running web conferences · 2017-02-09 · conferencing session by clicking on the appropriate link...

Running Web ConferencesWith Blackboard Collaborate

Stevens uses the Blackboard Collaborate system to conduct real-time and recorded sessions. This primer has been designed for both new users with limited web conferencing experience as well as seasoned veterans who just need an update on the latest features. www.stevens.edu/webcampus

2014-2015

n Instructor Lectures n Student Presentations n Office Hours n Special Events n Snow Days

Getting Into the SystemUnder most conditions, both instructors and students will access Blackboard Collaborate through their Canvas course websites, or “shells.” From the end-user perspective, Blackboard Collaborate looks like a fully integrated part of Canvas. Users enter the web conferencing session by clicking on the appropriate link

in the course Content Area or navigation menu (Fig. 1a). Instructors can create a link to a web conferencing session by clicking on the Blackboard Collaborate option in the left-hand navigation menu, and then clicking on the +Create Session option (Fig. 1b).

A class can have a single Blackboard Collaborate session link to be used by the entire class, or several links for team activities. Links for all Blackboard Collaborate rooms can be added to any Canvas course module, but to make them easier to find it is best to keep them in a General Course Information section rather than as part of a weekly module.

Getting Into the System ...........................02

The User Interface ...................................03

Loading Content .......................................04

Managing Participants .............................04

Delivering Presentations ...........................06

Whiteboarding ..........................................07

Using the Phone Bridge ...........................08

Inviting External Attendees ......................08

Making Recordings ...................................08

Application Sharing ..................................09

Web Tours ................................................10

Polls .........................................................11

Quizzes .....................................................12

The Timer .................................................12

Breakouts and Team Rooms .....................13

Interaction: Getting the Mix Right ............14

Interactive Sessions: Variations ................14

Web Conferencing in WebCampus Courses ................................14

Enhancing the Teaching Skills of Faculty .................................................14

Using Blackboard Collaborate for Business Continuity ............................15

Enhancing Courses With Video Resources ...............................15

Table of Contents

02 — www.stevens.edu

Fig. 1a Navigation Menu

Fig. 1b – Creating a Blackboard Collaborate Session in the Canvas User Interface

The User InterfaceThe Blackboard Collaborate user interface is separated into four main components:

The Content Area - this is the largest part of the user interface. It is used to share presentations and drawings (when you are in “Whiteboard” mode), single applications or your entire desktop (when you are in “Application Sharing” mode), or Web pages (when you are in “Web Tour” mode).

The Participants Panel - this panel provides a list of all Participants and Moderators in the session, as well as information about their current activities. Indicators in the Participants Panel will alert you if someone is raising their hand, sending a chat message, or is not in sync with your presentation due to bandwidth issues. Above the Participants list is a small toolbar containing buttons for raising your hand and stepping away from the session, as well as menus for selecting polling responses and feedback options.

The Audio & Video Panel - this panel enables you to turn your microphone and webcam on or off, adjust your speakers, and dial into the Blackboard phone bridge (if needed).

The Chat Panel - this panel enables you to send text messages (including clickable URLs) to everyone in the room or to selected Participants. A record of the messages in the Chat Panel window can be saved as needed.

Each of these components has a list of options that can be accessed from the Options menu in the upper right corner of the corresponding panel. Instructors should familiarize themselves with the different settings that are available. For example, the “maximum simultaneous talkers” setting in the Audio & Video Panel governs how many people can speak simultaneously during real-time sessions. (In order to minimize external noise and echo interference, it is a good idea to keep this setting at three or fewer speakers at any given time.)

www.stevens.edu — 03

Blackboard Collaborate – Moderator/Instructor Interface

ParticipantsPanel

Chat Panel

Whiteboard Tools Content Area

Page NavigationLoad

ContentWhiteboard Web Tour

App ShareStart

Recording

Audio & VideoPanel

Loading ContentBlackboard Collaborate sessions begin in “Whiteboard” mode. Instructors enter the environment as “Moderators” who can load content into the Whiteboard. This is done by clicking on the “Load Content” button located in the upper right corner of the user interface. The moderator then selects a PowerPoint presentation from the list of files on his or her computer. Multiple PowerPoint files can be loaded in the same session.

For a detailed discussion of other file types that can be loaded into the Content Area, see the Blackboard Collaborate Moderator’s

Guide, available at: www.stevens.edu/itwiki/collaborate.

