This document will cover tips and tricks you can use in a Live Class Collaborate Session. It will include what to do to prepare for the session and how to record the session, share content, change students' roles, and share recordings in your course.
You can download a copy of these instructions at Keep Teaching Live Collaborate.
More detailed documentation on Collaborate can be found at Blackboard Collaborate Ultra - A User Guide.
Instructions for Students on Using Collaborate can be found at Students Using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra - A User Guide.
Once the tool is added to your course, you and your students can enter any Collaborate session. Be sure to communicate with your students what virtual room they should join and at what time should they join.
You do not need to create a Session for every meeting. Use the Course Room as often as possible to avoid confusion about what Session the students need to join. Only have one recurring session, such as Office Hours. If you record any session, it will not overwrite other sessions. For example, if you use the Course Room and make two recordings, they will be called “Name of Course” / Recording 1, “Name of Course” / Recording 2 with dates for each.
Before the Session Starts
Make sure you have tested your Audio and Camera by clicking on the Collaborate Panel Menu (bottom right), clicking the Settings Panel, and clicking Set up your camera and microphone.
Once you have tested both, the application will remember your settings so you do not need to do this every time. If your audio drops out, use your cell phone to call in.
If you share a PowerPoint, you can share it right away and have reminders on the first slide such as:
If you can hear me, raise your hand by clicking on the person raising their hand at the bottom of the screen. Please leave your hand raised for now.
Please send chat messages to Everyone so everyone else can see the responses unless it is private in nature. I will try to respond to all of your questions. If I miss your question, please ask it again.
If you have a technical issue connecting your audio, call in by clicking on the top left menu (three white lines) and clicking "Use your phone for audio." It is a toll call, so please use your cell phone.
If at any time, you need me to slow down, click on the person icon (to the left of the microphone) at the bottom of your screen and indicate: slower.
This session will be recorded and shared in HuskyCT in the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra Tool. Click on it, click the menu in the upper left, and click Recordings. (You may share links to each of the videos in your course so modify these instructions as needed).
If you include these reminders on your PowerPoint slide for each session, you will know you have successfully shared your PowerPoint, your microphone is working, and your students can hear you. In addition, you are setting expectations for the room as they enter. This can relieve any anxiety they may have especially in the first few sessions. As the students enter the room, acknowledge them by name and ask them a question. The last bullet point is to remind you to start recording the session.
Recording the Session
Click on the upper-left Session Menu (three white lines) and click Start Recording. Be sure to Stop Recording before you leave the session.
Sharing Content
If you are sharing an application, you will not be able to see the Attendee list. If this is important for you and you are sharing either a PowerPoint, PDF, or image file, you can share it as a file, rather than using Screen/Application.
Share Application/Screen: Share screen if you will be showing more than one application at a time. Share Application if you are only sharing one application (that application must be running for you to select it).
Share Whiteboard: You can use a tablet to write on the Whiteboard, but you cannot use an iPad. If that is what you have, you need to use WebEx.
Share Files: You can share a PowerPoint, PDF, or Image. Once shared, you can annotate them.
Polling: Questions are asked on the fly and cannot be saved.
Breakout Groups: Randomly assigned is the best way to create the groups, unless you have a smaller class and have the time to drag/drop students into the groups. These can be used for Think/Pair/Share activities.
Creating a Private Collaborate Session
All the Collaborate Sessions in the Blackboard Collaborate Tool link are accessible by everyone in the course. If you need to meet with someone privately, there is a workaround.
Create a group in HuskyCT called “Private Group” and only add the Collaborate Tool to that group. Do not add any students to the group yet.
Add the Group Tool link to the menu on the left (if you have not done so already). Click the + sign, and add Tool Link – Groups (make available to users).
When you want to meet with a student privately, you can edit the Group to add their name to it.
Direct the student to the Group link on the menu at a specified day and time and ask them to click on the “Private Group” before clicking on Collaborate.
You would also go to that Group to click on Collaborate.Once you have finished meeting with them, you can remove that student’s name from the group.
Changing a Student's Role in a Collaborate Session
By default, the students are Participants in the Course Room. If a student needs to make a presentation, you can change their role by clicking on the Attendee Panel, clicking on the circle with three dots to the right of their name, and changing their role to Presenter. If you have someone helping you manage the session, you can make them the Moderator. Moderators can mute microphones and more.
Sharing Recordings with Students
You can direct your students to the Blackboard Collaborate Tool in your course. Ask them to click on the Menu (three white lines) and click Recordings.
If you anticipate having multiple recordings, it might help students to link each recording from a Content Area in your course.
To get the link, click on the circle with three dots to the right of the recording.
Copy that link.
Add it as a Web Link to your Course.
For more information or assistance with HuskyCT, contact the Educational Technology Office at edtech@uconn.edu or (860) 486-5052.