Table of Contents. System Requirements

Transcription

1 Table of Contents System Requirements 1 Getting Started 1 Access Collaborate 2 The Session Administration System 3 Create and Edit Sessions 4 In Collaborate 5 The Interface 5 Recordings 6 Use Your Phone for Audio 7 Share Content 8 Getting Help 10 Support Resources 10 Report an Issue 10 System Requirements Windows/Mac Computers Google Chrome web browser Required for moderators (you and anyone leading a conference session). Chrome is very highly recommended for all session attendees. High-speed, reliable internet connection Headset with mic Recommended for best performance/experience Collaborate uses the new WebRTC standard giving a high definition experience with superior image and sound quality. Browsers that do not yet support WebRTC receive audio, video and application sharing at lower quality using a Flash plugin. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 1 of 10

2 Getting Started: Access Collaborate There are two types of rooms available in Collaborate Ultra: The always-open, default course room and individual sessions that you can create and manage. Both of these types of rooms will be covered herein. Launch Collaborate First, we will cover how to join the main, always-open Collaborate course room. Access Collaborate 1. To access Collaborate, locate the Collaborate link in your course sidebar menu. 2. Click the Collaborate link in your sidebar. 3. Next, click the link to Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. 4. Proceed to the next section ( Launch Collaborate ) regarding joining rooms, or refer to the section below to Create and Edit Sessions. Launch Collaborate 1. Launch the default course room by clicking the Join Room button. 2. After clicking the Join Room button, you will be loaded into the Collaborate Room. 3. Follow the audio and video setup process. 4. If your experience deviates from these steps: a. Ensure you are following all steps correctly and using Chrome. b. Disable any ad-blocker extensions, and/or any other extensions that impact website functionality. c. Restart the session or your web browser, if you experience issues. d. Check for connection degradation. Your experience with Collaborate will depend on your bandwidth. e. Reach out to the appropriate people for additional support. (See Getting Help ) - Click the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra link. - To join the default course room, select Join Room. Exit a Collaborate Session To exit Collaborate, you may simply close the Collaborate window in your web browser. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 2 of 10

3 Getting Started: The Session Administration System To create sessions and modify your Collaborate settings to fit your needs, you will use the Session Administration System (SAS). The SAS is your portal for Collaborate use and administration. Access to the SAS is provided through your Blackboard Collaborate-enabled Course. Session Administration System Session Administration System 1. Join your course room: The course room is an open session dedicated to your Blackboard course. Select Join room to join the session any time. 2. Create new meeting sessions: Select Create Session. Add the name, date, and time of your meeting. You can also decide if you want to allow recording downloads ( before the session begins ). To learn more, see Create and Edit Sessions. 3. Update meeting information: Need to adjust the time or date, or invite a guest? Edit the session s information using the contextual menu on the right. For more information, see Edit Sessions. 4. Start your meeting: Click the name of the meeting to join the session when you are ready to start. 5. Search for meetings: Have several meetings scheduled? Use the filtering tools on the right to sort or search for your session. To search, click the magnifying glass icon and type a specific session name or date. 6. View Recordings: Select Recordings to view your recordings. To learn more, see Record Sessions. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 3 of 10

4 Getting Started: Create and Edit Sessions If you prefer having multiple sessions, instead of using the default, always-open Course Room that comes with your course, or you wish to edit the settings of the Course Room, this section will provide an overview. Participants in your meeting do not have a Blackboard account to use Collaborate. The Guest option setup ensures that you do not need to enroll your attendees in your Blackboard course. Instead, you can simply send your meeting attendees the Guest Link to access your Collaborate session. Create and Edit Sessions Begin at the Collaborate landing (Session Administration System) described in the previous section. A) To create a new session, begin by clicking the Create Session button. B) Enter an identifying name for a new session. C) To edit an existing session, expand the Session options menu next to the session name and click Edit Settings. D) Set guest access for the meeting by checking the Guest access box at the top of the pane. Set the default Guest role for guests accessing your meeting in this area, too. Moderators - Share content, view and control all aspects of the session. Presenters - Share content; no higher control. (Recommended role for meeting attendees) Participants - Basic tool access; chat, whiteboard, etc. Cannot share content. Copy the Guest link for your attendees. E) In the Event Details section: 1. Set the start and end dates/times for your session. 2. Keep a session open-ended with no closure, or set the session to repeat on a schedule. 3. Set the Early Entry option to allow your attendees to enter the session prior to the start time. Create Sessions SAS > Create Session Edit Settings Session options menu > Edit settings Settings - Complete all necessary fields. - Once you have named the session ( Session 1 in the top-field), the session will auto-create within the SAS portal. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 4 of 10

