little red cross through your camera in the URL bar at the top. Click on that. Now you’ll be asked to allow Lessonspace access to your camera and microphone here. Select “Always allow” and reload your page. Once reloaded, you’ll rejoin the Space, and everything should work.

When you have put some time and effort into creating the perfect lesson for Year 10 English, perhaps you would like to use this again another day. This feature allows you to create lesson content and save it on your own Lessonspace Library to use at a later date.

Export and Import a Space Zip

You can export the ZIP folder of your Space to upload and reuse in another Space for another lesson. This is particularly helpful if you are teaching the same lesson twice. Or you can export the Zip file after a lesson to review it in a new Space in the next lesson; all your images, PDFs, and annotations will be there. Follow the steps below to export a Zip file from a Space.

• In the right corner of your Space, click on the 3 dots.

• Select Export.

Download Whiteboard as an Image or PDF

You can download a whiteboard as an image or PDF and send it to your students once you have completed your lesson. Here are the steps:

• Right-click on the whiteboard tab you want to download at the top of your Space.

• Select Download as Image or Download as PDF.

Not just for our little learners, all students enjoy being playful. You can use the dice, counter, and shape functions to play games, reinforcing a key concept with a student.

To access the dice function, select the library and then apps.

Dice

Click on the Dice option to open the interactive Dice. Your results will be visible to the student as well. Select how many dice you'd like to roll, access your roll history, and use the dice for your lessons.

Modelling Calculator Usage in your Lessons:

Access the calculator by selecting Library and then Apps. You must be in a whiteboard tab to do this.

When you select Calculator, you will initially view a calculator with simple functions:

To access the Scientific Calculator Functions, select the fx drop-down:

This tool is useful to show the contrast more clearly between the materials you upload and the screen. The paper styles allow you to graph or draw shapes live on the screen with ease.

Change Background

Change the background to a grid size of your choice or a different color.

This can be especially effective for Maths Sessions:

You can access the graphing and function tools to make complex mathematical problems visual and accessible to students.

Equation Tool

Click on the Equation tool and choose Formula. Enter your formula into the Equation editor and hit insert to add it to the Whiteboard. You can ask your students to do the same.

Edit your formula

This is a step that is easy to forget.

Please watch the video to review the most efficient way to add the link to the lesson notes.

NB: If you have a teenage student, you may like to encourage them to log into Boost Your Learning (www.boostyourlearning.co.nz/login)

Here, they can view their lessons online and access all recordings from the calendar, just as you can via Teachworks.