31-010 Virtual Classroom
Overview
Using the Virtual Classroom, you can start BigBlueButton meetings directly from your OpenOlat course. This gives the participants of the course direct access to the meeting. There are two ways you can integrate a virtual classroom into a course:
Virtual Classroom course element: In most cases it is recommended to use this course element, it will appear in the main navigation.
BigBlueButton in the toolbar: With the help of the toolbar, tools can be called up centrally, independent of the course elements. Use this function if you have a course of the type "Learning path" and want to conduct online meetings independently of any learning progress. You can find more information on the toolbar in HelpCards 10-100.
General information about web conferencing can be found on the eCampus under Audio and Video Broadcast/Web Conferencing. See the BigBlueButton manual for detailed descriptions and instructions on how to use BigBlueButton.
Information on data protection when holding courses in the virtual classroom and via webconference.uibk.ac.at can be found on the Uni Webpage.
Important steps
Creating the course element Virtual Classroom:
- In your course on the upper left corner, click on Administration and then on Course editor. The Course editor opens up.
- Choose Insert course elements in the upper left-hand corner and under Communication and collaboration the course element Virtual Classroom. The Course element has been added to the course structure and can (if necessary) be moved to a different place via Drag&Drop. Alternatively it is possible to add course elements with the Quick-Add function in the yellow-lined menu on top of the course: Insert the name of the course element into the Quick-Add bar and push the Enter button.
- Fill in the title shown in the course structure under Title in the tab Title and description and, if desired, fill in the Description. Click onto Insert additional information to add Objectives, instructions or instructions for the coach. In Addition to this, you can Set a link for this course element by clicking onto the blue text and copying the predefined link. Save your changes.
- In the tabs Visibility and Access or Learning path you can, if desired, regulate the visibility and the access to the course elements:
- If your course is a Conventional course, you will find more detailed information in HelpCard 10-030.
- If your course is a Learning path course, you will find more detailed information in HelpCard 10-031.
- In the tab Layout you can change the layout of course elements. You can add background images to course elements or change the font colour. How to do this can be found in HelpCard 10-033 Layout.
- In the tab Configuration you can regulate the access to the Virtual Classroom. By default, access to the meeting room is set so that participants cannot enter the room until it is opened by the moderator (in this case, these are people with the Owner course role). If unchecked here, participants will also be able to enter the meeting before presenters are present.
- Click the red X in the upper right corner to close the Course editor. To publish the changes, choose the option Yes, automatically (for details on publishing, see HelpCard 10-020). The course view has been adjusted to include any changes made.
- HelpCard 31-011 shows you how to create online meetings and which configuration options are available to you.
Virtual Classroom in the Toolbar:
- In your course on the upper left corner, click on Administration and then on Settings. The Course settings open up.
- Click onto the Tab Toolbar. The settings of the Toolbar open up.
- Choose BigBlueButton online meetings here and control if the checkbox "Only moderators are allowed to open this virtual classroom" is activated.
- Save your configurations.
- Once all settings have been configured, you arrive back in the course view with a click onto the name of your course in the breadcrumb navigation (in the upper left-hand corner)
- HelpCard 31-011 will show you how to create online meetings and what configuration options are available to you.