Features of Blackboard Collaborate

Every UHI module has a Collaborate room and you will to need to add it to your course menu. There is no need to book in advance just add the link to the module menu. The Collaborate room is permanently available 24/7 in every module. It is up to you as lecturers how you schedule access.

Blackboard Collaborate comprises three distinct areas: a media space, the session menu, and a Collaborate panel.

  • The media space is where the content of the session is displayed.
  • The session menu opens a collection of high level session actions and information. Open it using the session menu button at the top left of the screen.
  • The Collaborate panel is a single space to go to engage other participants with all the collaborate tools, such as ‘file sharing’ and ‘polling’. Open this panel by clicking on the Collaborate Panel icon.
screenshot showing the session menu button
For tutors:
For students:

The tutors will see the same basic features at the students but in addition, Collaborate ‘Moderators’ will have extra features.

The session menu

The session menu opens a collection of high level session actions and information. Open it using the Session menu button at the top left of the screen. Tools and features you use only once or twice during a session are conveniently grouped here:

Start recording
Start/stop recording
Use your phone for audio during a session
Report an issue with the session
Go to Blackboard Collaborate help on help.blackboard.com
Open the new user interface tour
Exit the session
Close the session menu

The session menu [click icons for descriptions]


The Collaborate panel

The Collaborate panel takes your session experience to the next level. You now have a single space to go to engage other participants with all the great collaborate tools.

Text chat with participants.
Participants panel - view network connection and control permissions for participants.
Share content - files, whiteboard and screens - with participants.
Share content - files, whiteboard and screens - with participants.
Close the collaborate panel.

In the Collaborate Participants Instant messaging side panel, moderators have control over the permission settings so that conversations can be public or anonymous.

student interface

This is the student interface with the session menu and the Collaborate panel open. The students do not have access to the moderator tools.

An instant messaging panel at the right hand side of the screen allows the students to reply to questions or comment on anything in the tutorial. It is also handy for taking a rollcall at the start of the session.

The hand raise icon: students press this if they wish to speak. This is so that students are not talking over each other. The use of this icon is one of the items that should be covered in the introduction to the students at the beginning of the session when you discuss ‘Etiquette’.


The video icon: this turns the video off and on. Ideally, in a tutorial situation this icon would be turned on so that you could see your students and the students could see you but this will depend on the size of the class and the bandwidth available. If there are problems with a poor bandwidth and a person’s image is pixelating, then it is better for them to turn off the video and keep to audio only. It is likely that if tutorials are more than 6-10 people, the bandwidth might be affected if they all have the video on.


The sound icon: this can be turned off and on. Remind the students to keep the sound off unless they are speaking.

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