5 Getting Started: Create and Edit Sessions (cont.) F) In the Session Settings section: 1. Set the Default Participant Role. Note: This is the default role for students enrolled in your Blackboard course. (Different than the Guest role) 2. Allow Recording Downloads by placing a check in the box next to this option. This setting must be set before the session begins or recording started. 3. Adjust what your meeting Participants can do in a session by removing the green checkmarks next to the action you d like to disallow. G) Click the Save button on the Settings panel to finalize your selections. Session Settings Join Your Session To join your newly created session, click the session s name and a new tab will open with your Collaborate Ultra session. - To download a recording, ensure the Allow Recording Downloads box is checked before your session is started! In Collaborate: The Interface Navigate Collaborate Session Menu Use this menu panel to Record your class session, Call-In with your phone, or Report an Issue with your Collaborate session. Collaborate Panel Access session Chat, Share Content, and My Settings from here. Media Space This is your main content area in the Collaborate classroom. Content of the session is displayed, either video streams of the session's participants, or shared content like PowerPoint Presentations and applications. Content you share is automatically the main focus of your screen. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 5 of 10

6 In Collaborate: Recordings Collaborate provides the ability to record your session. Recordings will capture all interaction in a session including video, audio, media and application sharing, and participant messaging. Record Your Session 1. Expand the Session Menu pane by clicking the hamburger stack button in the upper-left corner of the Collaborate interface. 2. To start the recording, click the Start Recording button at the top of the Session Menu pane. 3. Participants are notified via banner alert within the session that the session is being recorded. 4. To stop the recording, expand the Session Menu and click the button to Stop Recording. Record Your Session Session Menu > Start Recording - Select Start Recording. Access Your Recordings 1. Within the SAS interface (your Collaborate landing), click the hamburger stack menu icon to access the SAS menu. 2. This will expand a sidebar (pictured right). 3. Select Recordings to display any recordings you have created. 4. To play a recording, click the name of the recording. 5. Expand the contextual menu for Recording Options to reveal more options (pictured right), including: a. a recording Download option (this setting must be enabled before the session begins); and b. the recording link ( Copy link ) that you can send to your meeting s participants. Note on accessing recordings: Recordings are not private. Anyone enrolled in your course can access the Collaborate recordings. Note on recording availability: Recordings can be available within minutes, or up to several hours for lengthy or media-heavy sessions. If your recording is missing after 24-hours, contact support. Access Your Recordings SAS Menu > Recordings - Click the title of your recording to open a new tab to play the recording within your browser. - Use the contextual menu to get a link to send to others, or download the recording (if enabled before the session was conducted). CUP EdTech Team (2017) 6 of 10

