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Blackboard 5.5xUsing Small Groups

Darek Sady

Fall 2003

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Setting up GroupsSetting up small groups will allow students to interact with each other.

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Choose Manage Groups

Choose the Manage Group option from the Control Panel.

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Choose Add Group

Choose Add Group option.

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Name the Group

Enter a Name for the Group. You can also add descriptive information such as group participants, leader’s name, etc.

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Set up Options

Set up the options you want available to the group members.

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Add Group Members

To add group members, choose the option to modify the group.

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Add Group Members

Choose the add users option and select the students for that group.

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Adding Discussion Boards

If you want the groups to have their own discussion board, you will have to add one to each group.

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Virtual ClassroomUse the virtual classroom to schedule

a chat room with the students.

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Enter Virtual Classroom Choose the Enter

Virtual Classroom option.

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Chat You will see a

blank screen with tabs at the bottom.

The microphone tab is for simple chat.

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Questions & Answers The Q/A tab allows

students to send you a question.

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File Cabinet The File Cabinet

tab allows you to see the students online in the Virtual Classroom with you.

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Slide The Slide Screen

allows you to switch between various screens.

The screens are either a lesson you have posted in the whiteboard or a website.

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Incoming Questions

The 5th tab is the Incoming Question tab. You respond to questions in this area –either to the student privately or to the entire group.

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The final tab is a control tab that allows you to control user access to the different options.

Control Panel

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You might start by using the Virtual Classroom with a small group or holding “office hours” via the chat room.

Using the Virtual Classroom