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Admin and Host Session Controls

During the session, you have ability to manage and run your small group. 

host session controls

How to broadcast yourself as the main speaker 

  • Click the Broadcast button in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and select Broadcast Yourself.   
  • A 5-second countdown will be shown to all participants before you are broadcast as the main speaker on the screen.  
  • As the main speaker, your screen, video and audio are visible to all participants.   
  • To end the broadcast, click on the Broadcast button again and select Stop Broadcast Yourself.  

How to broadcast video   
To play Alpha talk Vimeo videos or YouTube videos:   

  • On the bottom left of your screen, you will see a broadcast button, click this and select Broadcast Video.  
  • A pop-up will appear prompting you to enter a Vimeo or YouTube URL.   
  • Copy and paste the URL in that field and click Start Video.   
  • After a 5-second countdown, the video will begin playing for all participants.   
  • You can pause, play, or change the playback time of the video for all participants.  
  • To end the broadcast, click on the Broadcast button again and select Stop Broadcast Yourself.  
  • To return to broadcasting yourself, click on the Broadcast button and select Broadcast Yourself.  
  • To return to broadcasting a video click on the Broadcast button and select Broadcast Video.  
    • If you want to play the same video again, you have two options. Click Resume to watch the video from the timestamp you stopped broadcasting previously. Click Start From Beginning to watch the video from the beginning. 
    • If you change the video URL, you only have the option to click Start From Beginning 

How to screen share  

To screen your desktop’s entire screen, a window, or a tab (Chrome only). While screensharing, the broadcast’s audio and video can be seen and heard by web participants and the broadcaster’s audio can be heard by mobile app participants. The broadcaster can share their device’s audio if they are on MacOS Chrome and share a Chrome tab or are on Windows Chrome and share their entire screen or a Chrome tab 

  • On the bottom left of your screen, you will see a broadcast button, click this and select Screen Share.  
  • A pop-up will appear prompting you with three sharing options 
  • Choose Entire screen to show participants your whole screen. Choose Window to select a window on your desktop to share. If you are on Chrome, choose Chrome Tab 
  • Choose Share tab audio if you want your device’s sound to be heard by all participants too.  
  • When you’re finished with your selection, click Share to start the screen share 

How to mute video and audio 

On the top right of each participants’ screen, you will see the Microphone icon and the Camera icon.   

  • To mute audio, click on the Microphone icon of the participant you want to mute. Their microphone will no longer be audible to the group.  
  • To turn off video, click on the Camera icon of the participant whose video you want to turn off. Their video will no longer be visible to the group.  
      

How to remove a participant 

Removing a participant from an Alpha can only be done during the session. Once a participant is removed, they will be unable to return to the session or any future sessions unless they are un-removed by the admin (see instructions below). 

  1. On the bottom left of each participants’ screen, you will see the participant’s name.   
  1. Click on the name of the participant you want to remove from the Alpha.   
  1. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm that you want to remove the participant.   
  1. Select the Yes, remove them button.   

Please note: You can remove guests and other hosts but are unable to remove an admin.  

How to end your small group session 

Ending the small group will move everyone in your small group back to the dashboard and render the session inactive. The small group session will also automatically close when there are no more participants left.  

  • The End Small Group button can be found at the bottom of the screen. Click this button.  
  • A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm your option.  
  • If you are sure you want to end your small group session, click End my small group.   

Alternatively… 

  • During the active small group session, go to the Dashboard.  
  • Click on the ellipsis icon characterised by three dots on the top right of the Alpha card representing your Alpha.  
  • Click the End Small Group button.   
  • A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm your option.  
  • If you are sure you want to end your small group session, click End my small group.  

How to end all small group sessions  
 
An admin can render all small group sessions inactive. All participants will be returned to the Dashboard.  
 

  • Go to the Dashboard and click the ellipsis icon characterised by three dots on the top right of the Alpha card.  
  • Click the End session for all groups button and confirm by clicking End for all in the pop-up that appears.  
     
     
     
    FAQ  

Can a host turn off the video and mute other hosts or the admin?   

  • A host can turn off the video or mute another guest or host. They cannot do this for an admin. The admin can turn off the video or mute any participant.   

Can a host turn on the video or un-mute a guest?   

  • Once video and audio have been turned off, the guest has to choose to turn their video back on or unmute themselves. This cannot be done by a host.   

Can a host remove any participant?   

  • A host can remove guests and other hosts. They cannot remove an admin. The admin can remove any participant.    

Can hosts broadcast themselves and broadcast video while on the mobile browser?   

  • If a host or admin has joined the session on a mobile browser, they will not see the option to broadcast a video or their screen. We have disabled this ability on the mobile browser because of the high processing power required when using the mobile browser. We advise persons responsible for broadcasting to join using a desktop computer. 

Will ads play when you broadcast a YouTube video?   

  • No, when you broadcast a YouTube video, you and other users will not see ads 

What happens the broadcast pauses, plays, or skips forward/backward the broadcast video?   

  • All the other users’ video will sync to what is showing for the host broadcaster