Blackboard Collaborate

Blackboard Collaborate is a new service that we introduced in a very condensed time-frame.  As such there may be teething problems that would normally have been addressed during a pilot phase.

We have received a small number of reports of issues experienced by staff and students when they use Collaborate such as

• Session not starting (purple wheel never stops spinning).
• Audio issues e.g. you cannot hear anyone or they cannot hear you.
• Connection issues, e.g. drop-outs, connection loss, stutters etc.

Whatever the issue facing you, please review these steps that should resolve most issues.  As you try these steps make sure to leave the Collaborate session, close the browser, re-open the browser and then re-join the session via Blackboard, just making the change may have no effect until the browser has been restarted and the session re-joined.

Are you using the right web browser?

Blackboard Collaborate works best with Google Chrome.  You can also use Mozilla Firefox.  A full list of supported browsers and operating systems is available here: https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Moderator/Get_Started/Browser_Support

While other browsers may be supported, we recommend you should use Chrome in the first instance and then Firefox.

Make sure the browser is up to date.

How to update Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414

How to update Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/update-firefox-latest-release

For reference the latest version of Chrome at the time of writing this article was 81 and the latest version of Firefox was 75.

Try the other browser

If you are using Chrome or Firefox but still experience issues, the simplest tip is to try the other browser, so if you experience problems with Collaborate whilst using Chrome, try Firefox.  If you experience problems with Firefox, try Chrome.

Enable third party cookies

Ensure that your web browser is allowing third-party cookies, these guides explain how:

Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647

Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/content-blocking#w_turn-content-blocking-off-on-individual-sites

Try an incognito window

The next step is to try using the session in an private or incognito window.  This resets certain settings and can be an effective way to work around some configuration issues.

How to open an incognito window in Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95464

How to open a private browsing window in Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/private-browsing-use-firefox-without-history

Clear the Cache

If that does not help the next step is to try clearing your browser cache. This guide explains how: http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser’s-Cache

Try the WebRTC troubleshooter

Collaborate uses a technology called WebRTC.  The WebRTC Troubleshooter website tests that this is working for you and can pick up issues and help you to fix them.

WiFi or Ethernet?

If you are experiencing difficulties and are on a wireless connection please make sure you are as close to your router as possible.  If that does not help please try a wired ethernet connection.

This publicly available knowledge base article discusses the most common issues when connecting from a domestic connection.

Using an Apple Mac?

The latest versions of OS X have extra security settings you need to make for devices to use the camera and microphone.  If you use a Mac / OS X please read through this guide on how to set the correct permissions.

Experiencing issues connecting from within an institution or business?

Some corporate and institutional networks may block the HTML5 Web Socket traffic upon which Collaborate relies.  Try on a domestic connection to see if you get the same issues.  If you do not, it could be an issue with the network in the institution or business you are connecting from.  Ask the network administrator to review the relevant information here.

Close other programs you do not need

High CPU usage (aka your computer is working hard) can cause audio issues as well. Be sure only necessary programs are running on the computer before starting the session. If you don’t need email, Spotify, Word, etc… open for the session, then close it!

Ensure that no other programs are using the speaker, microphone, or web cam, e.g. Skype, Teams, music player, video player etc.  To be sure, close those types of programs.

Give Permission

It is vital that you all Collaborate to use your microphone and camera.  You are likely to ask to approve permissions that look like this:

If you did not give permission

We can be so used to clicking “no” that we may accidentally prevent Collaborate from having permission to use our microphone and web cam.  If you find that people cannot hear you or see you, check that you have given permission for Collaborate to use your camera and microphone.

How to review permissions in Chrome:

Review the guide at https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/114662

Having reached the Site Settings page, choose “View permissions and data stored across sites” and search for bbcollab.  Open all that appear one after the other and choose to allow Camera and Microphone.

How to review permissions in Firefox:

The process is fairly similar in Firefox, see: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-page-info-window

Sound output?

Blackboard Collaborate allows you to alter the microphone input and webcam settings, but not the audio output. Blackboard Collaborate will use the system default audio output / playback device, so ensure this is set correctly before opening Blackboard Collaborate. This is particularly important if you have multiple devices connected to your computer, such as speakers, headsets and external monitors.

