Teaching Tools and Tips: Blackboard Collaborate
By James Boe, Director of Graduate Studies
Introduction
Blackboard Collaborate is a powerful audio, video, text messaging and application sharing tool that can
be added to any Blackboard course. Blackboard Collaborate is an easy convenient way to communicate
with students synchronously through scheduled meetings. Google Chrome is the required browser to use
all the features and provide the best experience.
Tool Identification
Blackboard Collaborate is a tool within your courses that allows you to communicate with students using
audio and video. You can also share instructional materials or even the entire screen of your computer.
It is available in the tools/communications section of every Blackboard course (even if you just post your
grades and syllabus). The “room” can also be set to allow guests who do not have a Blackboard account.
Classroom uses for Blackboard IM
Blackboard Collaborate is a great tool for providing tutoring sessions, formal instruction or informal
communication between students and faculty. Blackboard Collaborate desktop sharing is very useful for
tutoring sessions or tech support sessions with instructors and students.
Some faculty have used this tool to pose questions to students and have live discussions or teach full
lessons. Faculty teaching hybrid classes could use Blackboard Collaborate to conduct live synchronous
sessions with students rather than meeting in a classroom.
Accessing Blackboard Collaborate
Blackboard Collaborate is available in the Tools/Communication section of any Blackboard course.
Once you click on the Blackboard Collaborate
icon, a new page will open that allows you to
enter the room, change the settings or invite
guests.
In the Edit Room link will allow you to set
permissions and assign moderators. If you
make all participants moderators or turn on
all permissions, you will not have to worry
about changing the setting during the session
to allow participants to turn on their cameras
or microphones.
Your personal preference will determine the
settings you want to use. You can also invite
guests to the room that do not have a
Blackboard login or password.
Full instructions for participants, moderators and administrators can be found here https://enus.help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra
Additional Resources and Training
Blackboard Collaborate support and training materials are also available through the NDUS Core
Technology Services (CTS). CTS provides written documentation and training materials for all university
system supported software such as Blackboard Collaborate. The link to CTS training and support
materials is http://cts.ndus.edu/sits-departments/alt/blackboard-collaborate/
Conclusion
Blackboard Collaborate has great potential for collaboration, increasing communication options between
faculty and students or among students. Our current Blackboard system runs the old version and the
new version with Ultra Experience. I DO NOT recommend using the old version so contact
brad.mills@vcsu.edu and provide your course numbers to make sure you are running the most recent
version. You also need to use the Google Chrome browser to have the full desktop sharing capabilies.
This is a very useful tool that uses a variety of communication channels to meet your needs.