Blackboard Collaborate

ARCHER Virtual Tutorial and Technical Forum sessions are broadcast using Blackboard Collaborate, a web conference system featuring video, audio, slidesharing, chat, etc. You can use Collaborate from a desktop or laptop computer or from a tablet or smartphone.

How to Join a Collaborate Session

From July 2016 we are now using BlackBoard Collaborate Ultra. This version no longer requires software to be pre-installed - it simply needs your browser, or mobile app.

Windows / OS X / Linux

Chrome is strongly recommended as the preferred browser, but most modern browsers will work for joining a session as a participant. Details about supported browsers can be found on the Blackboard website.

There is a Session Preparation & Checklist page which you may find useful.

Android or iOS

Collaborate is available on mobile devices (tablets, smartphones) running iOS or Android using the Bb Student app.

Session Presenters

Only Chrome supports Application Sharing so you are strongly advised to use Chrome when presenting a session.
Firefox is able to use Share Files but this does not allow interactivity or animation within a powerpoint and will not allow you to share e.g. a Terminal window.

We have produced a 'Guide to presenting a Webinar via BlackBoard Collaborate' to help presenters get started.

There is also a video walk-through

BlackBoard's own guide to Sharing content is also very good and provides even more detail.

We would encourage anyone who has not presented before, or would like a refresher, to ask us for a quick demo-session a few days before the presentation day.