• Change the default audio playback on Windows 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWX4WxMkDxk
• Change the default audio output on OSX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lf03JGcS00

No sound (you can’t hear other attendees)

• Ensure that the correct audio device (speakers) is selected.
  • Windows 10 users, select your audio device by selecting the Speaker button near the clock as shown below:
    
  • Mac users please refer to the following article: Change the sound output settings on Mac
• Ensure that sound volume on the computer is not muted or set really low.
• Ensure that sound volume on the desired audio output device (e.g., speakers or headset) is not muted or set really low. Some headsets have a mute or volume knob on them.
• Ensure that cables going to speakers or headset are all firmly plugged in.
• If the above do not work, try rebooting the computer and/or try another web browser.
• Try playing a YouTube video to see if there is sound. Collaborate will produce sound using the same audio device (e.g., speakers or headset) as other websites such as YouTube.

Windows 10 Sound

Windows 10 allows users to set audio preferences for individual apps. Some apps listen, others don’t. Because Collaborate runs entirely in your browser, you have to check settings for your browser.

1. Right-click the speaker icon in your system tray. This is usually at the lower right of your computer monitor.

2. Select Open Sound Settings.

3. Check your default Output device. Normally this will be the speakers or headphones you regularly use, but not always. You can use the dropdown menu to change your default for the system.

But some apps will save their own preferences. So we will need to check those as well.

4. Scroll down until you see the Advanced sound options section.

5. Click on the App volume and device preferences link.

6. Find your browser that you use for Collaborate in the list and check if you have options in the dropdown to select the sound source you expect to hear it from.

Notice that there is also an Input option if you are having problems selecting the correct microphone.

Go through Blackboard’s own browser support pages

Read through and try everything suggested in Blackboard’s support page for

Chrome: https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Participant/Support/Chrome_Support

Firefox: https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Participant/Support/Firefox_WebRTC_Support

Select the right audio and video device

When you use Collaborate for the first time a wizard will guide you through the setup.

It is important to pay attention to the device you choose to use with Collaborate if you have a choice.

The recommendation is to use a headset with microphone.

Run through the wizard again

No luck?  Please try going through the wizard again and double check that you have selected the right devices.

1. Open the Collaborate Panel.
2. Click on the Cog.
3. Choose Set up Camera and Microphone.

Go through Blackboard’s support page about audio and video set up

Still not working?  Read through the page linked below and check through everything it recommends.

https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Participant/Participate_in_Sessions/Audio_and_Video

If all else fails – 1

Read through our guide on technology to use with Collaborate, there is lots of information there that will help.

If all else fails – 2

You’ll have to send us a ticket, but before you do there are two things to do first:

1. Install TeamViewer.  If we need to phone you and remote to your computer in order to investigate the issue we will ask you to install TeamViewer.  Please install TeamViewer now, to save time for later.
2. Collect some useful information that will help us, and add it to the ticket you will raise.

Within the Collaborate session you can capture some date which will be very useful for us to check.

1. Open the session menu (the hamburger button at the top right).

2. Click on Report an issue.

3. The collaborate panel on the right will open, scroll down this section.

4. At the bottom will be a box of diagnostic text, select this text, right click on it, and choose copy. Then raise a ticket via ServiceLine describing the problem you are experiencing and paste in this diagnostic text so we can take a look.

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

Your course instructor may set up groups within your Blackboard course.  One of the tools that instructors may enable for a groups is a Collaborate room just for that group.

If you have been added to a group it will appear below the course menu.

When you click on the name of the group, the tools available to your group appear.

Select Collaborate to enter your Collaborate area.

An alternate route is select the right hand arrow next to your group name, this shows the full group area, including the group tools.  Select Collaborate to enter your Collaborate area.

Select Join Room to enter your Collaborate area.

Arrange a convenient time when you and your fellow group members can join your Collaborate room and work together.  Sometimes life is more fun when we work with others.

Be aware that:

• Only members of the group can access their Collaborate room.
• Groups have only one Collaborate Group room, groups cannot create additional sessions.
• A group cannot use Guest Links to invite others to join them in their room.
• All group members have the presenter role.  Roles cannot be changed.
• Collaborate Group rooms cannot use Polls or breakout areas.

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

Recording Sessions

Moderators have the ability to record their sessions in a standard format accessible by a wide array of devices for their learners to review on demand. Recorded sessions are saved as MP4 format.

Important

Due to limited space to host Collaborate recordings, we recommend that, where appropriate, instructor transfer their recording to the Recorded Session section of Blackboard courses.

If you are expecting to be able to view a recording you may find it there.

Where to find your recordings

Recordings become available on average between 20 minutes and one hour after the session recording is stopped.  In busy times this may take longer.

