It is your responsibility to use a browser and a device that are compatible with Blackboard for all of your exercises, quizzes, and exams in this class. Humber recommends that you do coursework on a computer (rather than a tablet or your phone) and that you use the Chrome web browser for accessing the Blackboard site.
The advice below takes you through how to configure Chrome so that it will work best with all of Blackboard's tools and especially the Colloborate component for synchronous remote sessions (which will not be offered in this course except for a few intro and review session).
Chrome works best with Collaborate Ultra if you tweak some of its privacy and security settings. Don’t be alarmed. These settings will if anything make your browsing more secure.
You can watch a video to show you through the steps below at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkts6IX_CfU (you may recognize the voiceover artist; such soothing tones ,-)
1. Go into the Blackboard site.
2. Click the **COLLABORATE** link (near the top of the sidebar in my courses)
3. After the Collaborate Ultra app loads you should see a session you can join. Click to join it.
You may also have to click the Join Session bar. If you don't see it, try clicking on the three dots in a circle (settings) at the right.
IMPORTANT - As I understand it, in order to be able to hear the presentation, me, and other students, you need to allow access to your microphone when joining the session. If you want to be able to see me live in the video thumbnail, you may also need to give access to your video camera. Your session should start with these muted automatically, and you can mute them manually at any time, but the app needs to be granted access even if you never intend to speak. I can't turn on your video from my end (cover your camera with something if you are concerned) and I believe you will have to unmute yourself if you want to speak.
If you cannot hear anything make sure that your microphone is enabled in your settings. If that doesn’t fix it, try logging out and coming back in and be sure to enable your microphone when you do. I won’t be able to help you from my end if you are having problems with this.
You will be less likely to have problems if you can use a computer (rather than your phone, for example) and install and configure Chrome as explained above.
Once you have joined the session, there are a few fairly intuitive tools and settings you can explore. For instance, in the right-hand sidebar you can click on the settings icon and you can add a photo to your profile.
A few brief words about using Collaborate
Collaborate Ultra is a fairly intuitive web-based video conferencing platform. Every time I log in it offers to show me tutorials, which I skip. As a student, you should see a large main panel that shows people’s video feeds or whatever I am sharing with you (typically a PowerPoint presentation).
On the right hand side is a slide-out panel. If it is not open, you can click the arrow button to open it up.
This panel has four tabs: chat, participants, share, and settings:
The tab allows you to text chat with the class or with an individual participant. The participants tab shows who is logged in. The share tab may be greyed out or non-functional for you unless I make you a moderator. The settings tab allows you to configure your microphone and camera, to add a profile picture, and few other things.
At the bottom of the main viewing area are some buttons.
You can mute or unmute your microphone, turn your camera on or off, and “raise your hand.” When you click the raise your hand button, we hear an alert sound and I see your request to speak. I can then call on you and you can unmute your microphone and speak.
When you want to leave the session you click the button at the top left.
This slides out a left-hand panel, and at the bottom is a “Leave Session” button.
There is a bit more information here:
http://www.humberonline.ca/blackboard-help-blackboard-collaborate-ultra
https://sites.google.com/view/studentlearningkit/home