Collaborate Ultra - Creating a Collaborate Session

Creating a Session

In your course, open Collaborate Ultra. This may be labeled as 'Collaborate', 'Collaborate Ultra', or 'Blackboard Collaborate'.

If Collaborate Ultra is not enabled in your course or you cannot find it, reach out to onlineedsupport@usa.edu to request that it be added to your course.

2. Select 'Create Session'

Configuring the Session Details and Settings

Enter the session name and event details. (screenshot below)
- You can enter a start and end time or check the box for “No end (open session)”. If you select open session, students will be able to access and use the collaborate room at any time as long as they have access to the course.
- For repeating meetings, such as office hours, you can use the “repeat session” option to easily schedule a repeating session.
- The “Early Entry” option determines how far in advance of the session start time you want to allow students to enter the room.
- Optionally, you can also provide a description for the session.

Select the “Session Settings” to open the settings menu. (screenshot below)
- Select the Default Attendee Role. For most meetings, this should be Participant. However, if this is a meeting for just students, such as a group meeting, you may wish to set this to Presenter. For more information about the roles available and what each can do see: https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Moderator/Get_Started/Attendees#moderator_OTP-0
- Select any recording options. Here you can select to allow students to download the recording of this session as well as anonymize the chat messages.
  - If you are allowing students to download the recorded session, and you are recording a session where students may be using the chat to ask questions or share any personal information, you may want to select the anonymize chat messages option. This will anonymize chat messages in the recording only.
Under “Participants can:” you should select the options you want your student to be able to use during this session.
By default, students can chat message the entire group (Everyone) or they can send private chat messages to each other or the instructor during the session. Private messages are not included in the recordings. If you want to be able to view all private messages, or prevent students from private messaging each other, select the corresponding options under “Private Chat”

Click ‘Save’ to save your options and create the session. The session will now appear in the Collaborate Ultra area of the course. Note that if you set start/end times, students will be able to see, but not access, sessions which have not started yet.