Blackboard Release 6 has created two tools within the Collaboration
area: the Virtual Classroom and Lightweight Chat. The Virtual
Classroom may load and perform slowly. As such, instructors
may wish to use the Lightweight Chat whenever possible. These
tools
may be used separately or together but their features may not
be combined. The following describes the functions of these
Collaboration tools.
| Feature |
Description |
Tips for Instructors |
| Chat |
- The Virtual Classroom is a synchronous tool; that is,
participants log in and participate simultaneously.
- Participants type messages in the message box and press
the enter key to submit.
- Submitted message - prefaced by the submitter's name
and time stamped - appears for all participants.
|
- Discussion is not threaded and may be more difficult to
follow. Chat works well for brainstorming or if format is
well structured ahead of time. Guidelines for the chat session
may
be developed ahead of time and posted at the of the session
or posted elsewhere in the course.
- If text to be typed is greater than a sentence or two,
break text into short blocks. Type “more...” at
the end of each bock and “end” when complete
to enhance the continuity of discussion.
- Encourage learners to type up longer thought pieces ahead
of time. These can be pasted into the chat textbox or posted
in email or on the discussion board before the chat session.
- Learners with superior typing skills and a faster connection
may have an advantage.
- The display wants to size for screens at 1024 x 768 pixels.
If your screen is not set at that resolution, you may find
that the chat text entry panel falls outside of the screen. In this
case, simply drag the screen to see the tool components.
An alternative is to select View > and Show in
Separate Frame option.
- Sessions may be recorded, paused, or bookmarked using
the Record Menu in the Menu Bar located across the top
of the window.
|
| Question and Answer (Q&A) |
- Individual participants may ask questions. Instructors
may provide public or private answers.
|
- The Inbox is used to receive and answer questions. An
alert will show next to the Question Inbox designating the
number
of waiting questions. While instructors may display all questions
(answered and unanswered), it is recommended to select the
Show Unanswered Only option to avoid possible confusion.
- Once a participant sends a question, s/he will not be able
to see the question until the instructor posts the answer.
Then both are viewable under the Question Inbox.
- Learners will see the instructor’s Q&A tools
as grey-out icons. This may cause confusion and the instructor
should be prepared to coach learners on using this tool.
|
| Whiteboard - Draw |
- Contains drawing tools.
- Can type text as well.
- Participants can edit/modify and add drawing pages.
|
- Font size, styles, color, and line width can be set.
- Shapes can be brought to the front or sent to the back.
- To draw and end a line, hold down mouse until finished,
then let up.
- To draw and end a shape, hold down mouse and click
for each line. Double click when finished.
- Whiteboard drawings must be created during the pertinent
session and cannot be saved from session to session.
- If an archive is being recorded, a snapshot of
the Whiteboard image may be created by selecting
Snapshot button in Menu
Bar at the top of the window. This snapshot will
be added to the
archive.
|
Whiteboard -
Display Pages
|
- Participants can create pages that can be drawn upon.
- Participants can add and display pages as needed.
|
- Participants may add and draw on pages once the session
has been enabled. Participants may “turn” the
pages by selecting the page and the Display option.
- The pages will not be included in the archive unless
a snapshot of the Whiteboard image is created by selecting
Snapshot button
in Menu Bar at the top of the window.
|
| Group Browser |
- Participants can type URLs in the Address box.
- Sites may be either previewed or displayed to the entire
group.
|
- Web addresses need to be entered with the http:// preface.
- Participants may navigate in the site they have browsed
to, however the chat interface and navigation bars disappear
after the second level of navigation. In order to return
to the chat room, you will need to use the Back option
that
appears at the top of the menu when the user has clicked
the right mouse button.
|
| Break Out Sessions |
- Allows a sub-set of learners to enter a private chat area
and use the virtual classroom tools.
|
- During the conduct of a session a sub-set of learners
may create a breakout session which allows the self-selected
group
to enter a private virtual classroom.
- There is no carry over of materials from the breakout
session into the main virtual classroom area. To leave
the breakout
session and return to the main virtual classroom, the learners
need simply to close the breakout session window.
|