Getting Started with Blackboard Collaborate Ultra

Need to teach your course through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra?

There’s no need to worry. We have you covered with the most essential information to get started.

Review the information below to get you up and running with the basics about Collaborate Ultra. Then head to the HCT Faculty PD Dashboard to enroll in the Collaborate Online Classes (Basic) and Collaborate Online Classes (Advanced) courses.

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Technical Aspects to Keep in Mind

Only use Chrome or Firefox to deliver lessons on Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.

Students can use Chrome, Firefox or the Blackboard Student app to join the session.

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The Interface

Watch the video below to get a short introduction to the user interface of Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.

https://youtu.be/a7Daj_u7l0w

Create a Collaborate Ultra Link

Your students won’t be able to access Collaborate Ultra unless you give them access to the tool. Create a link to Collaborate Ultra in the Menu Area and name it Collaborate (Online Session). This will give both you and your students access to Collaborate Ultra in your course.

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Create a Session

Your Blackboard course has a Collaborate Course Room that you can use to host online classes, however, if there are multiple instructors in one course, you may want to create individual sessions for your students to join.

Click on the Collaborate (Online Sessions) link in your Blackboard course, then click on Create Session.

Enter the name, date, times of your session and adjust your session settings (see below for help), then click save.

Note: if you only want your students to access the session you schedule, then it’s a good idea to lock the course room.

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Session Settings

Learn about the Session Settings in the video below

Note: it is best to turn OFF allow participants to share video and turn ON Participants can only chat privately with moderator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-R6kmVI44U

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Attendee Management

Learn how to manage your students in a session. For example, you may want to mute all your students at one time rather one-by-one. You can also give one your students the presenter role so that they can share a file with the rest of the class. This is great for online presentation work or if you want your students to share completed homework with the other participants.

youtube.com/watch?v=0CZebYY_IQQ

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Share PowerPoint Files

Learn how to share your PowerPoint files with your students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H3R-E_pgEY

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Polling your Students

You always want to create an interactive environment. The chat room can help with that, but sometimes you want to keep your students response anonymous, this is when the poll feature should be used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK7390n-VN0