Andy Bright

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Tips for using Collaborate

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Many people are now well up and running with using Collaborate for online teaching so here are a few additional tips and ideas for moving forward with your online teaching:

Before your session

You can schedule a session in Collaborate and send the link out in advance to your participants – remember you can’t enter the session or upload files until the start time so allow early entry in the settings to give yourself time to prepare.

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Send students the guest link to the session – this will effectively give them a short-cut to the session and make it easier to access. Tutors should access the session via the Blackboard module to ensure you have moderator permissions.

You can also send the guest link to external people such as guest lecturers – once the session has started you can then “promote” them to enable them to present.

Send a reminder an hour or so before the session is due to start with the guest link embedded again.

During the session

Remember to use the record function so your session is available for those who couldn’t attend.

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If you find the connection is poor turn off your webcam to save bandwidth. It’s also a good idea to ask students to turn off their cameras and microphones while you’re presenting to save bandwidth and prevent background noise. If students are having trouble hearing you they can dial in using a phone.

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If for any reason your session drops out – don’t panic! Make sure you close your browser down completely, then go back into the session again – if you don’t close the browser you may still be logged on in another window.

Breakout rooms are great for group work – here’s the Blackboard help on using breakout groups:

https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Moderator/Moderate_Sessions/Breakout_groups

Unfortunately the TEL Unit don’t have capacity to investigate individual student issues however our ‘Getting Started’ video can be found here:

https://vimeo.com/359000224

General help for students is provided by Blackboard here: 

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

After the session

Recordings won’t be available immediately after the session as they can take a while to process, however you can access your recordings from the burger menu on the top left hand side of the virtual classroom page.

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You can also access a register to see who attended the session and how long they were signed in for. From your sessions page change the filter to all previous sessions:

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Click on the button at the end of the session you want to access and choose “View reports”

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For more general guidance on remote working IT have produced this useful guide:

https://www2.worc.ac.uk/it/documents/Homeworking_Tips.pdf

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TEL Me More Programme Update

Leave a Comment / Conferences /

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On 24th March, the Technology Enhanced Learning Unit will be hosting their annual ‘TEL’ Me More seminar. Colleagues from across the University will be showcasing their own innovative uses of technology as part of their Learning and Teaching.

The event is a fantastic opportunity to network with colleagues from different areas of academia, share great ideas and learn some new skills. You do not need to be a techie to attend; an interest in new approaches to Teaching and learning is all that’s required.

The event runs from 11:00 – 14:00, with  lunch and refreshments provided.

Programme:

11.00 – Introduction

11.15 – Replacing paper Social Work Practice Documents with online PebblePad Workbooks

This presentation will look at how the use of paper documents for recording students’ achievements on placement has now been superseded with an online version, using the PebblePad software. PebblePad enables the student to record their work while on placement with the ability for tutors and other assessors; Practice Educator (PE) and Workplace Supervisor (WPS) to view and sign off their work securely online. Although a PE or WPS can change at relatively short notice, it is a quick, easy and secure process for the student to share their work with a new PE or WPS. 

11:45 – Mutual Benefits: The Potential of Disabled Foster Carers as Foster Carers

Disabled people are largely absent from the fostering workforce and, in partnership with Shaping Our Lives Disability Network and Foster Care Co-operative agency , Dr Peter Unwin was awarded Big Lottery  funding wanting to find out why this is the case.

The research found that disabled people are resilient, have many skills and are well able to empathise and support young people in need. Yet their potential is largely ignored by fostering agencies, despite Fostering Network estimating that there is currently a shortfall of some 8000 foster carers in the UK.

We worked with four pilot sites and several disabled foster carers but still find it challenging to get the wider world interested in what is a cultural change. Making the video with Gerry Beattie is intended as a ‘marketing’ vehicle to help bring about this much-needed change.

12.15 – Lunch

12.35 – Person-Centred Dementia Studies on Blackboard – Delivering a PG Cert at a Distance

The course is entirely delivered online via the Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment. Students engage with online lectures, videos, research literature and discussions to facilitate their independent study.  This course provides regular interactive learning opportunities via seminars in the Collaborate virtual classroom and engagement with students and tutors via unscheduled discussion forums.

13.05 – Session 4: TBC

13.35 – Networking & Discussion

13.50 – Conclusion

TEL Me More Programme Update Read More »

Using Collaborate for Remote Working

Leave a Comment / Blackboard, Collaborate, Uncategorized /

You will be aware of the Covid-19 situation and as a result you may be considering moving some of your learning and teaching online. To support this, you may be looking at using Blackboard Collaborate. The TEL Unit have compiled this guide for your use and consideration.

What is Collaborate?

\"BlackboardEach Blackboard module is pre-populated with the Collaborate Virtual Classroom tool. This appears as a link in the standard menu which is hidden by default. To activate this just click on the dropdown link at the side of the name and select “Show link”. This is now visible to your students and ready to use.

 

 

Collaborate enables you to share your slides and/or screen and communicate with your students using audio, video or a chat panel. Students can ask questions using the “hand raise” button.

