Recording Narrated Presentations with Blackboard Collaborate Ultra

Narrated presentations break up text based environments and help increase instructor presence. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is a web conferencing platform that is integrated within every Blackboard course at COD. The tool can be used for synchronous class sessions, host web meetings, and also allows for individual sessions to be recorded for content based lectures.

Creating a Recording Session

1. To access the Collaborate Ultra tool, navigate to the Course Management menu. Click Course Tools and then select Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
   
   
   
   NOTE: Be sure to select the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra menu item. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is the new web based version of Collaborate which does not require any additional software installations.
   
2. Sessions allow access to the Collaborate Ultra room at specific dates and times. For presentations, creating the session will also allow you to give the recording a name specific to the class date or content.
   
3. To setup a session, click the Create Session button.
   
4. Enter the name and details of your session.
   
5. Under Session Settings, make sure Allow recording downloads is checked. This will allow your recording to be downloaded to your computer as a video file.
   
6. Once set, click Save. Then click the Join Session button to enter the course room.

Sharing Presentation Content

1. After entering the Collaborate Ultra course room, The Collaborate Panel allows access to sharing tools.
   
2. Click Open Collaborate Panel to access the room settings.
   
3. To display a file in the session, click the Share Content button.
   
4. Click Share Files and then use the Add Files box to select your file. The file can also be dragged into the Add Files box. You can upload GIF, JPEG and PNG images, PDF files, or PowerPoint presentations of 60MB or lower to your session.
   
   
5. After the file has been uploaded and converted, click the Share Now button to open the file in the Collaborate session. A slide navigator panel opens showing you all of your slides. Select a slide to start sharing.
   
   
6. Once your slides and microphone are set, you’re ready to record.

Recording the Presentation

1. Click the Open Session Menu button, then click Start Recording. Recording will begin as soon as the Start Recording button is selected.
   
   
   
2. The presentation slides will load on the right side of the screen.
   
3. You can advance the slides with the slide thumbnails or by using the left/right arrows at bottom of the screen.
   
   
   
4. Annotation tools are also available at the top of the screen. These tools can be used to annotate over the PowerPoint slides.
   
5. Once complete with recording, click the Open Session Menu button and click Stop Recording.

Sharing Recorded Sessions

1. To access the recording, go the Collaborate Ultra tool by accessing the Course Management and then selecting Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
   
2. Click the Collaborate Ultra Menu icon and select Recordings.
   
   
3. All recordings will be listed. Click the Recording Options button to watch the recording, edit the recording name, delete the recording, add closed captioning or copy the link for the recording file.
   
4. To share the recording with class participants, choose Copy link.
   
   
   
5. The copied link can be posted within your course or even sent to students through e-mail.