As the PowerPoint slides are loaded into Blackboard (Fig. 2a), they are converted into image files. Custom animations, transitions, and embedded videos from PowerPoint slides are not retained in these image files. However, Blackboard Collaborate can save the various mark-up and drawing activities performed during the Blackboard Collaborate session. Participants can also download a PDF version of the Whiteboard slides, plus any writing that took place during the session.

Blackboard Collaborate will take a minute or so to complete the loading process, depending upon the size of the PowerPoint files being loaded. If these materials are to be used often, instructors may want to consider saving their content as a Whiteboard file, which uses a file extension of .wbf. This is accomplished through the File menu (specifically, by clicking File > Save > Whiteboard). Whiteboard content that is saved to a Whiteboard file can be easily and quickly uploaded intoa subsequent

session by clicking File > Open > Whiteboard.

When Blackboard Collaborate finishes loading the content, a “Page Explorer” pop-up box opens with thumbnail views of each image (Fig. 2b). The Page Explorer can be used to navigate through the presentation, or it can be deactivated to keep it from getting in the way of the Content Area. The navigation controls then become part of the Content Area (see upper right corner of the user interface).

Managing ParticipantsAs more people log in to the session, their names will be added to the Participants Panel. The permissions that they have access to (if different from the system defaults) will show up as icons next to their names (Fig. 2c). It is also from here that you can grant additional permissions or remove existing ones. These changes can be temporary or remain in effect for the duration of the session. For example, if you want to grant or remove a student’s access to a particular permission, simply hover your mouse over the individual’s name (which brings up all permissions including the defaults) and click on the icon that corresponds to the setting you wish to change.


Fig. 2a – Status Window Content Upload

Fig. 2b – Content Loaded Into the Page Explorer

Fig. 2c – The Participants Panel (note different permissions listed for each attendee)

In the example shown in Fig. 3a, the Moderator is revoking Lucy’s Video permission.

You can also get a sense of what activities your students are performing at any given time. “Activity icons” (which look like blue permission icons) graphically illustrate which students have their microphones and cameras turned on, who is texting in the Chat area, and who is doodling in the Whiteboard area. The table shown in Fig. 3b lists the most common permissions and their corresponding activity icons. Status indicators appear in the Participants list when data is being sent and received. For Audio, Video, and Application Sharing functions, the indicators signify a delay in the sending and/or receipt of data. An amber status indicator denotes a moderate delay and a red status indicator denotes a significant delay. For the Whiteboard, the indicators tell you who is receiving content (amber status indicator) and who hasn’t received all the content on the current page (red status indicator).

The status indicators are dynamic and are updated and visible throughout the session. By keeping an eye on these indicators, you can see when it might be appropriate to adjust your pace (e.g., temporarily stop talking, turn off your video camera, or pause your Application Sharing session) so others can catch up.

Finally, the Participants Panel includes four audience feedback features. These features are integrated into a feedback toolbar (Fig. 3c).

Participants can raise their hands at any time during the session. The Participants list will indicate who has raised their hand and in what order. When a Participant raises their hand, their name goes to the top of the Participant list, just under the Moderators.

Each time someone raises their hand, you may be notified in one or both of the following ways:

01 - A red hand icon will appear over the profile picture of the person who raised their hand. A number will appear under their name indicating where they are in the queue of those who have raised their hands (the order in which hands were raised) (Fig. 3d).

02 - An Audible Notification may be played. You can configure your Audible Notification preferences to play one sound when you raise your own hand and another when someone else raises theirs – or you can turn the sound off altogether.


Fig. 3a – Revoking a Participant’s Video Permission

Fig. 3b – List of Participant Permissions

Fig. 3d – Participants Who Raised Their Hands (Lisa raised her hand first and Lucy was second)

Step Away Button Polling Response Menu

Raise Hand ButtonEmoticon Menu

Fig. 3c – Audience Feedback Features

“I liked how lectures were recorded and available in advance so I could work at my own pace and get ahead

if I found the opportunity.”

Delivering PresentationsFor some students in your class, this may be their first experience as a web conferencing Participant. Other students may be frequent users of web conferencing technology but may be fatigued at the prospect of participating in multiple marathon online sessions. To minimize the possibilities for students to get caught up in technical snags, or simply get webinar fatigue, here are a few steps to take to keep your online lectures running smoothly:

01 – Before your semester even begins, add a brief section to your course syllabus explaining that you will be utilizing Blackboard Collaborate. Include links to introductory videos created by WebCampus and Blackboard Inc. on what new Participants can expect in this environment. These resources can be accessed on the Stevens ITwiki at: www.stevens.edu/itwiki/collaborate.

