Collaboration > The Virtual Classroom

The Virtual Classroom is a "real-time" collaboration environment that allows for chats, collaborative webbrowsing, breakout groups, private chat, question/answer interfaces, and a host of other collaborative exercises to be conducted on-line via the Blackboard learning management system.

In order to conduct an ad-hoc (unscheduled) Virtual Classroom session all users need to be logged on simultaneously. To begin participating in a Virtual Classroom session login to your site and click on "Control Panel>Collaboration".

You will see an option labeled "Virtual Classroom" along with a button labeled "Join". Click join to begin participating.

**Please note, you may need to download a newer version of java in order for this utility to function. You will be prompted if this is necessary. An accessible version of this tool is available for use with screen readers.

To Create a Series of Collaboration Sessions browse back to the "Control Panel>Collaboration" index and click on the button labeled 'Create Collaboration Session'.

Specify a name for this session and assign a date and time for the session to begin and end, set the collaboration session availability, and then choose the tool that you wish to use (Virtual Classroom or Lightweight Chat). For more information on Lightweight Chat please review the Lightweight Chat pages.

When you have finished click on the button labeled "Submit" and you will receive a receipt confirming that you have created a collaboration session successfully.

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Related FAQ's

Q: How are other instructors using this?

We have heard that instructors of blended (face-to-face and on-line) courses are using this tool for "virtual office hours".

Q: Does the Virtual Classroom tool support voice over IP?

No.

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