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Running a Session

Once your classroom channel is set up, any administrator can launch a live session at any time. This page walks you through the full lifecycle of a classroom session --- from starting it, through presenting and managing participants, to ending it cleanly.

Starting a Session​

  1. Open your classroom channel from the sidebar. If no session is active, you will see a hero section with a Start Classroom button (visible only to admins).
  2. Click Start Classroom to open the session configuration dialog.

Session Configuration Options​

Before the session begins, you can fine-tune the following settings:

OptionDescription
Session NameAn optional display name for this specific session. If left blank, the channel name is used.
DescriptionA short agenda or topic description shown to participants when they join.
Record this sessionEnable session recording. Recordings take 10--30 minutes to process after the session ends.
Allow participants to enable cameraWhen disabled, attendee webcams are locked off.
Allow participants to unmute microphoneWhen disabled, attendees cannot unmute themselves.
Mute all participants on joinEvery attendee joins with their microphone muted.
Send system notificationSends an in-app notification to all channel members when the session starts.
Send email notificationSends an email to all channel members with a link to join.

Click Start Classroom in the dialog to launch the session. All channel members will see a LIVE badge on the channel and can join immediately.

Joining a Session​

When a session is active, all participants --- including the admin who started it --- click the Join Session button on the classroom channel page. This opens the session in a new browser tab, entering the live conferencing environment.

Non-admin members who visit the channel when no session is running will see a waiting message: "No classroom session is currently active. Your instructor will notify you when class begins."

Presenting Content​

Inside the session window, presenters have access to a full set of tools:

  • Screen sharing --- Share your entire screen, a specific application window, or a browser tab.
  • Presentation slides --- Upload PDF or slide files directly into the session for paginated presentation.
  • Shared whiteboard --- Draw, annotate, and collaborate visually with participants.
  • Polls --- Create live polls to gauge understanding or collect feedback in real time.
  • Chat --- A session-specific chat panel where participants can ask questions or share links.

Presenters can switch between these tools at any time without interrupting the session.

Managing Participants During a Session​

Administrators (moderators) have additional controls inside the session:

  • Mute individual participants --- Silence a specific attendee's microphone.
  • Mute all participants --- Instantly mute everyone in the session.
  • Promote to moderator --- Temporarily grant a participant moderator rights so they can present or manage others.
  • Remove a participant --- Eject a participant from the session if necessary.
  • Lock/unlock camera and mic --- Toggle whether attendees can enable their own camera or microphone.

These controls help you maintain a focused learning environment, especially in large sessions.

Ending a Session​

Only administrators can end a classroom session. There are two ways to do it:

  1. From inside the session --- Use the conferencing controls to end the meeting for all participants.
  2. From the Copera channel page --- Click the End Session button that appears next to the Join button when you are an admin.

When a session ends:

  • All participants are disconnected and redirected back to the classroom channel.
  • The session is saved to the channel's history.
  • If recording was enabled, the recording begins processing and will be available within 10--30 minutes.
  • The Learning Dashboard data (attendance, engagement, polls) is captured automatically.

Tips for a Smooth Session​

  • Test your setup before a large session. Start a quick session with just yourself to verify screen sharing and audio work correctly.
  • Enable recording for important sessions so absent team members can catch up later.
  • Use "mute on join" for large audiences to avoid background noise when participants enter.
  • Share the agenda in the session description so attendees know what to expect.

Next Steps​