 

Requirements for using Collaborate

  • A good Internet Connection
  • Laptop with built in mic/webcam, or a USB headset (if using a desktop PC), such as the Microsoft LiveChat LX – 3000
  • A recent version of either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox Browser

 Support

The TEL Team are scheduling additional workshops in order to meet demand. These can be found on the Staff Development Workshops web page and a place can be reserved via the booking system.

Additional Support Resources:

Collaborate Help Pages in University Blackboard Manual: https://lttu.uk/support/Blackboard/Manual/virtual-classroom.html

Blackboard’s own “Getting Started with Collaborate” video: https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Moderator/Get_Started

In-Situ help via the burger menu on the top left hand side of your Collaborate Classroom Panel where you can report an issue directly with Blackboard.

We have attached a “Holding Slide” with some instructions for the benefit of your students. You may wish to display this at the start of your Collaborate Session.

Using Collaborate for Remote Working Read More »

\’TEL\’ Me More 2020

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Save the date

On 24th March, the Technology Enhanced Learning Unit will be hosting their annual ‘TEL\’ Me More seminar. Colleagues from across the University will be showcasing their own innovative uses of technology as part of their Learning and Teaching.

The event is a fantastic opportunity to network with colleagues from different areas of academia, share great ideas and learn some new skills. You do not need to be a techie to attend; an interest in new approaches to Teaching and learning is all that\’s required.

The event runs from 11:00 – 14:00, with a free lunch and refreshments provided.

The full programme will follow but, if you don\’t want to miss out, sign up via the Staff Development Workshops page.

Last year\’s ‘TEL’ Me More event was the most successful so far. The TEL Unit hope that 2020 will be even better yet!

\’TEL\’ Me More 2020 Read More »

Worcester cathedral and the river Severn at dawn during a flood

Beat the floods with Collaborate

1 Comment / Blackboard, Collaborate /

It\’s a bit wet out, isn\’t it? Half the roads have been closed, the rest blocked with traffic jams and the Hive has had its own moat replete with a paddling (the collective noun – thank you Google) of ducks. Heavy rain again today may bring further disruption as the river levels rise once more.

Amid this chaos, staff across the university have been making use of Collaborate Virtual Classroom to deliver lectures and tutorials when they and/or their students are unable to make it onto campus. Collaborate can also be used to attend meetings when your physical presence is not possible.

\”Due to the floods, I used Collaborate to host an approval event. Seven colleagues in four different venues accessed Collaborate and we were all very impressed with the connectivity, video and sound quality. Much better than other alternatives that I have used in the past.\”

Catriona Robinson, College Director Learning, Teaching and Quality

Collaborate is a plugin on Blackboard and can be found in the left-hand menu of any module under Virtual Classroom. From here you can schedule a session, send invites to attendees, or use the generic course room for impromptu meetings.

All you need to operate collaborate is a laptop, pc or mobile device, a decent internet connection and, if you are the speaker, some form of microphone and a webcam, if desired. As with all TEL systems, users should ensure that they are accessing Collaborate via either Google Chrome or Firefox. Other browsers will not work.

For more information about using Collaborate, see our detailed guidance about the system.

If you have any questions or require additional suppoprt in using Collaborate, please contact us at TEL@worc.ac.uk.

Beat the floods with Collaborate Read More »

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Upcoming Workshops

1 Comment / Blackboard, Camtasia, Collaborate, Training, Turnitin /

Need to sharpen your skills on Blackboard? Maybe you would like to explore the advantages of marking in Turnitin or using Collaborate to facilitate remote learning? Or perhaps you would like to explore the functions of the Retention Centre to monitor student engagement and identify those who may be struggling.

The Technology Enhanced Learning Unit is running a series of workshops to help get you up and running. There will also be a session covering Vevox, the University\’s new polling software. The courses on offer are:

  • Vevox – find out how to use the university\’s new in-lecture polling system – 04/02/2020, EE1022
  • Camtasia – learn how to create your own video resources – 17/02/2020, EEG023, 10:15-11:45
  • Running an Online Session in Collaborate – explore remote learning using the Collaborate Virtual Classroom – 18/02/2020, online class, 10:00-11:15
  • Setting up and Using Turnitin – find out how to use Turnitin for online assessment and marking – 03/03/2020, EEG031, 10:30-12:00
  • Using Quizzes, Tests and Surveys in Blackboard – learn how to utilise Blackboard\’s extensive range of testing tools – 04/03/2020, EEG023, 09:45-11:15
  • Turnitin Peer Assessment – discover the pedagogical advantages of having students review the work of their peers – 18/03/2020, EEG031, 10:00-12:15
  • Designing Accessible Courses – find out how to ensure that your online content is accessible to all students – 25/03/2020, EEG031, 14:00-16:15
  • Tracking Student Engagement in Blackboard – use the retention centre to track how well your students are engaging and to identify problems before they arise – 23/03/2020, EEG023, 14:15-15:45
  • Advanced Turnitin – learn how to use rubrics and quick marks within Turnitin (you will need to be familiar with the basics of Turnitin beforehand) – 06/04/2020, EE1022 09:45-11:15

Please book places via the Staff Development Workshops page.