1. Access the Bb Collaborate menu in your course.

2. Select the Hamburger icon (three horizontal lines).

3. Select Recordings from the side menu.

4. Any recordings will be shown.  Select the ellipsis icon (three horizontal dots) for options such as playback and download (if enabled).

5. When watching a recording you may open the session menu (on the top left) to download a chat transcript, which depending on the options set when the instructor created the session, may be anonymised.

6. Or by opening the chat panel (bottom right) the chat message will appear in real-time with the recording.

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

Content coming soon…

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

During a Collaborate session you may have the chance to answer a poll.  Polls may be in the form of a multiple choice question, or a Yes/No question.

When a poll is opened the question and possible answers will appear an example is below.

When you select an option it will be highlighted.

You can change your choice until the poll is stopped.

The answers to poll questions are not currently recorded but will be in the future.  The moderator/s will know how you answered.

The moderator has the option to show the results of the poll to all attendees.  Once the poll has been closed, all data around it lost.

Polls do not appear in recordings of Collaborate sessions.

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

When in a large meeting, or when your microphone is disabled as a participant, it can be important for the presenter to get feedback from the participants. This can be done from within your profile picture.

At any time during the session, click on your profile to view the available feedback.

Currently, the feedback that you can give is

1. Happy
2. Sad
3. Surprised
4. Confused
5. Faster
6. Slower
7. Agree
8. Disagree

Clicking on any of these options will show the corresponding sentiment next to your name. A count of peoples feelings is also shown at the top of the Attendee panel.

You can also raise your hand, which pops up a message on the presenter’s screen with your name telling them that you wish to interrupt.

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

There are three roles and four main permissions available in Collaborate.

Roles

The three main roles are

1. Moderator – This is the default role of an instructor. Moderators are presenters that also have permission to change people’s roles and put people into breakout rooms.
2. Presenter – A presenter can upload images and documents, control the whiteboard and share their screen.
3. Participant – This is the default role of a student. Participants can view what is being presented and use the feedback tools such as “raise hand”. They can also contribute depending on what permissions are set.

A moderator can elevate a participant to a presenter or a moderator at any time. They can also demote a presenter back to being a participant after they have finished presenting.

Permissions

Instructors can set default permissions for participants. These are set before the meeting room opens, but can also be changed on the fly.

1. Participant can share audio – Students can use their microphones
2. Participant can share video – Students can use their webcams
3. Participant can post chat messages – Students can open the chat menu and speak to other students
4. Participant can draw on whiteboard – Students can ink over pictures shared by presenters

As these permissions can be changed during the meeting, you may be silenced during while a PowerPoint file is presented, and then allowed to speak afterwards. If you are made a presenter (which also allows you to upload files and share your screen) you will have all four permissions granted automatically.

Microphones and Webcams that are on when disabled by a moderator will be turned off by default if re-enabled later in the meeting.

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

To join a Collaborate session, go to Blackboard and enter the correct course. Click on “Bb Collaborate” from the left-hand menu. Note that your instructor may have chosen to change the default name.

By default, there is a “Course Room” to join, but your instructor may have created rooms specifically for different sessions, so check the names of the rooms and join the correct one. The instructor decides how early students may enter the room (the default is 15 minutes), so rooms may say “not yet started” if you are too early to join. The room will unlock at the stated time.

Click on the correct room and from the right-hand menu choose “Join Course Room”. You only need the “Dial In” information if you need to speak and have no microphone on your computer.

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

Return to Blackboard Collaborate For Students Main Page ↵

Blackboard Collaborate is a real-time video conferencing tool integrated into every Blackboard course that lets you join online real-time synchronous sessions  with other members of your Blackboard course.  There is video and audio participation as well as text chat, you may share files (PDF, PowerPoint, Images (including animated GIFs), share what you are doing on your screen, and use a virtual whiteboard to interact.

Collaborate opens right in your Chrome or Firefox browser, so you don’t have to install any software to join a session.  It will work on phones and tablets without needing an additional app.

A Bb Collaborate menu item is added to Blackboard courses by default, but your course instructor may rename it, or delete it because they will not use it.

Upon opening the menu, the session list appears.  By default every course has a “Course room” which is open to all course members.  Students can join and use this session even if the instructor is not running it.  Instructors may remove student abilities to join this session if they wish.  Instructors may add any number of further sessions.

Selecting a session will bring up a link to join the session if it is currently open.

The “hamburger” icon allows the user to change to the recordings menu where she can locate any previously recorded sessions.  In general we recommend that staff download recorded sessions from Collaborate and delete them, and then upload the session to Panopto.