Collaboration: Chat vs. Virtual Classroom
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Blackboard Learn provides a real-time communication tool called Collaboration. You can
"chat" with your professor and fellow students during a
scheduled time period. This form of conversation is also called "synchronized" communication, meaning people, from different locations, log on at the same time to conduct a "virtual conversation".
In "default", you can access Collaboration by clicking on Tools in the Course Menu and select Collaboration. There are two types of Collaboration, Chat and Virtual Classroom.
In a Chat room, you can type instant messages -in text format and "chat" with people who are in the same room. To leave the room, close the current room window. If you would like to go back to the same room or a different room, click on OK to see the list of rooms in the Collaboration page. Click on a room title to enter.
In a Virtual Classroom, a white board is added. You can use simple drawing tools to write on the board. In addition, you can use Map to display course content. For example, you can show a page, a file, or a discussion board. A Virtual Classroom provides more features than a simple text-based Chat room.
Your
professor may create a Virtual Classroom or a Chat room for students to use. Your professor is able to record the conversation in Chat or Virtual Classroom and share with the class at a later time.