02 – Post a message in your course that you will be delivering an introductory Blackboard session toward the end of Orientation Week. You may want to use this session to brief your students on your expectations of them during the course. You may also want to give your students an opportunity to introduce themselves to their classmates or clear up any housecleaning questions before Week 1 of the semester begins.

03 – Always log on to your web conferencing sessions about 15 minutes early. Students who show up first may be given Moderator privileges, which you may not want them to have. (These privileges can be revoked by hovering your cursor over the student’s name in the Participants Panel, clicking on the Options menu, and selecting the “Take Away Moderator Privileges” option in the drop-down menu.)

04 – To the new user, the number of functions and options that are available in a web conferencing system can seem bewildering. To make it easier for you to show students what they should be looking for (such as how to reply to a poll or how to use a Whiteboard drawing tool), include a graphic of the Blackboard Collaborate user interface at the beginning of your slide presentation. This will allow you to quickly and easily steer students to where they should be. Screen shots of the user interface that you can integrate into your own presentations are available from WebCampus or Information Technology.

05 – Depending on how large your PowerPoint files are, it may take a minute or two for Blackboard Collaborate to finish loading them. If you intend to reuse the same file for multiple lectures, then you may want to consider saving your presentation as a Whiteboard file on your computer. Whiteboard files can be loaded into Blackboard in the same fashion as PowerPoint files. The big difference is that the Whiteboard files are much faster to load.

06 – Keep in mind that PowerPoint animations, transitions, and embedded multimedia attachments will not be carried over to the Blackboard Collaborate environment.

07 – In order to share videos with Participants, the Web Tour feature or Multimedia Library should be used. Trying to share a video (for example, by playing it on YouTube) while in Application Sharing mode will NOT work.

08 – In order to keep attendees engaged in the session, add activities for audience participation at different points in your lecture. For example, if you have a long list of slides to go through, having class activities such as polls, Web Tours, Application Sharing, or even just a short Q&A segment every few minutes will keep attendees engaged. You may also choose to give attendees a brief quiz to test their knowledge. Blackboard Collaborate’s Quiz tool allows you to deliver quizzes with multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. These quizzes can be graded and used as part of the student’s class participation grade, or as extra credit. (Note: Creating quizzes should be done BEFORE a session with students is convened. For help with creating quizzes in Blackboard Collaborate, contact WebCampus or Information Technology.)

09 – Audio control: Although Blackboard Collaborate has good noise canceling technology built in, it’s a good idea for all Participants to have a set of headphones nearby. This goes a long way in eliminating background noise. It is also a good idea to keep the maximum number of simultaneous talkers to three. To check the number of Participants who can talk simultaneously, from the Tools menu, click Tools > Audio > Maximum Simultaneous Talkers

10 – Bandwidth control: If status indicators in the Participants Panel show that there are significant delays in the sending and/or receipt of data, close your video window and adjust the speed of your presentation accordingly to allow Participants to catch up.

11 – Chat and feedback awareness: During lengthy presentations, select a few places to pause and check the Chat Panel window to see if there are any questions from the audience. It may be handy to insert slides at several predetermined points in the lecture that remind you to pause for audience input.

12 – When the session is over, make sure you are the last one to leave the Blackboard Collaborate room – especially if you are recording the session. If you leave and any student stays logged on, the recording will not end (or become available to others) in a timely fashion.


WhiteboardingThe Whiteboard is the most commonly used (and default) mode of the Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing Content Area. It is used for presentations (primarily using PowerPoint slides) and for collaboration between session attendees. Like the other two content modes, Application Sharing and Web Tour, the Whiteboard can be accessed through the Collaboration toolbar (Fig. 4a).

Note: Mobile device users can only view the Whiteboard, not add content or navigate through its pages. Log in to the session from a desktop or laptop computer if you want to conduct a Whiteboard presentation.

When someone is loading content into the Whiteboard or using the Whiteboard tools, the blue Whiteboard activity indicator appears next to their name in the Participants list. In Fig. 4b, the Moderator Vivian is loading a presentation into the Whiteboard. Status indicators appear next to everyone else in the session as they are receiving the Whiteboard content.

The Whiteboard has a Tools palette that contains a selection of pointer tools (Fig. 4c).

It also contains drawing and text tools you can use to createand manipulate objects in the Whiteboard workspace. Youcan turn simple circular and rectangular drawings into fancyhighlighters to attract attention to parts of your Whiteboard,as shown with the pink ellipses in Fig. 4d. This was doneusing the associated Properties Editor to change the color andtransparency of the oval objects. The selection tool can thenbe used to move these highlighted regions to other parts of theWhiteboard as needed.

