TED5110 - ABOUT THE BLACKBOARD VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

The Blackboard (BB) Virtual classroom (VC). The BBVC is an on-line SYNCHRONOUS communications tool, similar to other chatrooms available, but within the context of Blackboard. Although we use the BBVC here, keep in mind that there can always can be newer, better (synchronous and asynchronous, perhaps portable, tracking users, etc.) remote communication tools springing up on the Internet.

The BBVC window contains 4 major areas of functionality. Please take a minute to recognize each one:

• The Witeboard Canvas - Center-right - Starts blank
• The General tools pull-down menu - Top
• The Specific tools area - Left side - Map (BB info), Whiteboard (tools), Group browser (sharing URL on canvas), and the asynchronous Question editing, and Question Inbox holding options. When answerd, these questions and answers go into the synchronous stream log.
• The dialog entry (where YOU enter your comments) and the Log window lists exchanges in sequential time order, and records them, when requested - Bottom right

We will begin by using the "Compose" (dialog entry) window below to hear from each other.

We will first look at a URL page with class-related information ( http://www.animath.net/TED5110-at-assessment-thefuture.html ) and then we will comment on what we saw.

Other interesting links: CISCO Telepresence, and the virtual classroom. How, when could these tools be integrated into potentially useful lessons?

GOOD LUCK TO US, and hopefully we do not find too many red lights ahead .

Thank you for joining.