Live (physical/analog painting) Demonstrations during WebEx College class meeting

[Dawn.McFadden]

I teach art at a Community College in Denver and use WebEx to hold my synchronous class sessions. I need to go back and forth during class alternating between presenting content via lecture/ verbal and chat discussions/white board and physically showing students how to paint or sketch or conceptualize. I need to do this on the fly as the class unfolds. I have been using my iPhone as a second participant in my class sessions to film video of my work from above for these live demonstrations. I’m having trouble keeping the video for the iPhone as the presenter (even though I pin it on my host computer). I select the iPhone as the view I want to see (and thereby the view my students see) but it doesn’t stay selected. Is there another more stable way to control the view? I also don’t want to show a split screen (grid view) between my computer and my iPhone - which happens when I’m trying to pre-record my demonstrations. This didn’t give me as much trouble until the last week or so. Is something different with the upgrade? Is anyone trying to do something similar who might have suggestions for a different way to work? HELP PLEASE.

[RedNectar]

This is how I solved a similar problem, except in my case it was an iPad that I wanted to use to show students content.

I set up one screen on my computer that is shared with the students throughout the whole presentation. I then use a reasonably priced App (called Reflector) to "reflect" my iPad screen to the shared computer screen - and it works brilliantly.  I can go from sharing iPad content to Computer content to even another camera content simply by flicking from one Space to another.* 

Using Webex in this way makes life easier for students too, because of the annoying way Webex re-arranges your (and your students' screens) Participants list and other windows every time you pop in and out of screen-sharing.

*I have set up swipe right and left with 4 fingers on the touchpad of my computer to swap from one Space to another. If your computer is not a Mac, I believe the same feature on Windows is called "Virtual Desktops"

Hope this Helps

[Dawn.McFadden]

Thank you - I’m looking into this - I love the the wireless feature - ($17.99 seems a great bargain) - because that certainly would be worth a try? (Their website doesn’t really say if the cost is one time).

[RedNectar]

Dawn,

Re the cost: The cost is one-time. In fact, I bought Reflections 2 in 2015 for my previous iPad (I wrote about that here) - then stopped using Webex and iPad for some time. By the time I bought my iPad Pro this year, I'd lost my licence, and they were very helpful getting my licence restored to my new iPad - so in fact I'm still using my original $15 licence from over 5 years ago!

[panderson25]

We have had success using the Hovercam Solo 8 for this.  It is pickable as a webcam source, and easily rotates and zooms.

[Dawn.McFadden]

Thank you - looks like a beautiful solution for down viewing (though I can’t afford it) but I need viewing over my shoulder as well for standing painting demos

[Fritz_H]

@Dawn.McFadden 

As far as I understand, you have multiple image-sources during your sessions and need to switch between them: your face (talking), your hands drawing something etc.

Perhaps it might work to use 2 or more Webcams and switch ? (a keyboard-shortcut would be useful...)

(since Webex still does not allow to change the language on the fly I can only provide screenshots in german...but I guess you see what I mean...)

I am not sure, if this also changes the audio-source...

[Dawn.McFadden]

When I plug my iPhone into my computer I don’t see it as an option to use as the camera (which appears to be what you showed me in the screen shot - love the German BTW). I also tried to select it under sharing  -no luck.

[Fritz_H]

@Dawn.McFadden 
perhaps my explanation was unclear: My screenshot just tried to show, where to switch Cameras in Webex.
I never suggested to use the Smartphone as a Camera, but that is indeed a good idea:

There are several several solutions for Android-Devices out there but they all require to install both:
an APP on the Smartdevice (sending) and an application on the Computer (receiving).
There are also tools available that let a digital camera to be used as a webcam.
(just as an example: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/sw/176.html)
Unfortunatley I have no information about similar solutions for Apple-Devices.

I think, in the end it´s easier to plug a 2nd/3rd USB-WebCam into your Computer.

Keep in mind:
* whatever solution you find: you will need some kind of "tripod" / selfie-stick / whatever...to position and keep in place those "additional eyes"
* What happens to the Audio-Source when switching cameras? how does Webex handle this?  (I don´t know, sorry)