Any object created with the Tools palette (lines, boxes, circles, text, pen markings, etc.) can be removed by clicking on the “Clear Page” button in the Whiteboard Action bar, located just under the Collaboration toolbar (Fig. 4e).


Fig. 4a – Whiteboard Icon in the Collaboration Toolbar

Fig. 4b – Activity Indicators Show Vivian Is Leading Content While Other Participants Are Receiving

Fig. 4c – Pointer Tools Available in the Tools Palette

Fig. 4e – The Clear Page Button Removes All Objects That You Add With the Tools Palette

Fig. 4d– Note: Transparent Objects Like These Pink Ellipses Can Be Used to Highlight Whiteboard Content

Properties Editor

Square Drawing Tool

Pointer Tool

Selection Tool

“I really liked how the professor took the time to have live lectures once a week and explain all the concepts to us. This really

enhanced my learning experience.”

Tools Palette

Whiteboard Activity Indicator

StatusIndicators

Using the Phone BridgeThe Phone Bridge in Blackboard Collaborate enables Participants to conduct audio communications with other session attendees via teleconferencing, while continuing to use their computers for all other Blackboard Collaborate features. The Phone Bridge audio will be fully integrated into the Blackboard Collaborate session. Phone Bridge users will be able to communicate with other Participants who are using their computers’ microphone and speakers. In addition, the audio from the Phone Bridge is captured in session recordings. This feature may come in handy for Participants who have low bandwidth on their networks.

To access the Phone Bridge, click on the phone icon in the Audio and Video menu (Fig. 5a). A pop-up window will appear with dialing instructions to access the phone bridge (Fig. 5b).

Inviting External AttendeesThere may be occasions when instructors want to invite individuals who are not registered in their online course to participate in their web conferences. Such may be the case when inviting guest speakers to give students a special presentation. The In-Session Invitation feature of Blackboard Collaborate enables Moderators to invite people into a live session by sending them email invitations. This feature is accessed via the Tools menu (Tools > In-Session Invite > Invite New Participant). A pop-up window showing the text and URL of the invitation is displayed (Fig. 6a). The message can be edited as needed before being sent as an email.

Making RecordingsWhen you launch a new session, by default you will be prompted to record it. You can decline this option and begin recording later by closing the pop-up window (Fig. 7a). This will allow time for attendees to log in and check their microphones. Once all the Participants are settled in, the “Record” button in the upper right corner of the user interface can be clicked (Fig. 7b). When this is done, you will hear an audible notification, “Recording started.”

Note: Those who join the session after a recording has already started will hear an audible notification, “Recording in progress.” At any time during your session, you can stop or pause the recording by clicking the Record button in the Collaboration toolbar (Fig. 7c).

Once all Participants have exited the session, the recording file is created. This process will take several minutes, depending upon the length of the recording. The recording can then be accessed from the Canvas system (Fig. 14d).

Fig. 5a

Fig. 5b – Click on the Phone Icon to See Instructions for Using the Phone Bridge

Fig. 6a – Instructions for Sending Invitations via Email

Fig. 7a – Initial Recording Reminder Shown at Beginning of Session

Fig. 7b - Click the Record Button in the User Interface to Start Recording

Fig. 7c - Click the Record Button in the Collaboration Toolbar to Stop or Pause Recording


Application SharingApplication Sharing mode is accessible through the Collaboration toolbar (Fig. 8a). It enables Moderators to share their applications or entire desktops with others in the session. When you enter Application Sharing mode, a pop-up window appears with a listing of all the programs you have open on your machine (Fig. 8b).

Simply click the application you want to share with the rest of the Participants and click the Share button at the bottom of the window.

When you share an application, you are shifted from the main Blackboard Collaborate interface to the application you have selected. The only difference you will see in the selected application’s appearance is that it now has three small buttons (Stop, Pause, and Snapshot) superimposed with yellow highlighting in the upper right or left corner of the interface. This is the App Share Action bar (Fig. 8c).

Note: Mobile device users cannot host or remotely control Application Sharing sessions, but they can view them.

Caution: Be careful not to inadvertently switch modes on someone else who is presenting content. Everyone in the session will follow you to the new mode.

