Open Educational Resources (OER)

Blackboard Collaborate
Online conferencing tools such as Blackboard Collaborate allow you to set up virtual classes and teach in real time over the Internet. Collaborate includes interactive features such as text chat, screen sharing, polling, and small group breakout rooms, and allow you to record virtual class sessions and make them available for later use.

Blackboard Collaborate (for Instructors)

• Getting started instructions and 3-minute video overviewing the interface
• Session Settings
• Tools
• YouTube Tutorials
  (Topics: closed captioning, breakout groups, sharing PowerPoint files, private chat)

Blackboard Collaborate (for students)

• Getting Started
• Browser Support
• Tips

Blackboard Collaborate Security
Instructors using Blackboard Collaborate to host virtual class sessions should treat Collaborate like any other online virtual conferencing platforms. Access to class sessions must be carefully guarded. The same interactive features that make Collaborate an effective tool for remote learning can be hijacked by intruders to disrupt class sessions. Instances of disruptive behavior have been reported by several CUNY campuses.

To prevent disruptive intruders from gaining access to your Blackboard Collaborate sessions:

• Create a separate Collaborate session for each online meeting.
• Disable guest access and require students to join Collaborate sessions through Blackboard so participants can be identified.
• Disable private chat and muting microphones so that students will have to use the raise hand feature to be unmuted by you.

For more information please visit the CUNY Blackboard Collaborate Page, or see the Manage Attendees Page to learn how to mute mute attendees, manage attendees and remove attendees, and the Session Best Practices Page that includes guidance on participant permissions, guest links, and tips on conducting successful online meetings.

Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is available to all active CUNY faculty and staff through CUNY's Office 365 for Education license. Teams is a collaboration and communication platform that provides features such as chat, voice and video conferencing, file storage and file collaboration. It integrates closely with Microsoft’s Office 365 suite of applications and can be useful for collaborating and meeting remotely. To download the the Teams application, follow the the link at the start of this paragraph. After installing, open the Teams application and sign in with your @login.cuny.edu credentials.