http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/ en mwasowski@wimba.com Copyright 2011 2011-03-31T14:16:21-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/k_12_teacher_explains_what_a_virtual_classroom_really_looks_like/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/k_12_teacher_explains_what_a_virtual_classroom_really_looks_like/#When:13:16:21Z To reach the original blog posting by Lucy Hammel, click hereby Lucky HammelWhen I tell people that I am a teacher, or more specifically, an online teacher, I am often asked, “What does that look like?” or “How does that work?”Most people, teachers included, have a difficult time imagining how a teacher interacts with his or her students in cyber space. Three years ago, I too had trouble envisioning this process. Today, however, planning and teaching an online session feels as natural as being in any physical classroom.  Any good lesson includes the following essential elements: focus, activation, mini-lesson, guided learning, extension, and assessment. These essential elements are still essential in the virtual classroom. So, what does it look like? It looks like this:At 12:00, I log into my online Elluminate classroom. I upload my PowerPoint so that it appears on the whiteboard. The first slide is a welcome slide that includes my name, photo, the course name, and the main objective for the day’s lesson, along with some decorative accents to create a welcoming atmosphere. This is how I make my students feel welcome and provide the overall focus for the lesson.At 12:30, I share a YouTube video of movie trailer for A Separate Peace.  Now I’ve got their attention. “Did that boy just push his friend out of that tree?” one student types in the chat area. Another writes, “Whoa, this looks intense. I’ve got to read this!”After briefly posting a reminder of classroom expectations, I share the next slide on my PowerPoint:After posing each statement, students display a checkmark if they agree or an “x” if they disagree, and they type their responses and thoughts in the chat area. Some students use the microphone to share their opinions, and we have a full classroom discussion going.Remember that student in the physical classroom who would never say more than two words in a group discussion? He just typed several sentences in the chat area! Every student is actively engaged and participating in one form or another.At 12:40 I begin the mini-lesson, which involves a few minutes of direct instruction. Using the web tour feature in Elluminate, I share the following introduction and background information for the novel.At 12:50 I provide an extension for the session by sharing an extra credit web quest assignment. Since there is a vocabulary test tomorrow, I provide an informal assessment:After giving students whiteboard privileges that allow them to use the highlighting tool, I give a definition, and students locate and highlight the word in the Wordle.Most students are not familiar with the word “potable” and they think it is difficult to remember, so I tell them a funny story about my daughters learning the meaning of the word “potable” when we visited my parents in Florida last summer.At my father’s softball field, they almost drank water from sprinklers that they danced in to cool themselves. Just as one of my daughters opened her mouth to collect the refreshing droplets, one of my father’s teammates cautioned, “Don’t drink that – the water isn’t potable!” The unpleasant smell of sewage was a reminder not to assume that any water is potable. The students chuckle about this and declare that they will never drink water from a sprinkler again. The class correctly identifies all of the vocabulary words, and we share a virtual round of applause.Finally, to close the session, I push out a five-question quiz that I created in Elluminate to assess students’ understanding of the novel themes, setting and background. The quiz results are scored automatically and appear in my view immediately. I know immediately which students grasped the concepts and which ones did not. Students are dismissed upon completion of the quiz.Following the session, I remain in my room for office hours, where students can ask questions and receive one-on-one help.So, what does the virtual classroom look like?It looks like a place where teachers are facilitators and students are actively engaged and interacting with one another - a place where students are comfortable and safe and still challenged to learn. The virtual classroom is a place where relationships are formed, and where no one is judged by a name brand or a hair style. 2011-03-31T13:16:21-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/university_of_georgia_uses_bb_collaborate_to_connect_students_with_experts_/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/university_of_georgia_uses_bb_collaborate_to_connect_students_with_experts_/#When:13:12:17Z To read the original press release by the University of Georgia Office of the Chief Information Officer and Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS), click here Online program in food technology connects students with experts worldwideATHENS, Ga.— After a day in the food industry, perhaps as a food inspector, you get home in plenty of time to prepare for your evening class. Tonight you will be hearing a lecture from a food technology expert in England, or maybe China … and you are in Atlanta, GA. A few steps to your computer, a few clicks of the mouse, and the lecture begins.Thanks to Dr. Aaron Brody, author of nine books on food packaging and new product development and an adjunct professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, your lecture has been arranged using the online teaching tool Wimba Classroom.