Collaborative Tools
The Collaboration tools allow you to participate in real-time lessons and discussions. Examples of these sessions include real-time, online discussions, TA sessions, and live question and answer forums. Archives of previous sessions are also available for review. Guest speakers can also lead sessions using the Collaboration tools. You can search for and join Collaboration sessions and view session archives.
Course groups can also use the Collaboration tools for private sessions open only to course group members. The following Collaboration tools are available.
Virtual Classroom is a shared online environment where you can participate in a real-time discussion with other users, access the web, and engage in question and answer sessions. You may also access the whiteboard to display text and images.
Chat is an exchange of text messages online, and part of the Virtual Classroom. You can access Chat separately. Chat allows you to open just the chat function.
Virtual Classroom is a shared online environment where you can participate in a real-time discussion with other
users, access the web, and engage in question and answer sessions. You may also access the whiteboard to display text and images.
Note: An accessible version of the Virtual Classroom tool is available. A link to this version appears when you join a session on the Collaboration Sessions page.
Virtual Classroom
Note: Your instructor controls which tools are available. If this tool is not available, your instructor may have disabled it.
You can ask questions, draw on the whiteboard, and participate in breakout sessions from the Virtual Classroom.
Note: Before joining a Virtual Classroom session, follow the checklist below to make sure that your computer is set up properly.
Be sure to turn off any pop-up blockers that may be enabled on your Internet browser. Don't forget to disable any additional pop-up blockers that may be enabled in your browser toolbar, for example, Yahoo or Google toolbars.
Make sure that you have the required Sun Java plug-in.
Try joining the Virtual Classroom session well in advance of the scheduled session to ensure that the tool loads properly.
How to Open the Virtual Classroom
1. On the Course Menu, select Tools. 2. On the Tools page, click Collaboration.
3. On the Collaboration Sessions page, click the Session Name next to a Virtual Classroom session.
Virtual Classroom Area
When you launch the Virtual Classroom, it appears in a new window.
Menu Bar: Allows your instructor l to control the Virtual Classroom. This includes managing participation, selecting user access rights, ending the sessions, and monitoring breakout session.
Tools: Includes all the tools used during the Virtual Classroom session. This includes accessing the Course Map, utilizing the Whiteboard, searching for website, and asking and answering questions .
Chat: Allows you to compose messages, raise hand to ask questions, and activate private messages.
Virtual Classroom Menu Bar and Record Menu
Group Collaboration Sessions have additional Session Manager features including a Menu Bar and a Record Menu.
Only users with active privileges can access the options on the menu bar.
View: Choose an option for viewing personal messages in the Virtual Classroom. Select Show in-line to view private messages within the chat area. Select Show in separate frame to view private messages in a separate window.
Controls: Allows the session moderator to select the features each user may access. Clear: Erase the user's chat display.
End: Ends the Collaboration session.
Breakouts: Create a breakout room for a group of users.
o Select the check boxes for the users who will participate in the breakout session. You may only join a breakout session if you are selected by the session's creator.
o Users who enter a breakout session are still active in the main Virtual Classroom session. If a breakout session is closed users are still active in the main session. Breakout sessions default to the same settings as the main session.
To Use the Whiteboard
The Virtual Classroom’s Whiteboard enables you to present different types of information as you would on a whiteboard in a classroom. Using the tools in the Whiteboard tools palette, you can draw images, type text, and present equations. Your instructor determines whether these functions are available.
The following table details the tools available for use on the Whiteboard:
Function Description Action
Select an item Click the Arrow tool and then click on an item for selection. You can perform the following options on selected items:
Enlarge: Click one of the small black boxes that surround the item and drag it to the desired size.
Move: Click the item and move it to the appropriate location. Cut: Click the Whiteboard item and then click the Cut icon. Copy: Click the Whiteboard item and then click the Copy icon. Paste: Click the Whiteboard item and then click the Paste icon. Delete: Click the Whiteboard item, click the selected object, and then
click the Delete icon.
Ungroup: Click a Whiteboard item in a group and then click the Ungroup icon.
Bring front: Click the Whiteboard item, click the selected object, and then click the Bring to front icon.
Bring back: Click the Whiteboard item, click the selected object, and then click the Send to back icon.
Select all figures on the Whiteboard and then click the Selects all Figures icon.
Draw free hand Click the Pen tool. Choose the color of the pen in the Fill Color drop-down list. Type text using
the keyboard
Click the text tool (T) and then click the Whiteboard area. A Whiteboard Text Input box appears. Type the text in the box and click Insert. Use the options in the Tools palette to select color, font, and size.
Draw a straight line
Click the Slanted Line tool.
Draw a square Click the Square tool. Choose the color of the square from the Fill Color drop-down list.
Draw a circle Click the Oval tool. Choose the color of the circle from the Fill Color drop-down list.
Input an equation Click The Math and Science Equation Editor icon (?). The Equation Editor appears. Input the equation and click Insert Equation.
Recording Virtual Classroom Sessions
VirtualClassroom and Chat sessions can be recorded and saved for future playback. Recordings are started
and stopped, as well as paused and restarted by the Instructor during the session. A session can have more than
one recording. If the Instructor selects End to stop a session, then the recorder will automatically stop
recording the session.
1. At the beginning of your session, click Record (Circle symbol at the top). When prompted, name the recording.
2. When you are finished recording click Stop (Square symbol at the top).
Button Description
Start Click Start to begin recording a session. The user will be prompted to name the Recording.
Pause Click Pause to pause a Recording once it has started. Click this button again to restart the recording. Pause and restart will be marked and time stamped in th.
Stop Click Stop to end recording the session. When Stop is selected the Recording is completed and a stop marker and time/date stamp will be included at the end of the Recording.
Bookmark Click Bookmark to insert a bookmark anywhere in the Recording of the session.
Accessing a recording
1. From the Course Menu, click Tools. 2. Click Collaboration.
3. On the Collaboration Sessions page, click the contextual menu next to the session you want to see recordings of, and then click Recordings.
4. On the Session Recordings page, click the session you want to view. Students can easily access your recordings in the same manner.
Chat
Note: Your instructor controls which tools are available. If this tool is not available, your instructor may have
disabled it.
The Chat tool allows you to interact with other users using a text-based chat. Chat is part of the Virtual
Classroom. It can also be accessed separately. Some of the functions in the Chat are limited to those users with an active role.
How to Join a Chat
1. On the Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition> CourseMenu <end definition>., click Tools. 2. On the Tools page, click Collaboration.
How to Send a Chat Message
1. On the Click to toggle glossary term definition: <begin definition>CourseMenu <end definition>., click Tools. 2. On the Tools page, click Collaboration.
3. On the Collaboration Sessions page, click the Session Name next to a Chat session.
4. On the Chat window, type your message in the Compose text box. 5. Click Send.
Sending a Private Message
You can send private messages to other users if your instructor enables this tool in the session controls. Private messages are not recorded or archived.
Note: Only users who have an active role can send private messages.
Viewing User Information
The User Information pop-up window displays personal information about a user such as name, email address, and any other information the user has chosen to add to their profile.
On the Participants column, click the name of the user. Click User Info in the Chat area and the User Information pop-up window appears.
Chat Functions
Function Action Enter a message for the
class to read
Type the message in the Compose field. Click Send. The message appears in the chat area. There is 1000 character limit for chat messages.
Become an Active user Click the hand symbol. A hand appears next to the username. The Blackboard
administrator clicks on the hand to make the user active.
View user information Select a username in the participant list and then click User Info.
Send a private message to a user
Select a username in the participant list and then click Private Message.