Hosts can send a snapshot of what is being shared to the Whiteboard. To capture an image, click the Snapshot tool in the yellow App Share Action bar. Blackboard Collaborate will switch automatically to Whiteboard mode and pause Application Sharing until the host resumes it. The snapshot will be placed as the background image in a new Whiteboard slide, immediately after the current Whiteboard page. The title of the new page will be “Application Sharing Image x,” where x is an incremental number.

As you click and scroll through your Application Sharing session, keep in mind that this feature is bandwidth intensive. The more you move around the screen, the harder the Participants’ computers have to work in order to keep up.

You can monitor Application Sharing activity through indicators displayed in the Participants list. Status indicators appear on the Application Sharing activity indicator icons of people in the Participants list if they are experiencing delays in the receipt of Application Sharing content.

Amber Indicator: When Application Sharing content is moderately delayed, amber indicators appear in the participants’ list.

Red Indicator: When Application Sharing content is significantly delayed, red indicators appear in the participants’ list. This may indicate a problem with the network connection and often will be followed by the user getting disconnected from the session.

Fig. 8b – The Moderator Can Share Any Application That Is Running on Their Computer


Fig. 8a – Application Sharing Icon in Collaboration Toolbar

Fig. 8c - An Application Being Shared With Participants (note the App Share Action Bar at the top of the screen)

App Share Action Bar

Application Sharing continued on page 10

In Fig. 9a, Vivian is sharing an application, Lisa is experiencing a moderate delay in receiving the Application Sharing content, Lucy is experiencing a significant delay in receiving the Application Sharing content, and Charlie is not having any problems receiving the Application Sharing content.

To end an Application Sharing session, click on the Stop button in the yellow App Share Action bar. While this will bring you back to the Blackboard Collaborate interface, you will still be in Application Sharing mode. To return to Whiteboard mode, click on the Whiteboard mode button in the Collaboration toolbar.

Note: Do not use the Application Sharing feature to share videos. To play videos within the web conference, use the Web Tour feature.

Web ToursThe Web Tour feature enables session Participants to share Web pages with others in the session. As with Whiteboard files, Web pages viewed through Web Tour mode appear in the Content Area. The Web Tour mode button is the third button in the Collaboration toolbar (Fig. 10a).

Note: Do not use Web Tour for password-protected websites. Viewers of the Web Tour will not be able to follow you past the login screen. To share password-protected sites, use Application Sharing mode to share your desktop or Web browser.

Note: This feature is not supported on mobile devices.

Within the Web Tour, you can navigate to websites by entering the appropriate URL in the Address text box (Fig. 10b). As you move between Web pages, Web Tour maintains a history of where you have been. You can use the Back and Forward buttons to move between the pages kept in the history.

You will know someone is hosting a Web Tour when the blue Web Tour activity indicator appears next to their name in the Participants list (Fig. 10c). By default, the Follow Me option is selected when you switch to Web Tour mode. With the Follow Me option selected, session attendees will be able to freely browse other pages in the Web Tour, independent of the pages that you, the “tour guide,” browse. However, when you move to a new page, they will be redirected to your new page. If you don’t want to push them to your new pages, unselect the Follow Me option.

Moderators – and Participants with Web Tour permission – can publish the URL of the current Web page to the Chat Panel so it is accessible to – that is, clickable by – everyone. To do so, select Publish URL to Chat from the Web Tour Options menu. When you start a Web Tour, you are automatically the tour guide.

To stop the Web Tour, switch to Whiteboard or Application Sharing mode.

Fig. 9a – The Activity Indicators Show Vivian Is Conducting an Application Sharing Activity


Fig. 10a – Web Tour Button in the Collaboration Toolbar

Fig. 10b – To Navigate to a Web Page in Web Tour Mode, Enter a URL in the Text Box

Application Sharing continued from page 9

Fig. 10c – The Activity Indicator Shows Vivian Is Leading a Web Tour

PollsYou can conduct polls of session attendees using either Yes/No or multiple-choice questions. Attendees can respond to questions by selecting response options from the Polling Response menu in the Participants Panel. In the example shown in Fig. 11a, Participants are responding to a Yes/No question, with the green check mark representing a “yes” answer and a red “x” representing a “no” answer. Moderators can determine whether polling responses are visible to both Moderators and Participants or Moderators only.

To conduct a poll:

01 – Specify the type of poll you want to conduct. The default is for Yes/No questions. Moderators can change the polling type from the Tools menu by clicking Tools > Polling > Polling Type and selecting the poll type from the submenu.

02 – Ask your question and have attendees select one of the response options from the Polling Response menu in the Participants Panel (Fig. 11b). It may be handy to display a slide that shows the question.