“We naturally drifted toward on online program for the Master in Food Technology a few years ago,” said Brody. “Our students are professionals in the food industry who wish to increase their knowledge of food technology while employed and an online teaching environment accommodates these students very well.”The Master in Food Technology (MFT) at UGA is an online degree program consisting of 30 hours of course work. The objective of the MFT degree is to provide advanced training for anyone seeking to upgrade their food science knowledge.MFT students are typically working professionals who will gain timely, up-to-date knowledge on current techniques and instrumentation, as well as current issues dealing with regulation, food safety, HAACP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point), etc.The MFT program is in the Department of Food Science and Technology. Dr. Louise Wicker coordinates the program and also teaches courses.“With Wimba Classroom we are able to bring in experts from around the world to enhance the coursework,” said Brody. “These experts provide a wealth of up-to-date material from their real-world experiences.”Wimba Classroom (http://wimba.uga.edu) is a flexible, web-based tool for conducting live online classes that can be archived and viewed at a later time. It is used at the University of Georgia for online instruction, often in conjunction with eLearning Commons (UGA’s primary Learning Management System).“Students interact with the lecturers and instructors either by typing or speaking,” said Brody. “There is typically a lot of discussion, so having multiple ways for students to ask questions is very useful.”Dr. Brody relies on EITS technical expertise to make sure things go as smoothly as possible.Robert Ethier, an IT professional principal, is Dr. Brody’s primary technical contact.“I provide instruction for outside lecturers and others who might not be familiar with Wimba Classroom. I sometimes sit in on classes to make sure that things go well,” said Ethier.The annual conference of the Research Chefs Association at the World Congress Center in Atlanta on March 5 afforded Dr. Brody a special treat. Three of his Atlanta students attended the conference and met with Dr. Brody.“It was very exciting to meet these students. After all of our online interactions, it was a real joy to have a face-to-face conversation,” said Brody.About the Office of the CIO and EITSThe Office of the Chief Information Officer and Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) are committed to the mission of UGA as a land-grant and-sea-grant institution where academics come first and the research extensive university community encourages research efforts at the undergraduate and graduate levels. To that end, under the direction of the University´s Chief Information Officer, EITS endeavors to provide a robust, reliable, and secure information technology infrastructure, maintain essential production services, and offer world-class support. For more information, see: 2011-03-31T13:12:17-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/friday_march_11_is_deadline_for_call_for_presentations_for_connections_summ/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/friday_march_11_is_deadline_for_call_for_presentations_for_connections_summ/#When:13:08:36Z The deadline for the Call For Presentations for Blackboard Collaborate Connections Summit 2011 is Friday March 11.  Submit your presentation proposals here:  http://www.connections-summit.blackboard.com/2011/content.asp?id=1898 2011-03-04T13:08:36-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_helps_keep_learning_going_despite_weather_events_school_closures/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_helps_keep_learning_going_despite_weather_events_school_closures/#When:12:53:00Z WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/—Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) is helping schools keep teaching and learning going despite weather and pandemic events with collaboration solutions that have kept instructors and learners in touch through school delays and closures. By relying on Blackboard Collaborate(TM) solutions for real time collaboration, conferencing, messaging and more, schools have provided a unified learning experience that keeps communities connected and allows instruction to continue.As school communities grapple with delays, cancellations and closures forced by winter weather or other unforeseen events, a growing number of institutions have turned to Blackboard Collaborate solutions to maintain a high-quality academic experience online.“When a recent snow storm hit, we found that using Blackboard Collaborate solutions was an excellent alternative to canceling face-to-face classes, said Joel Ottenbriet, Assistant Professor and Academic Advisor at Spring Arbor University. “There are multiple ways to generate student interaction and provide variety to my lectures, including chat and polling features, the white board and groups for peer to peer discussions.”As part of Blackboard Collaborate, Elluminate and Wimba are the leading education focused Web, video and audio conferencing technologies used by thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations worldwide. Both solutions are often used independently or are integrated with Blackboard’s learning management platforms and other open source and commercial course management systems.