Upcoming Workshops Read More »

Bespoke Training

1 Comment / Blackboard, Camtasia, Collaborate, Training, Turnitin /

At the Technology Enhanced Learning unit we run a range of training workshops for academic staff. However, we understand that sometimes you might like to attend but can\’t make the particular time on offer. Sometimes you might need some training on an area not covered in our workshops.

If either of these apply to you, you are welcome to request one-to-one or small group training from one of our Academic Learning Technologists. This can cover topics from our workshops, or be tailored to your individual requirements. We also can arrange team-based workshops by request.

Systems that we support:

  • Blackboard
  • Turnitin
  • Pebblepad
  • Camtasia
  • Collaborate Virtual Classroom
  • Medial for video assessment

Topics that we can cover:

  • Learning design
  • Mobile and blended learning
  • Online assessment
  • Online accessibility

If you are interested, please email TEL@worc.ac.uk with details of your training needs and we will get back to you.

Bespoke Training Read More »

Join the TEL Ideas Exchange

1 Comment / Blackboard, Camtasia, Conferences, Training, Turnitin /

The TEL Ideas Exchange group brings together colleagues from all schools with an interest in technology enhanced learning to promote and disseminate best practice. After a very successful initial launch by invitation in May, we are are now extending the opportunity to all academic colleagues to participate in the group.

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Newsletters

There is another meeting coming up in November. If you are interested in taking part, please email TEL@worc.ac.uk and we will provide full details.

Join the TEL Ideas Exchange Read More »

cube puzzle

Sharing Turnitin Rubrics with Colleagues

1 Comment / Turnitin /

If you have used rubrics in Turnitin, you will know that they don\’t work in quite the same way as other files. This is most apparent when trying to access or use a rubric file uploaded by a colleague.

Some things to bear in mind:

  • Rubrics are linked to the user\’s account rather than to the module that they are uploaded to. Therefore, if two tutors have access to a module and one tutor uploads a rubric, the other tutor will not be able to edit the rubric file. To the second tutor it will be displayed as \’Other Instructor\’s Rubric\’.
  • However, all staff with tutor access will be able to access the rubric for marking – once uploaded, the rubric does not need to be re-shared.
  • Once a user has uploaded a rubric, it will forever be linked to their Blackboard account, ready for redeployment.

Staff commonly share rubrics that they have created by emailing the rubric (.rbc) files to colleagues. While this is perfectly acceptable practice, it can be problematic when the owner of the rubric is not available due to sickness, holiday, working commitments etc.

Therefore it is a good idea to set up a shared area where your team can store commonly used rubrics. This could be a folder on the O drive, or a shared folder in OneDrive. Find out how to use shared OneDrive folders.

Please note that it is not possible to open or edit .rbc files using standard applications. This must be done within the Rubric Manager on Turnitin.

More information about exporting and importing rubrics can be found in our Turnitin guide.

If you have any questions about the use of rubrics please contact the Technology Enhanced Learning Unit at tel@worc.ac.uk

Sharing Turnitin Rubrics with Colleagues Read More »

Footprint

Finding your Feet with Files

1 Comment / Blackboard /

Filing. I know. Snoozefest right? But getting to know the Files area on your Blackboard modules can be incredibly useful. Bear with me.

Locating the Files Area

The files area can be found in the side menu under Course Management. Click on Files and then on the module code (TEST2_BRIA1 in the image below).

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This will take you into the files area, which shows all uploaded documents and folders in a list. By clicking on any of the headings you can sort files by this criteria. Clicking once will sort in ascending order. Clicking twice will sort by descending order. This function is particularly useful for viewing all files of a certain type (e.g. identifying all of the PowerPoint files), or for locating the most recently edited or largest documents.

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Removing Unwanted Files

Each Blackboard course area is set up with a standard 500MB of storage space. It is a good idea to regularly audit the files stored on your course areas.

If you copy content over from year to year, you may end up storing files that you no longer need. You may be storing several older versions of the same document. You may even want to remove a particularly large file that is using up a lot of space and replace it with a compressed version.

This is a two step process however. First you need to remove the file from the relevant course area. If you do this, it will still remain stored on the module, taking up valuable space.

To remove files completely, you need to go to the Files area, select the unwanted files using the tick boxes and click Delete. Once you have confirmed the deletion, the file will be totally removed from the module.

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Be sure to perform both steps, as removing documents only from the files area will result in a broken link remaining in the content area.

Downloading Files

Often staff need to download some or all of the files from a Blackboard module. Luckily this is a simple thing to do.

  1. Go to the course files area
  2. Select the files that you require. Alternatively you can select all files by clicking the tickbox next to \’File Type\’.
  3. Select \’Download Package\’. This will download the files as a zipped folder.

From this area it is also possible to copy or move files, however, this is best to do from the content area. We will show you how to do this in our next post.

If you have any questions, please contact us at TEL@worc.ac.uk

Finding your Feet with Files Read More »