03 – (Optional.) If you want to close a poll and not accept any more responses, or if you don’t want anyone to be able to change their responses, lock the polling results. From the Tools menu, select Polling > Lock Responses. Unless a Moderator has hidden them, Participants can see the responses of others displayed next to their names in the Participants list. Moderators also see a tabulation of the poll results listed below the Polling Response menu.

04 – (Optional.) When you are done with the poll, you may want to publish a summary of the polling responses to the Whiteboard for the Participants. From the Tools menu, select Polling > Publish Responses to Whiteboard (Fig. 11c).

If you want to ask follow-up poll questions, you will want to clear out the previous responses. You can do this by clicking the Clear button in the Polling Response menu (Fig. 11d).

Fig. 11a – Simple Yes/No Poll Response Buttons

Fig. 11b – Multiple-Choice Poll Response Buttons

Fig. 11c – Results of a Poll

Fig. 11d – Clear the Results of a Poll Before Moving on to the Next Question


“It is nice to have traditional lectures recorded with slides. It helps

it feel more like a real course.”


QuizzesThe Quiz Manager (Fig. 12a) helps you create online quizzes consisting of multiple-choice and short-answer questions. A quiz can consist of any number of questions and can be presented to Participants during the session. The results are tabulated for your review and can be published for the session attendees to review. Quizzes can be defined to be completed in a specific time or have no time limit defined (that is, they can be open-ended). If the quiz is timed, a clock will be displayed in the Quiz Manager window indicating to session attendees how much time is remaining to complete the quiz. Once all the Participants have submitted their answers or the time limit has elapsed, the quiz will stop.

Creating quizzes in Blackboard Collaborate is an involved procedure. Instructors who would like to take advantage of this feature are encouraged to contact WebCampus for assistance.

The TimerThe Timer is a clock that you can use to effectively manage your Blackboard Collaborate sessions. It can be useful in helping you pace your own presentations or coordinate multiple presenters by tracking the time allotted to each. The Timer appears in the Collaboration toolbar showing the time counting either up or down, depending on your preferences.

The Timer can be set to count down from a specified time to zero or count up from zero for an indefinite time. It can be paused and resumed at any time. When the Timer has expired, you may be notified by an audible tone and/or visual notification such as the one shown in Fig. 13a.

Setting the Timer (Fig. 13b):

01 – From the Tools menu, select Timer > Start Timer.

02 – Select whether you want to count down to zero or count up, and for how long.

03 – Select whether you want to display a message, sound a chime, or both when the timer has expired.

04 – Select whether you want to display the timer to all Participants or just to Moderators.

05 – Name your timer (optional).

Moderators can pause and resume the Timer at any time, regardless of whether or not they personally started the Timer. One reason you might want to pause the Timer is to reset the time. To pause the timer, click the Pause button (Fig. 13c).

To resume the timer, click the Resume button (Fig. 13d).

Fig. 13d – Restarting a Timer

Fig. 13b – Selecting Timer Settings

Fig. 13a – The Expired Timer Notification

Fig. 12a – Results of a Multiple-Choice Question

Fig. 13c – Pausing a Timer


Breakouts and Team RoomsThe Breakout Rooms feature is an advanced function that proficient Blackboard Collaborate Moderators can use to facilitate small group collaboration. The Moderator creates rooms separate from the Blackboard Collaborate Main room. The Moderator then places session attendees into these “breakout” rooms. Breakout rooms have their own private Audio, Video, Whiteboard, Application Sharing, etc., so the collaboration that takes place in a breakout room is independent of the Main room (and other breakout rooms).

One way to create breakout rooms is by selecting Tools > Breakout Rooms > Create Breakout Rooms (Fig. 14a). Enter a name for the breakout room(s). If you are creating more than one room, the room names will contain the name you specify followed by a number (Room 1, Room 2, Room 3, etc.) (Fig. 14b).

A new tab (with its own Options menu) is created in the Participants list for each breakout room created and, if it is the first breakout room created in the session, the Room menu is added to the Participants Panel toolbar (Fig. 14b). The list of people in each room can be hidden or shown by toggling the Expand/Collapse buttons in the tabs.

Note: Even if there is no Moderator in a breakout room, when anyone in the breakout room raises their hand or sends a private message to Moderators, the Moderators in other rooms will be notified.

