eHelp » Blackboard » Bb 7.2 Step-by-Step Guides for Faculty » Create a Collaboration Session Link

A Flash Movie of this tutorial is also available at http://www.blackboard.com/quicktutorials/collaboration.swf.

Lightweight Chat

The Lightweight Chat tool allows you to communicate in real-time or "synchronously" with your class. Participants enter a "chat room" and by typing messages can communicate immediately to the instructor or the entire class. This feature can be used to hold class discussions, meet with teams, or visit with a guest speaker. Instructors may choose to hold "virtual office hours" using the Lightweight Chat. Chat transcripts are saved and can be visited later by anyone in the class, whether or not they participated in the actual chat session.

1. If you already have a Lightweight Chatroom made, please continue. If not, go to our Create a Lightweight Chatroom tutorial.
2. Click on desired Content Areas (Syllabus, Materials, Assignments, Resources).
3. Using the dropdown Select box in the upper right-hand corner, choose Chat then click Go.
   
4. Choose a Chatroom to link to and click Next.
   
5. You may now give the Chat room a name, description, then click Submit.

Virtual Classroom

The Virtual Classroom tool allows you to communicate in real-time with your class. It gives you more tools than are found in a Lightweight Chat session - you can draw on a whiteboard, create slides, browse the web with your class, and field questions and answers. The big difference between the Virtual Classroom and the Lightweight Chat Tool is that the Virtual Classroom gives you access to the Classroom Tools, while the Lightweight Chat contains only the chat tool.

1. If you already have a Virtual Classroom made, please continue. If not, go to our Create a Virtual Classrom tutorial.
2. Click on desired Content Areas (Syllabus, Materials, Assignments, Resources).
3. Using the dropdown Select box in the upper right-hand corner, choose Virtual Classroom then click Go.
   
4. Choose a Virtual Classroom to link to and click Next.
   
5. You may now give the Virtual Classroom a name, description, then click Submit.

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