Blackboard Faculty Announcements

We will be having a Bb User's Group meeting on August 22, 2007 from 12 to 1 PM. Only this user's group will be a bit different from the previous meeting you are used to. We are going to have this meeting via Wimba Live Classroom. For those who are unfamiliar with Wimba Live Classroom; it is virtual classroom software that combines state-of-the-art interactive technologies such as voice, application sharing, polling and use of a whiteboard. The tool is available from a Bb course or organization. Please note this session will not be about the tool but about the “Beginning of Semester Reminders.”

When: August 22, 2007
Topic: Bb Beginning of Semester Reminders, What's Old, New and Q&As
Location: Live from your own desktop using Live Classroom
Time: Noon-1pm
Presenter: Sheila Chandler, Manager, Learning Systems, Technology Services
Equipment needed: You need speakers or a headset attached to your computer to hear the presentation. If you would like to speak to the group you will need a microphone attached to your computer.

To participate do the following:

Continue reading "Bb User's Group meeting - August 22 - online via Live Classroom" »

Posted by at 3:36 PM | Permalink

(Email from Blackboard company- 8/2/07)

Webniar Announcement: The Blackboard Greenhouse Grant for Virtual Worlds

Are you interested in Second Life or other virtual worlds and how experiences in virtual worlds can transform teaching and learning? Are you a technically-minded person or developer interested in exploring and creating environments and opportunities within virtual worlds? If so, we’re interested in hearing from you!

Join us for a webinar on August 14 at noon (EDT) to learn more about the Grant Opportunity, suggestions for proposal submissions, and information about Blackboard’s perspective on the future of virtual worlds and their role in education.

Please Register for the webinar at https://blackboard.webex.com/blackboard/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=350046222

More information about the Blackboard Greenhouse Grant for Virtual Worlds:

Blackboard is looking for development teams who are interested in creating Building Blocks and Power Links that create meaningful connections between Blackboard Enterprise products and Virtual Worlds such as Second Life.

Blackboard is funding a single $25,000 (USD) grant for initiatives that promote the integration of virtual worlds into teaching and learning. We seek initiatives that will:

Enhance the student experience
Leverage existing teaching and learning strategies and best practices
Integrate virtual worlds and Blackboard Enterprise Software [1] through Blackboard Building Blocks™ and Blackboard PowerLinks™
Make results/output available to the Blackboard client community
The Greenhouse Grant for Virtual Worlds is open to faculty, staff and administrators of institutions currently licensing Blackboard solutions. Deadline is September 24, 2007.

Want more information? Please DOWNLOAD the official call for proposals now, and REGISTER for our webinar on August 14 to find out more about the opportunity.

Questions? Email us at communities@blackboard.com

If you are unable to see the links above, please use the following:

Download the CFP: http://connections.blackboard.com/webapps/cmsmain/webui/_xy-25402_1-tid_IxrcEIEr

Register for the webinar: https://blackboard.webex.com/blackboard/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=350046222

Posted by at 11:56 AM | Permalink

VCU Blackboard User's Group Featured Faculty Presenter: Judy Richardson, Professor Emerita, ESL liaison Date: February 22, 2007 (Thursday) Time: Noon to 1pm Location: Tompkins-McCaw Library, Room 2010 The goal of the Blackboard User’s Group is to present and share ideas. Toward this goal, the featured faculty presenter at the February 22 Bb User's Group will be Judy Richardson, Professor Emerita, ESL liaison, School of Education. She will show an archive of a LiveChat (if you don’t know what that means, please come and find out). She will also discuss how she conducts a search activity to demonstrate to her students how they will use Blackboard in her course. Please join us for the presentation and discussion. Future Topics and Dates: Featured Faculty Presenter: Michael Crouch, PharmD, BCPS (AQ Cardiology) Date: March 22, 2007 Time: Noon to 1pm Location: Cabell Library, Room B-35 Subject: Sneak Peek - New Version of Blackboard Date: April 26, 2007 Time: Noon to 1pm Location: Tompkins-McCaw Library, Room 2010 Subject: Exploring Merlot Presenter: Jeff Nugent, Associate Director, Center for Teaching Excellence Date: May 24, 2007 Time: Noon to 1pm Location: Cabell Library, Room B-35

Posted by at 9:13 AM | Permalink

Please note the next VCU Blackboard User’s group meeting will be held on-line using Horizon Wimba Live Classroom. The on-line session will be held on Thursday, October 26 from Noon to 1pm . The topic covered will be Wimba Voice Tools , which are currently incorporated in Blackboard, and will be lead by Mark Bevenour from Horizon Wimba. You may join the session from any computer that has access to the internet.

The LiveClassroom tool Mark will be using is currently being piloted by VCU, so your participation and feedback about the Live Classroom tool would also be appreciated. If you would like to know more about the VCU Virtual Classroom pilot project contact Jeff Nugent, Center for Teaching Excellent, at jsnugent@vcu.edu or 827-0838.

Following are the instructions for preparing your computer before the session and joining the session on Thursday, October 26 from Noon to 1pm.

================================================
PART 1 - Please PREPARE YOUR COMPUTER TODAY
================================================
You MUST take a few minutes to walk through the HorizonLive Wizard
before participating in the live event to ensure a seamless online
experience. Also, please have your "Pop Up Blocker" turned off.
You may run the wizard by clicking the following link:

http://208.185.32.74/wizard/launcher.cgi?wc=hm

If you require additional assistance at any time, please contact
HorizonLive technical support:

24x7 support@horizonwimba.com or 866.350.4978 (US & Canada)

=================================================
Part 2
=================================================
Your session is scheduled for Thursday 10/26 at NOON EST.

1.) Click on the Live Classroom link

http://208.185.32.74/launcher.cgi?room=mbdemo

2. When prompted, enter the following into the top half of the page:

ROOM ID: mbdemo(all lowercase)
NAME: Enter your name

This will bring you directly into the virtual classroom.

_____________________________________________

Next Month’s Blackboard User’s Group meeting:
Topic: LessonBuilder
Presenter: Sue Evans
Cabell Library B35
November 30, 2006, Noon to 1pm

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Posted by at 1:51 PM | Permalink