NetOp Instruct - Features

NetOp Instruct helps you manage your computer-based training effectively. Whether used in traditional computerized classrooms, or directly on the corporate network, NetOp Instruct offers instructors powerful tools for computerized class instruction.

Instructor module:

Class management (functions marked with an asterisk* can optionally be prevented by attendees - see Protect attendees PCs)

• Details View — view attendees as a list for a quick view of who's present. Double-click to initiate a remote control session.
• Classroom View — create a virtual seating plan using your own class-layout. Backgrounds can be saved individually for each class. Double-click attendees to initiate a remote control session.
• Thumbnail View* — view all attendees' screens as thumbnails. Double-click to initiate a remote control session. Sort the thumbnails alphabetically in ascending or descending order.
• Lesson Plan View — create and manage dynamic lesson plans. All NetOp Instruct training actions can be pre-configured and easily executed at a click during your computer lessons.
• Recordings View — create and manage recordings of the instructor's screen or recordings of attendees' screens*.
• Tests View — create and manage online tests and test results. Tests can also be excuted from here using drag and drop. Choose between 10 question types.
• Activity View* — follow and manage attendees' use of applications and website in real-time. Close, Deny or Hide elements on-the-fly. View, save or print History List of used applications and sites.
• Class Setup View — prepare and manage groups for your classes in a tree-view of attendees. From this view you can send a message to attendees listed as available and invite them to join the class.
• Application Control* — allow or deny the use of certain applications on attendees' computers.
• Internet connection Control* — allow or deny access to certain web sites and URL's from attendees' computers.
• Policy notification - notify attendees of the contents of an applied Policy, i.e. which applications or websites are allowed or not.
• Snapshot — grab and save screen images during a monitor or remote control session
• Record screen activity — make recordings of activity on the instructor's screen. Add microphone sound and distribute to attendees for local replay or demonstrate pre-recorded instructions. Record also attendees' screens* during a monitor or remote control session.
• Remote installation — deployment and remote installation of attendee modules (Win 2003/XP/2000/NT4).

Collaboration (functions marked with an asterisk* can optionally be prevented by attendees - see Protect attendees PCs)

• Demonstrate — show the instructor's or any attendee's screen to the whole class. Broadcast multi-media content - video and sound - from a shared drive or from a Web address (URL) and zoom 50% to full-screen. Broadcast selected screen-area only. Broadcast recordings of instructor's or of attendees' screens. Students can request microphone, help and keyboard during demo.
• Demonstrate specific monitor — support for multi-monitor environments. Broadcast a specific monitor only, selected from the list of currently installed monitors.
• Auto join demo, monitor, chat, and attention — automatically include attendees in ongoing activities if joining the class late.
• Attention — lock screen, keyboard and mouse* of attendees' computers with a single command using a text, a bitmap or a Web page.
• Monitor attendees* — view the screens one at a time to follow progress of work. Optionally listen to sound from attendee's PC while e.g. practicing languages.
• Remote control* — take over an attendee's computer sharing keyboard and mouse to assist in difficulties. Optionally listen to sound from attendee's PC while e.g. practicing languages.
• Chat — online discussion forum in written form. Start several Chats and save Chat content.
• Audio chat — online discussion forum for the whole class using the sound system of the computer.
• Video Chat - include video stream from webcams in the Audio Chat. Show instructor or present speaker to all.
• Transfer sound* - listen to the sound side of the attendee's computer, while e.g. practicing languages.
• Send message — send a message to selected users in rich text format (RTF) containing e.g. links to web sites.
• Work groups — create independent work groups and transfer full Instructor module functionality to appointed assistant instructors. The main instructor retains control over the separate groups.
• Run program* — launch documents and programs on attendees' computers using a predefined list.
• Commands* — logoff, shutdown or restart all computers with a single command.
• Distribute files* - distribute files to groups of attendees to specific directories of your own choice.
• Collect files* — collect files from groups of attendees from specific directories of your own choice.
• File Manager* — powerful split-screen file manager, copy, move, clone, and synchronize files.
• Marker Utility — annotate attendees' screens during demo or remote control using figures, text or a magnifying tool.
• Pass the chalk— hand over control of an ongoing demo to any attendee for full collaboration on common documents. Attendees can also request control of a document.