“When flooding forced Valley City State University to close down with just weeks remaining in the semester, Blackboard Collaborate solutions helped us salvage the term by allowing students and instructors to continue their coursework remotely,” said Jerry Rostad, director, Advanced Learning Technologies, North Dakota University System. “With Classroom and Pronto, instructors were able to connect with the scattered students, continue classroom discussion and administer the remaining exams and assignments.”“The business of teaching and learning is too important to stop because of weather and other events,” said Maurice Heiblum, President of Blackboard Collaborate. “Education collaboration solutions save time and money year-round, but it’s during these times when we see multiple disruptions due to snow and other weather delays and events that institutions understand the significant value these solutions can bring.”Blackboard Collaborate tools are also helping institutions prepare for events and communicate necessary information to dispersed communities. One of Canada’s top research universities, Dalhousie University uses Blackboard Collaborate so students can attend interactive classes and other events online. The university made the technology available to Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer to update 150 members of the province’s medical community about an outbreak of the H1N1 virus.“Blackboard Collaborate was the only technology that could ramp up almost immediately and be easily accessible by every physician in the province,” said Phil O’Hara, Assistant Director of Academic Computing Services at Dalhousie. To learn more about the only collaboration platform designed for education, visit us at www.blackboard.com/collaborate or contact us at bbcollaborateinfo@blackboard.com.About Blackboard Inc.Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day. Blackboard’s solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations to extend teaching and learning online, facilitate campus commerce and security, and communicate more effectively with their communities. Founded in 1997, Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Blackboard and other statements containing the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “will,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of ourForm 10-Q filed on November 5, 2010 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of February 15, 2011. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to February 15, 2011. 2011-02-15T12:53:00-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/registration_now_open_for_blackboard_collaborate_connections_summit_2011/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/registration_now_open_for_blackboard_collaborate_connections_summit_2011/#When:14:39:08Z Registration is now open for the Blackboard Collaborate™ Connections Summit 2011, our first-ever combined Wimba and Elluminate user conference. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with your fellow Collaborati, share best practices, attend informative sessions, and learn more about our next-generation collaboration solution for education.  Register here.Register before April 30 and save!    * Wimba or Elluminate user conference alumni: $449 ($499 after April 30)    * New attendees: $499 ($529 after April 30)    * Accepted presenters: $299Attend pre-conference workshops    * 6-hour workshops: $299    * 3-hour workshops: $199    * 1-hour new product preview: $50 Call for Presentations: Presentation proposals are due by March 11. Submit your proposal NOW! 2011-02-11T14:39:08-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_launches_coursesites_a_free_fully_hosted_online_course_system_fo/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_launches_coursesites_a_free_fully_hosted_online_course_system_fo/#When:15:13:50Z WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/—Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) today announced the launch of CourseSites by Blackboard, a free, fully hosted and supported online course system featuring the Company’s latest teaching and learning technologies. The offering gives individual K-12 and higher education instructors an innovative, high quality cloud-based option to host online courses or add a Web-based component to traditional ones.The simple, easy to use system gives educators greater choice and flexibility for online courses in a system with cutting edge features that encourage experimentation. CourseSites is designed to support instructors who may not have access to a learning management system at their institution or school, or who may have access to an older platform system from Blackboard or a competing course management provider. There is no license fee, no hosting fee and no additional setup required for instructors to get started.“We want to reduce all barriers, whether technical, financial or administrative, to getting our best technologies into the hands of educators new to online learning products or unfamiliar with our latest offerings,” said Ray Henderson, President of Blackboard Learn. “We’re investing with a belief that CourseSites can become the most accessible option for introducing new educators to online instruction in the market.”CourseSites presents an option for instructors looking to preview and test Blackboard’s teaching and learning software before their institution makes a purchasing decision. It can also serve as a production-quality teaching and learning pilot environment for instructors at institutions preparing to upgrade their implementation of Blackboard Learn(TM).