Managing breakout rooms is somewhat more complex than most Blackboard Collaborate functions. If all you want to do is provide separate areas for teams to meet from time to time (as opposed to having team meetings as part of the main class sessions), an alternate approach is available. Individual Blackboard Collaborate rooms can be created for each team and made available via the Canvas course home page. As Blackboard Collaborate is integrated into the Canvas action menus, this task is easy to accomplish. From the course home page in Canvas, click the Blackboard Collaborate menu item, and then the Create New Session option (Fig. 14c). Add in the team room information and click the Create button, and repeat for as many team rooms as needed. Once the rooms are added, each team can record its own meetings, thereby making it easier for the instructor to track each team’s activities (Fig. 14d).

For assistance with configuring your course shell in this manner, contact WebCampus or Information Technology.

Fig. 14d – Separate Team Room Links as They Appear

Fig. 14c – Creating Stand-Alone Team Rooms (not to be confused with breakout rooms)

Fig. 14a – Creating Breakout Rooms

Fig. 14b – Managing Breakout Rooms

“I really liked online lecture videos by MULTIPLE professors... Different voices and faces helped provide a change of pace

that made it easier to pay attention.”

Access Recordings Here

Interaction: Getting the Mix RightThere has been an extensive amount of research on the relative merits of distance education via synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (time-independent) modes. Many researchers have reached a consensus about the importance of interaction, which has been called the building block of both teaching and learning. There are generally four types of interaction:

• learner-to-content, • learner-to-teacher, • learner-to-learner, and (in the context of e-learning) • learner-to-interface.

Blackboard Collaborate is an e-learning system that promotes all four of these interactions in both synchronous and asynchronous modes. As such, its use can play a critical role in balancing the different kinds of interaction that keep both teachers and learners engaged. Many researchers recommend that designers, developers, and instructors build into their courses a balanced mix of each type of interaction in both modes rather than relying too heavily (or exclusively) on a single type. The theory is that such courses offer a more welcoming environment to students with different learning styles.

The Blackboard Collaborate features detailed in previous sections of this guide can be used as a reference for designing and conducting courses – whether they are entirely online or in a hybrid or Web-facilitated format.

Interactive Sessions: Variations Probably the most common type of web conferencing session is the standard lecture where the instructor reviews content (which can be any combination of Whiteboard slides, Application Sharing displays, or Web Tours) and students ask periodic questions. This approach has many uses, but only scratches the surface of how the system can be used. The following are some suggestions for injecting deeper levels of interaction into your Blackboard Collaborate sessions.

• On the other end of the interaction spectrum from the traditional lecture is an “office hours” approach, which essentially reverses the proportion of “lecture time” with “Q&A time.” Notify your class that you will have periodic open sessions that they can log in to. If you detect that students are having trouble with a particular topic, open your session with a few slides to illustrate the material in more detail, but assume that the majority of your session will not go according to a well-structured script.

• Consider having students take turns delivering individual or team presentations. Have them conclude their presentations with a Q&A period so that you (and their classmates) can critique their work. This gives you a great opportunity to assess how well your students are learning.

• Consider reusing parts of earlier recordings – particularly

those “a-ha” moments that seem to “stick.” WebCampus can assist you in collecting excerpts of different recordings and combining them into short “highlight reels.” These compilations don’t have to be long. In fact, in many cases it is better to keep them to five minutes or less. Consider using such compilations from other instructors, and making yours available to others.

Web Conferencing in WebCampus Courses Starting in the Fall 2014 semester, the WebCampus instructor’s contract shall set forth requirements for online instructors to conduct at least three real-time events during the semester to give students the opportunity to ask questions about matters related to the course. Such events may be in the form of Q&A review sessions, office hours, standard lectures, or other formats as appropriate.

Enhancing the Teaching Skills of Faculty: The Stevens TaLK GroupSeveral divisions within Stevens that conduct or sponsor professional development opportunities for faculty members are now coordinating their efforts through the Teaching and Learning Knowledge (TaLK) committee. Training faculty to excel in the use of educational technologies is a core part of the TaLK mission. Other TaLK initiatives include:

• Engaging faculty members to investigate, innovate, and experiment with research-based instructional tools and practices.

• Supporting successful teaching and learning.

• Fostering a university-wide culture and infrastructure to support effective teaching, learning, and assessment.

• Promoting Stevens as a leader for innovation in teaching, learning, and assessment.


Proportion of Content Delivered

Online

Type of

CourseTypical Description

0% Traditional Course with no online technology used – content is delivered in writing or orally.

1% to 29% Web Facilitated

Course that uses Web-based technology to facilitate what is essentially a face-to-face course.May use the Moodle LMS to post the syllabus and assignments.

