Dr. Carl M. Rebman, Jr.Associate Professor of Information SystemsSchool of Business Administrationcarlr@sandiego.edu x4135

Using Blackboard Collaborate

Outline

• What is Blackboard Collaborate?• Top 10 Advertised Uses• What I have used it for• How it works• Challenges• Takeaways

Description

• Blackboard Collaborate provides a comprehensive online learning and collaboration platform designed specifically for education.

• It is helping thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations worldwide deliver a more effective learning experience through blended and mobile learning online collaboration tools.

• And it will help you open up all-new aspects of real time, or anytime, learning to engage more students and improve outcomes.

Top 10 Advertised Uses1. Live Instruction

2. Meetings

3. Asynchronous Content Development

4. Tutoring Program

5. Classroom Collaboration

6. Virtual Office Hours

7. Student/Parent Orientation

8. Remote Guest Speakers/Virtual Field Trips

9. Professional Development

10.Virtual Help Desk

What I have used it for

• Virtual Office Hours– Can use real time discussion chat– Can use to illustrate examples in

application– Can be used to open up a student’s file

to help them with creating solutions• Application Sharing (MS Excel)

– Used primarily in a lab classroom setting• One to many broadcast

Challenges

• Blackboard requires a special java application to run– Process takes a couple of steps and can

be time-consuming• Responses in Java can be slow and

delayed• Setting up Collaborate session in

Blackboard is not that intuitive and has changed during my use twice

STEPS TO STARTING BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE

Step One

Step Two

Step Three

May Encounter These Screens

Step Four

Step Five

What the interface looks like

Mobile Devices

• iPad and Android

Challenges with Application Sharing

• System claims to allow for sharing between moderator and participant– It does and not without some challenges

• Involves granting moderator privileges• Application sharing needs to initiated by

moderator and then stopped before allowing another to share

– Somewhat like track runner handing a baton from one to another

– This takes practice and expect to train students for a couple of sessions

Setting up room challenges

• Need to create a Blackboard session and then create a content link

• Participants can include students from a single course or all students

• Other individuals can be given invites via a hyperlink– This link can be sent via blackboard or

shared via email, IM, text, or hyperlink• Pay attention to options

Tips for Sessions• Session Preparation Tips

– Practice before leading your first session. – Become familiar with the session content. – Open web pages, applications needed for application sharing and

screen captures before session begins. – Load multimedia content and File Transfer content.

• In Session Tips– Speak clearly and don’t rush. – Ask questions and provide opportunity for interaction. – Look at the whole screen, not just the whiteboard area.

• Watch the Chat window for text messages and the Participants window for new participants joining the session.

Takeaways

• Works very well with a one on one interaction

• Works well with a one to many broadcast setting

• Can work better with classroom training of students– Expect to embed time for training

• Some of the other advertised features are better served with other programs like Mediasite

Takeaways Continued• Blackboard has other cool features that

have a learning curve and require some training– Whiteboard– Breakout rooms

• Practice/run test sessions as much as possible

• Expect challenges with different operating systems/computers

• When estimating time multiply times 4 and reduce target goals/content coverage by 2

Other Resources

• Tutorials– http://

www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Collaborate/Services/On-Demand-Learning-Center/Web-Conferencing.aspx#freetraining

• PDF of BB Collaborate engagement• PDF OF Creating a Collaborate Session• YouTube

– https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blackboard+collaborate