“We heard from many individual instructors whose schools had not yet purchased a learning management system that they felt their only choice was to download an open source product,” said Lara Oerter, Vice President of Blackboard Strategy. “But the challenges of learning how to technically install and manage an open source product on your own server are significant. With CourseSites we are removing those technical barriers since the set up and hosting are all provided by Blackboard for free.”Based on Blackboard Learn, Release 9.1 - the Company’s newest platform for teaching and learning - CourseSites features a range of social learning tools and Web 2.0 functionality. The system also features integrated technologies from Blackboard partners and platform offerings that will be expanded over time, including Blackboard Collaborate(TM) instant messaging, live collaboration, conferencing and voice tools; assessment, self-assessment and locked browser tools from Respondus, Inc.; and content authoring tools from SoftChalk LLC.CourseSites also features a range of innovative, instructor-focused features including dedicated homepages and URLs for instructors, templates to guide course development, themes to allow instructors to customize the look and feel of their courses and the ability to login using credentials from popular Web sites like Facebook and Twitter. In addition to being fully hosted and offering live support for users, CourseSites comes with a complement of training resources and course development resources and tools.“CourseSites opens up so many possibilities with a host of new educational tools and communication vehicles,” saidLou Tharp, an instructor at Long Beach City College that has been using an early release version of the system. “I taught in the traditional classroom for over 30 years and truly believe that my online course enables me to teach even more effectively. I am more available than I was before, since students can contact me at any hour in any part of the world.”For more information about CourseSites, please visit: http://www.coursesites.com.About Blackboard Inc.Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day. Blackboard’s solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations to extend teaching and learning online, facilitate campus commerce and security, and communicate more effectively with their communities. Founded in 1997, Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Blackboard and other statements containing the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “will,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of ourForm 10-Q filed on November 5, 2010 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of February 10, 2011. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to February 10, 2011. 2011-02-10T15:13:50-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_collaborate_pervasive_throughout_nj_institute_of_technology/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_collaborate_pervasive_throughout_nj_institute_of_technology/#When:14:39:12Z To read the original article in The Vector, click hereBy Jamil WilkinsNJIT is bringing its hybrid classes to life with the Wimba desktop video conferencing application. Compared to basic Moodle forums, where conversations are shared over time,“Wimba provides real time communication with people in various locations,” said Bill Duelly, Associate Director of Digital Media Services.Since its pilot run in 2008, when NJIT only had a single room application, Wimba now has multiple virtual rooms for more online lectures. Wimba is great for hybrid courses.Professors such as Geraldine Milano have given Wimba a try and has stated, “I always like trying something new,” said Milano.Milano used Wimba in her MECH 234 (Statistics) course in 2009 and MECH 235 (Dynamics) course in 2010.Wimba allowed her to record lectures and post them to iTunes. Milano’s class of 38 students appreciated the combination of Wimba and iTunes, since it gave them easy access to playing back recorded lectures.Another feature of Wimba that Milano enjoyed was the desktop sharing application option that allowed her to pull up documents, about the material being taught, onto the screen for the students to read. Although instructor comments were difficult for students to read while viewing the desktop files, the reviving aspect of Wimba allowed the students to chat with each other and clarify any issues.Wimba uses voice and video that make it similar to a live classroom. For example, students can raise their hands and see each other as they would in an actual classroom. Communication and Media junior, Angel Cruz, appreciated the in-class features when he took his English 333 (Cybertext) course. “I like the hand up system,” he said.The system helps to alert the instructor when a student has a question or is experiencing technical difficulties.According to Duelly, Wimba is best used with a webcam and tablet PC. The Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment uses Wimba for math tutoring, where students can use the tablet to draw problems on computer whiteboards that enable students on the receiving end to see them being worked out.There were 30 Wimba rooms in use in October 2009, which increased to 50 rooms in October 2010. As Wimba grows, instructors are aiming for new ways to use it and have more student participation.Milano, for example, not only wants more faculty members to learn about Wimba and use it, but she’s interested in using it for the Fundamentals of Engineering Review. An application such as Wimba would make studying for an engineering exam more convenient and less challenging. 