7 In Collaborate: Recordings (cont.) Manage Your Recordings Manage Your Recordings A key responsibility for Collaborate use is to maintain your recordings by deleting unnecessary recordings within a reasonable amount of time. To retain a copy of your recording, simply download the recording and upload to your personal storage system. Recordings are available in MP4 file format. 1. Expand the contextual menu for Recording Options. 2. Select Delete to delete the recording. - Delete the desired recording by selecting the contextual menu on the right and selecting Delete. In Collaborate: Use Your Phone for Audio Collaborate offers the ability to use your phone for audio in a session. However, meeting participants must still remain connected to the session via a computer. Disconnecting from a computer will also disconnect a session from the phone s audio. Use Your Phone for Audio Use Your Phone for Audio 1. Open the Session Menu. 2. Select Use your phone for audio. 3. Call the number listed and enter the generated PIN. 4. Your audio for this session will now be transmitted via your phone. Things to remember: You will not be muted when first connected to the session. Click the mute button at the bottom of your screen to mute yourself while others are speaking. If you leave the session on your computer, your phone will disconnect shortly thereafter, as well. PINs cannot be reused. A new PIN is generated for each meeting. If you need to connect to Collaborate on-the-go, we recommend utilizing the Bb Student mobile app, which provides a mobile-optimized Collaborate session and runs on 3G (or better) mobile data connections. ( Contact us for information on getting setup with Bb Student ) Session Menu > Use your phone for audio - Call the number specified and enter the PIN. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 7 of 10

8 In Collaborate: Share Content - Upload Files Upload images (GIF, JPEG, PNG), PDFs, or PowerPoint presentations of 60MB or smaller to your session. Share Files Upload and Share Files 1. Open the Collaborate Panel (lower right corner). 2. Select the icon to Share Content. 3. Next, select the Share Files button. 4. Click Add Files Here or drag a file into the box to upload it. 5. Next, click Share Now to share the file with your participants. 6. With PowerPoint Presentations, a slide navigator panel opens showing you all of your slides. Note: Shared files stay in the session until deleted. 7. Select a slide to start sharing it. 8. To delete a file, click the trash can icon to the right of the file name. Collaborate Panel > Share Content - Select Share Files. - Upload your file(s) and click Share Now to share with your class. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 8 of 10

9 In Collaborate: Share Content - Share an Application Use this method if you need to share a Word document, and other desktop applications. Share an Application 1. Before you can share an application, you must add the Desktop Sharing extension in Chrome. 2. After adding the extension, open the Collaborate Panel. 3. Select the Share Content icon. 4. Next, select Share Application. 5. Select Just an Application from the resulting screen to share a specific application, such as a Word document. Tip: To share a webpage, open the page in a new window in Chrome. 6. Your application must be open ( do not minimize ) to be viewed in the Share your screen application selection window. 7. If your app is not visible in the Share your screen window, ensure the app window is not minimized to your taskbar (or dock). 8. Select the desired application from the tiles presented and the Share button. 9. If you encounter a green screen, or have difficulty locating the application to share with your meeting, you can use the alternative sharing method of sharing your Entire Screen. 10. Follow steps 1-4 again and select Entire Screen. Share an Application Collaborate Panel > Share Content - Select Share Application. - Select Just an Application - Select the app you wish to share. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 9 of 10

10 Getting Help: Support Resources Windows/Mac Computers These resources are intended for users accessing the session from a Windows or Macintosh computer using Chrome. Getting Started Audio and Video Setup Find Your Way Around Add a Profile Picture Use the Tools Getting Help: Report an Issue Troubleshooting or Technical Issues Assistance with Collaborate is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from Blackboard s Collaborate team. If you are experiencing problems with Collaborate and need troubleshooting assistance contact the Collaborate Help Desk: (877) At the voice prompt, select the option for Collaborate with the Ultra Experience. Report an Issue - Select Report an issue. Training and Questions If you need training on specific features of Collaborate or have questions, contact the Educational Technology Team via support@cu-portland.edu. Report an Issue If you are encountering issues during your session, it is important that you report the issues to the Blackboard developers. This will help ensure continuous improvements to the platform. 1. Within your session, select the My Settings button, or open your Session Menu. 2. Click the link to Report an issue. 3. On the Report an issue page, complete the appropriate fields as specified. Your technical information will be automatically included in the last text box ( do not edit this information ). 4. When you are finished, click Submit. Complete the feedback form to submit to Blackboard developers. To create a support case in which Blackboard follows up with you and works with you on a platform-related issue, submit a case to Behind the Blackboard. CUP EdTech Team (2017) 10 of 10