Teaching Tools and Tips: Blackboard IM
By James Boe, Director of Graduate Studies
Introduction
Video, audio, and instant messaging with your students whether they are online, hybrid or face-to-face.
Blackboard IM is an easy convenient way to communicate with students through scheduled office hours
or evenings. Students can also communicate with each other beyond the classroom and online discussion
forums.
Tool Identification
Blackboard IM is a software application that allows you to communicate with students via audio, video or
instant messages. The application is available in the tools/communications section of every Blackboard
course (even if you just post your grades and syllabus). It automatically syncs with your courses and
students so, there is no need to search or add people.
Classroom uses for Blackboard IM
Blackboard IM is a great tool for answering questions, providing tutoring sessions or just informal
communication between students and faculty. Blackboard IM will also let you use whiteboard features
and desktop sharing. Desktop sharing is very useful for tutoring sessions or tech support sessions with
instructors and students and use this feature to collaborate on assignments.
Some faculty have used Blackboard IM or other instant messaging tools to allow for discussion during
live face-to-face classes or to provide an electronic area to pose questions during a lesson. Faculty
teaching hybrid classes could use Blackboard IM to conduct live synchronous sessions with students
rather than meeting in a classroom.
Downloading and Installing Blackboard IM
Blackboard IM is available for download in the Tools/Communication section of any Blackboard course.
Once you click on the Blackboard IM icon, a
new page will open that allows you to
download the software and select courses that
you want to display in your IM client.
Remember, courses will automatically sync
so, if you do not want them in your list, you
can remove them here.
In the course settings area of this page, there
is an option for you to change the
automatically enable Blackboard IM for all
new courses and it will no longer sync at the
beginning of each semester. If you make these
changes, you will have to do it manually or
turn the sync option back on before each
semester.
As a general rule, instructors should disable
Blackboard IM for classes in terms/semesters
prior to the current one.
Full instructions for download and installation are provided by Blackboard Collaborate Support http://support.blackboardcollaborate.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8336&task=knowledge&qu
estionID=1642
Additional Resources and Training
Blackboard IM support and training materials are also available through the NDUS Core Technology
Services (CTS). CTS provides written documentation and training materials for all university system
supported software such as Blackboard IM. Below are the links to CTS training and support materials.
Blackboard IM Training Guides and Resources - http://cts.ndus.edu/sits-departments/alt/blackboardinstant-messenger/
Conclusion
Blackboard IM has great potential for collaboration, increasing communication options between faculty
and students or among students. The software provides instant messaging options, video and audio
communication, white board and desktop sharing features as well as group meetings with multiple
participants. It will also synchronize automatically with all your courses each semester. This is a very
useful tool that uses a variety of communication channels to meet your needs.