Trainer Guide

Leveraging DaDesktop Virtual Desktops to Simplify Course Training

DaDesktop Virtual Desktops offer a straightforward method for building online courses anywhere in Portugal.

One important update: DaDesktop (DD) now supports having one or more trainers per course.

Each trainer receives their own DaDesktop login, giving them full control over the ‘Trainer Desktop’ just like their personal machine. 

The concept is for both trainers to participate in the audio conference, alternating as needed, while each can take the reins of the Trainer Desktop when necessary. This proves particularly valuable for extended courses or those that benefit from having two subject-matter experts engaging with participants.

Before creating a new course

• The Trainer(s) should contact course organizer to provide the following information:

1. Course specifics (title, schedule, and participant count)
2. Locations of trainers and delegates (to determine the best datacentre)
3. Trainer's email address(es)

• Recommended browsers for training

1. Chrome
2. Firefox
3. Microsoft Edge

• Network

1. DaDesktop users need a stable internet connection
2. Using public Wi-Fi, like in coffee shops, is discouraged because it tends to be unreliable
3. Just a heads-up before training: DaDesktop is a web-based training portal
4. Your internet speed should be faster than: "10 Mbps download & 1 Mbps upload"
5. Using a dual screen and camera is preferred whenever possible
    

First step: How to set up your course                                                                                

1. Course coordinators assist with course creation
2. Add trainers to the course by sending the registration invitation link
3. The trainer gets an email containing the course details and a login link
4. Trainers sign in with their account at https://dd4t.dadesktop.com 
5. Then, send course invitations to participants (the pink invite)
6. Note: If multiple trainers are involved, only one trainer machine is used at a time
    

Second step: Prepare your "DaDesktop" in the course                                                    

1. For the Fresh Start desktop, select "Create from OS template". The Fresh Start is the machine where the trainer builds the course content. Once ready, it gets cloned to the Trainer Desktop and then to the Participants desktops. If you already have a 'Standalone' machine with your course setup, click the dropdown arrow and pick the Standalone option.
2. Choose the OS template, pick the closest datacentre, and configure the settings you need for the training. Then click 'Create Desktop'.
3. Connect to the desktop and set up your course within the DaDesktop VM

• If you need multiple machines for your course, install Virt Manager (preferred for Linux) or VirtualBox inside DaDesktop. This lets you run several desktops simultaneously within DaDesktop. The entire set of machines will be cloned to each participant and to your Trainer machine.
• For Windows 10 Pro, we recommend converting documents to PDF since MS Office isn't included in DaDesktop
• Download and prepare your materials just as you would on your own desktop
• Only use the automatically assigned DHCP IP addresses for Fresh-Start machines. DO NOT use Static IP addresses or modify MAC addresses or DNS settings for your FreshStart machines, as this will cause problems when cloned to Course Desktop VM's. Also, leave the Computer name unchanged to avoid issues within DaDesktop.
  
  Contact Tech Support if you need assistance with any of this.
   

Third step: Clone desktop to all participants

1. Complete your work on the "Fresh Start desktop", disconnect, and stop the desktop
2. In the Trainer section, click "Create from Fresh Start desktop" to clone a desktop identical to the Fresh Start machine
3. If delegates are located in other regions, use the dropdown on "Create from Fresh-Start Trainer desktop" to clone to their region
4. Additional options such as Clone from Standalone and Create from OS Template are also available from the dropdown
    

Final step: Join the Training Room

1. Both trainers and participants click on Training Room to join the session together
2. Upon entering the Training Room, the system automatically clones the FreshStart desktop to every participant
3. Within the Training Room, you can auto-record both audio and video.
4. Each delegate sees two desktops—the trainer’s and their own—eliminating the need for screen sharing
5. Inside the Training Room, the trainer can view all participant machines alongside their own, and can take control of any individual machine to assist a participant when needed. Participants, however, only see their own machine plus the trainer’s desktop.