Classroom connectivity (functions marked with an asterisk* can optionally be prevented by attendees - see Protect attendees PCs)

• Easy creation of new classes — create new or copy from a list of existing classes.
• Easy handling of groups — pick attendees from a list of "Available Attendees" visible for all Instructors.
• Easy change of class — pick from a local dropdown list or from a central list of all classes.
• Select class at start-up — prompt for selection of a class when the Instructor module is launched.
• Move Class — transfer attendees to another Instructor, e.g. a colleague with special skills, anywhere on the network.
• Use Class Server - automates connection based on information in a central database with all courses, participants, and even lessons.
• Re-announce Class — e.g. for refreshing the attendee list
• Select default Policy at start-up* — decide which of your pre-defined Policies shall be applied on attendees when connecting to the class.
• Wake on LAN — right-click option under Attendee Group View. Possible to send out a Wake-message for one or a group of attendee computers.
• Polling — optionally have the Instructor check the network connection to attendees at a selected interval.
• Reconnect after network connection was lost — modules reacts to getting IP address renewed when performing a reconnection to Class. This covers e.g. computers leaving Hibernation state or computers with network cable being unplugged.
• Connection service — instructors can list their classes on a public server to provide easy connection to virtual classrooms on a network.
• Multicast support — ability to automatically use multicast communication under TCP/IP if available.
• Multi-monitor environments - support for demonstrations, monitoring or remote control involving all screens.

Security

• Instructor login — handling of different user profiles and optional validation of password via Windows Security Management.
• Customizable tool-bar and menus — decide which functionality is allowed in the Instructor module by hiding buttons and menu points. It is possible to have global settings or individual settings for each teacher.
• Protection password, Instructor — protect selected or all settings with a password to prevent unauthorized access to predefined settings.
• Protection password, Attendee — protect all settings by a password to prevent unauthorized access to predefined settings.
• Protect Attendees PCs — attendees can limit a instructor's access to their PC to prevent unauthorized use.
• Connection password (optional) — protect the Attendee module from being connected to a class announced by an un-authorized Instructor module (e.g. a Trial version) by applying a password on the Attendee module. The connecting Instructor module must have a matching password to enable connection.

Instructor customization

• Floating Desktop Toolbar — handle all teaching operations directly from your desktop with the dockable toolbar.
• Customize toolbars — show or hide text for buttons. Re-arrange buttons. Hide buttons.
• Instructor module on removable media - copy Instructor module to a USB key. Makes it possible to prepare tests at home and run them later by plugging in the USB key.

Attendee module:

• Auto join class — automatically connect attendee's computers to a specific class when loading the attendee module.
• Browse for classes — lets an attendee look for classes listed locally or on a public server.
• List as available — lets attendees be visible for instructors on the network without being connected to a specific class. Instructors can send a message to attendees to invite them into their class.
• Select class — dynamically select class, either by name or by using IP-address or DNS name of the Instructor machine.
• Use Class Server - automates connection based on information in a central database with all courses, participants, and even lessons.
• Naming options — use Windows login name or prompt attendees for login name.
• Request help — attendees can request help by sending a help message online.
• Messages — receive and save messages from the instructor.
• Policy notification - view contents of an applied Policy, i.e. which applications or websites are allowed or not.
• Recordings — replay locally the recordings that were previously distributed from the instructor.
• Stealth mode — run the attendee module invisible and protected.
• Re-initialise attendee — change attendee settings remotely and re-initialize their PCs with immediate effect.

Misc.

• Language versions — available on a multi-lingual CD which includes English, German, French, Spanish, Danish, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic versions of the program.
• Operating system support — Win 2003, XP, 2000, NT, ME, 98, 95 and Windows Terminal Server 2000, NT4.
• Protocol support — TCP/IP, IPX, NetBIOS
• Windows Installer and Install Shield — choose between two popular installation methods.
• Keyboard translation — different keyboard layouts supported (e.g. different languages and special characters).
• Dial-up networking — TCP/IP dial-up connection is available for easy Internet access.
• Web-update — both modules can be automatically updated from the web.
• Publish new updates — allow Instructor and Attendee modules to perform Web Update from a local web server instead of using the public web server.