30% to 79% Blended Hybrid

Course that blends online and face-to-face delivery. Substantial proportion of the content is delivered online, typically uses online discussions, and typically has a reduced number of face-to-face meetings.

80+% OnlineA course where most or all of the content is delivered online. Typically has no face-to-face meetings.

Source: Sloan Consortium

The TaLK committee is made up of representatives from the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (CIESE), WebCampus, academic departments, the Library, and Information Technology.

The TaLK calendar is updated each semester with activities ranging from formal training sessions and half-day symposiums to one-hour “Lunch & Learn” briefings. Events are typically conducted on campus but are also simulcast via webinars. Sessions are also recorded.

To learn more about the activities coordinated through the TaLK committee, visit the TaLK website at: www.stevens.edu/sit/talk.

Using Blackboard Collaborate for Business Continuity When Hurricane Sandy struck in October 2012, it flooded half the city of Hoboken, forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents, and halted on-campus operations at Stevens for 10 days.

Online courses were not impacted as severely, however. Though some students lost access to the Web for several days, on the whole, WebCampus classes continued to function with relatively few interruptions. Several instructors familiar with teaching courses online were also able to partially salvage some of their on-campus class sessions by moving them to the virtual environment.

The lesson from the Sandy experience was clear: Courses taught by instructors familiar with online learning tools and techniques were more resilient than those taught by instructors who were not. This guide, therefore, is not only intended for instructors who teach online courses, but also for on-campus faculty in the event of another emergency. The key for on-campus instructors – many of whom will never teach a fully online class – is to learn how to use basic online teaching tools such as Blackboard Collaborate before the next campus emergency. The best and most productive way to do this is for each instructor to explore how online teaching tools can be used to enhance on-campus classes.

Enhancing Courses With Video Resources Faculty members who are interested in creating instructional videos for their courses, but lack the facilities or technical background, are encouraged to contact WebCampus. The WebCampus Podcasting Studio is a resource that faculty can use to enhance their courses, regardless of whether their course is conducted online, on campus, or a combination of both. WebCampus staff members are available to help instructors film, edit, and deploy videos using a range of technologies and formats. Examples of the Podcasting Studio in action can be seen in the WebCampus Highlights Reel available at: www.webcampus.stevens.edu/multimedia.aspx.


The lesson from the Sandy experience was clear: Courses taught by instructors familiar with online learning tools and techniques were more resilient than those that were taught by instructors who were not.

• Web conferencing technology is more reliable with wired connections than with wireless connections. Try to plug into an Ethernet port as opposed to using a wireless connection.

• You should use a headset whenever possible. This helps keep external noise from disrupting the session.

• When you use your phone to dial into the session, you should lower the speaker volume on your computer to avoid echoes.

• When you dial in, try to use a landline as opposed to a cell phone.

• When using your phone to dial into a session, use the mute button on the phone when you are not talking.

• Always connect to your Blackboard Collaborate session 15 minutes early. If you are a new user or are using Blackboard Collaborate on a new computer, be sure to run the Audio Setup Wizard, which can be found at: www.stevens.edu/itwiki/collaborate.

• Be sure your machine meets Blackboard Collaborate system requirements. Documentation can be found at: www.stevens.edu/itwiki/collaborate.

Best Practices

• Avoid using your speakerphone option if possible.

• If you are using your computer for audio, don’t click the Talk button unless you need to speak to other Participants. Leaving the Talk button on when it’s not needed can cause an echo effect.

• If you must use a wireless connection, try not to travel too far from your wireless router.

• Try not to use a cell phone to dial in to the session. If you have to, try to use a headset or earbuds.

To Contact WebCampusEmail: [email protected]: 201-216-5602Web: www.stevens.edu/webcampus

To Contact Technical SupportPhone: 201-216-5500Email: [email protected].: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.Fri.: 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Stevens Blackboard Collaborate Users Quick Reference Guide

Things to Avoid

On-Demand Training

For more information on how to use the Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing system, visit the Blackboard Collaborate page in the Stevens ITwiki. The wiki page contains an extensive list of resources, including Participant guides, video tutorials, and troubleshooting information. It can be accessed at: www.stevens.edu/itwiki/collaborate.

A reference for those using Blackboard Collaborate for the first time.This reference can also be used as a checklist prior to and

during your Blackboard Collaborate sessions.

running web conferences · 2017-02-09 · conferencing session by clicking on the appropriate link...

Documents