Blackboard Collaborate is a real-time video conferencing tool that lets you add files, share applications, and use a virtual whiteboard to interact with your students. You can also record the session for future viewings.
Each Blackboard course has a dedicated Collaborate Ultra "Course Room” associated with it. The “Course Room" is always available to instructors and their students unless the instructors decide to lock the room.
The Collaborate Ultra interface is easy to use and requires very minimum set up as long as the Chrome browser is being used.
Collaborate Ultra Cheat Sheet (PDF)
List of Full Features:
Ability to mute participant microphones to assist with classroom management
Breakout groups for team work
Instant polling to gauge your students learning
Real-time interactive whiteboard with text and annotations to increase visual learner engagement
Recording sessions as video for students to review on their own time and at their own speed
Sharing Chrome browser tab, screens or applications for procedural demonstration and training
Profiles image and participant lists to build an online persona
Virtual hand-raising and text-chat for students who do not have access to microphone or who are just shy
How to incorporate Collaborate in your classroom:
Scenario #1: If you are away at a conference or sick at home, consider:
Pre-recording lectures in 3-5 minus small segments or deliver live lecture, to minimize teaching hours lost.
Holding virtual office hours
Inviting guest to lecture or present without having the guest travel to campus
Scenario #2: Students finding difficult to meet up for group work, consider:
Creating sessions where students can meet virtually without your presence.
Scenario #3: Students finding difficult to describe an issue they are experiencing in either email or verbally, consider:
Allowing students to share their screen and show you the difficulty they are experiencing.