Collaborate Overview
Collaborate is a real-time (synchronous) web conferencing tool. With Collaborate, you can dynamically interact with your classmates and your course instructor using text chat messages and/or two-way voice. Collaborate also provides whiteboard tools to enable collaboration between you and your classmates, including sharing desktop applications, and uploading PowerPoint presentations.
Uses
Depending upon the needs of your course, there are as many as three types of Collaborate web conferencing rooms available to you:
- Virtual Office: a virtual conference room where you may chat live with your instructor during specified office hours.
- Study Lounge: a virtual conference room specifically reserved for student use and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can use it to collaborate on group projects, study for exams together, etc.
- Course Sessions: many courses offer live class sessions that also make use of the Collaborate web conferencing system. If your class includes live class sessions, these sessions will be indicated in your course syllabus.
Getting Started
- Check your system compatibility. In Step 1, your system will be tested to ensure your version of Java is compatible with Collaborate.
- Follow "Step 2: Configuring your system" after accessing the link. This will download the Collaborate components to your machine and ensure proper functionality by helping you configure your connection and audio settings.
- After completing the system check, you can access the Student Lounge inside one of your courses as well as other Collaborate sessions.
- For security reasons, any Collaborate session you enter may be recorded or monitored.