2011-02-02T14:39:12-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_collaborate_utilized_for_snow_days/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/blackboard_collaborate_utilized_for_snow_days/#When:15:02:38Z To view the original article in The Triangle, click hereby the Editorial Board of The TriangleAnother day in the Northeast during winter, another day of being pummeled by snow - we just can’t seem to make it to class during winter term. But perhaps all the blame for missed classes on snowy days shouldn’t be placed solely on us, the students.The majority of Drexel students are commuters - whether that entails driving in from the suburbs, jumping on SEPTA, or walking through West Philly to get to campus. This in itself can be problematic for students when attending class in the snow. Is there a way to really know if the day’s lecture is worth risking wrecking your car or sliding off the road on the I-76? Will recitation be worth slipping on ice on dangerously uncleared sidewalks? What’s a student to do when a road is closed, the buses aren’t running, their car is stuck or the snow knocked their power off and their alarm clock never rang?None of these problems are the fault of Drexel, nor can Drexel control them. That’s why winter term has special implications for professors. If the University isn’t going to close the entire campus in the face of harsh conditions, a professor can still cancel his or her class.Let’s remember, campus itself may be plowed, but that doesn’t mean commuters who live in Delaware or New Jersey have such clean pathways. And if the professor does cancel class, he or she needs to make the announcement with a reasonable window of warning. Nothing is more annoying than getting out of bed and doing a hour-long tightrope walk on ice to get from the suburbs to campus only to find out the professor sent an e-mail cancelling class 10 minutes earlier.We live in 2011, a time when technology is our friend; let’s use even the most basic digital tools such as e-mail to get missed homework assignments and class notes when we can’t make it. Drexel also offers resources such as BB Vista and Wimba Live Classroom that help bring the classroom online, which can keep a class from falling behind schedule. This is particularly applicable to evening classes, which were canceled for snow on Jan. 26 - classes that meet just once a week are put significantly further behind than most by a single cancellation. There is no reason that learning has to take place in a classroom during a dangerous winter storm. Professors can not afford to be Luddites in 21st century teaching.During winter term, professors should increase the number of classes a student can miss without penalty to their participation grade - we’ve already had a few days of horrible weather this term and expect at least a few more (unless the groundhog by some miracle doesn’t see his shadow this Feb. 2). More importantly, we don’t want to hear of professors chastising students for being late when the weather is so bad. And remember, even if the University is open, a professor can always cancel class at their own discretion. 2011-01-28T15:02:38-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/announcing_call_for_presentations_for_blackboard_collaborate_connections_su/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/announcing_call_for_presentations_for_blackboard_collaborate_connections_su/#When:16:01:22Z The Call for Presentations is now open for our first annual Blackboard Collaborate Connections Summit 2011!Put your institution in the spotlight! Share your experience, expertise, and examples at the 2011 Blackboard Collaborate Connections Summit, our first-ever combined Wimba and Elluminate user conference. Customers representing all academic disciplines and departments are welcome to submit proposals for concurrent session presentations. Potential Topics:    * Comprehensive use of Blackboard Collaborate for instruction, help, and meetings    * Adoption, implementation, and faculty training    * Newest uses of Elluminate Live!® V10, Wimba Classroom™ V6.1, Wimba Pronto™, and Wimba Voice™    *  Lecture capture via MP4, MP3, high-resolution archives, and more    * Non-instructional uses of Blackboard Collaborate    * Best practices and/or tips and tricks    * Lessons learned    * Effective instructional and/or curriculum designDon’t wait. Proposals are due by March 11. Submit your proposal NOW here!  (http://www.connections-summit.blackboard.com/2011/content.asp?id=1898)Online registration opens soon. 2011-01-21T16:01:22-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/the_pulse_rod_murrays_e_learning_tech_podcast_features_bb_collaborates_matt/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/the_pulse_rod_murrays_e_learning_tech_podcast_features_bb_collaborates_matt/#When:13:14:54Z Listen to the podcast (16 minutes) here: http://rod4jefferson.blogspot.com/2011/01/rpp-88-wimba-and-elluminate.html 2011-01-06T13:14:54-05:00