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Class Collaborate Ultra - Instructor Quickstart Guide
Below is a quick guide for NDSU instructors on Class Collaborate Ultra which includes frequently asked questions.
Instructor View
Student View
About Class Collaborate
Class Collaborate is a real-time web conferencing tool that lets you add files, share applications, and use a virtual whiteboard to interact. Collaborate with the Ultra experience opens right in your browser, so you don't have to install any software to join a session. Users are recommended to use Google Chrome for their browser. Browsers that do not yet support WebRTC will receive audio, video and application sharing using Flash.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Instructors access Class Collaborate Ultra?
- In Blackboard Learn, Class Collaborate Ultra is found in the TOOLS area
- Through a moderator or guest link provided by the session creator
How do students access Class Collaborate Ultra within their course?
- In Blackboard Learn, Class Collaborate Ultra is found in the Tools area
Enter Course Room
In your Blackboard course, go to Tools, click on Class Collaborate Ultra and Course Room. On the left you will have some course room settings to select. If you want to allow students to download future recordings, choose that setting now. You will notice there is a Guest link, and you can give this to a guest lecturer to join your virtual class. Click SAVE.
When you click back in the Course Room, click Join Course Room.
Create a Session & Enter the Session
In your Blackboard course, go to Tools, click on Class Collaborate Ultra and Create Session. On the left you have some course session settings to select. If you want to allow students to download future recordings, choose that setting now. Click SAVE.
A unique link (guest link) is created for each session you create. You can copy this and send to a guest lecturer to join your virtual class. To the right of the session name, right click on the circle with 3 dots (session options), to copy the guest link. You can also find the link in your session.
When you click back in the Session click Join Session.
Dashboard settings at the bottom middle include:
- My Status and Settings (silhouette icon)
- Audio or video preferences or troubleshoots issues
- Click the microphone icon to toggle your audio on or off
- Click the camera icon to toggle your video on or off
- Use the hand icon to raise your hand in a session
Open Session Menu
In the top let corner open the session menu.
This is where you will start your recording.
Collaborate Panel
In the bottom right hand corner open the Collaborate Panel. ***In the My Settings click the set up your camera and audio (especially the audio portion) before you start your session and have participants do the same.*****
Go through the My Settings and choose the settings for your session.
Share Content
- Open the application you wish to share prior to sharing.
- Click the Share Content icon shown right.
- Choose the type of content you wish to display and follow the on-screen prompt to select the file or application from your computer. Note: Presenters sharing for the first time may need to download an application. This is a quick, one time, download.
- While presenting – use the Annotation Tools in the upper left corner of the screen or View Controls.
Annotation Tools
You may have to exit the SMART Ink software when using the annotation tools of Class Collaborate Ultra on the whiteboard tool in order to have your annotations show up for your remote students. You can exit the software by simply clicking on the software icon and dragging it off the screen. See the article on SMART Panels for more information.
View Controls
Polling
Polling allows you to ask yes/no questions or up to 5 response choices. You will need to prepare the question and possible choices on either a PPT slide or the white board. See Resources at the end of this document for more helpful information.
- Access the polling feature from Share Content.
- Select poll type – number of choices.
- Click Start.
- Click Stop Sharing to close the file or application
Exit the Session
- Click the exit icon (Leave Session) in the upper left corner of the screen.
- If you click on the icon by mistake, click Oops, take me back icon to return to the session.
How to Find the Class Collaborate Recordings
First, you will open Blackboard and go to the course you want to find the recording for and along the left side you will click tools.
Then look for the link titled “Class Collaborate Ultra” and click that.
Then click on the three lines and switch your view from sessions to recordings.
Look for the recording you want and click the three dotes in a circle on the right on the recording you want. There, you will see options to watch or download the recording (if the instructor has allowed for downloading).
Resources
- For a quick overview click here to watch a virtual tour.
- More information can be found at Class Collaborate Ultra
- Download link for the PDF version of this page