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Blackboard Collaborate – Introducing Gallery View
A new feature is now available to use as a Moderator in your online lecture and seminar sessions in Blackboard Collaborate – Gallery View.
What is Gallery View?
Similar to other video conferencing platforms, Gallery View will allow Moderators to see up to 25 camera feeds from session attendees on their screen, allowing them to see individual attendee reactions and improving the overall teaching and learning experience when delivering via Collaborate.
What’s more, Gallery View includes the option to change to two additional viewing modes – ‘Speaker View’ and ‘Tiled View’ – which will follow the active speaker and will make their camera feed the main video that is on-screen – Ideal for presentation and discussion-based scenarios.
Each of the the new viewing modes are selectable on the top right-hand corner of your Collaborate screen:
Gallery View in Blackboard Collaborate. Speaker View
Speaker View allows for a single user’s camera to be the main display on screen for all the attendees of the session.
Beneath the main screen, you’re able to see the camera feeds of three other session attendees so that you can still gauge their reaction during the presentation or discussion.
Tiled View
Similar to Speaker View, Tiled View allows for the current speaker’s camera feed to be given the main display position in the session, with an additional three session attendee cameras being displayed to the right-hand side of the main camera.
The only difference between Tiled View and Speaker View is the layout, so your favourite view will come down to personal preference!New Control Features
Gallery View also includes some additional controls that will allow you to configure the overall view on your own screen and to moderate your session whilst using the Gallery View mode.
Your attendees are listed in alphabetical order and their camera feeds can be zoomed in upon to allow for less cameras to be on-screen and for any displayed cameras to be in a larger size.
If you would like for particular attendees in your session to appear first then Gallery View now has the function for any individual’s camera to be pinned so that they appear at the top of your attendee list. You can pin more than one person at a time and their camera order will appear in the order that you pin them in.
To pin an attendee, simply click on the attendee control icon on their camera feed and select ‘Pin Video’:
To view any cameras that are not currently on display, you can navigate between ‘pages’ of your session using the left and right-arrow icons on either side of the session screen.
These controls are highlighted below:
Lastly, you’re able to moderate your session by clicking on individual attendees and selecting the option to either send them a private message, change their role in the session or remove the person from the session:
Please note: To use Gallery View, you must use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium) as your web browser. At this time, Gallery view isn’t available in Safari® on iOS or iPadOS.
Sharing Content
Whilst in Gallery View, you are also able to switch the focus to any content that you would like to share, such as a PowerPoint Presentation or screen-sharing, and return to the Gallery View mode once you have stopped sharing.
Disabling Gallery View
By default, Gallery View is enabled for all attendees in the session to use.
You can make Gallery View available to Moderators only or disable the function altogether by selecting the Settings ‘Cog’ in the Collaborate Panel, followed by ‘Session Settings’.
In the ‘Session Settings’ window, you have the option to make Gallery View available for either all attendees, Moderators only or for Gallery View to be disabled altogether.
Overview Video
Want to see Gallery View in action? See this short introduction from Blackboard, below.
Blackboard Collaborate – Gallery View Help Pages
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Blackboard Ally Course Accessibility Report
One of the beneficial features of Blackboard Ally is the Course Accessibly Report. For each module it shows:
- Overall course accessibly score.
- List of issues that have been identified in the course.
- Distribution of course content by type.
The accessibility report organises content into options such as “Content that’s easiest to fix” and “Content with most severe issues”.
Accessing the Course Accessibility Report
To access the report, go to Course Tools – Accessibility Report.
Course Management menu from within a module. You can then click on the ‘Start’ buttons to begin improving the accessibility of your content.
Ally Accessibility Report Accessibility Scores
Blackboard Ally measures the accessibility of your course content and displays an accessibility indicator showing how it scores. The higher the score the fewer the issues.
Low (Red, 0-33%): Needs help! There are severe accessibility issues.
Medium (Amber, 34-66%): A little better. The file is somewhat accessible and needs improvement.
High (Light Green, 67-99%): Almost there. The file is accessible, but more improvements are possible.
Perfect (Dark Green, 100%): Perfect! Ally didn’t identify any accessibility issues, but further improvements may still be possible.
Blackboard Ally Indicators Instructor Feedback Panel
Content with the easiest issues to fix can often be done so directly from the Instructor Feedback Panel for example adding Alt text to images, this is a quick way to improve the accessibility of a document.
Other documents require you to download the document, fix any issues & then upload the improved version, you can do this all from within the Instructor Feedback Panel.
In the example below, the first step would be to click ‘All issues’. Ally lists the issues within the document and provides instructions on how to fix them. From within the guidance you can choose to download the document and once the issues are fixed reupload your improved file. This automatically replaces the existing inaccessible file and updates the Accessibility Score.
Instructor feedback panel. To learn more about how to build accessible content we have created a whole section on our Accessibility pages.
We have also scheduled lots of new sessions to support you with this:
Build Accessible: Making Documents Accessible
Build Accessible: Importance of accessible formats and accessibility software (Blackboard Ally)
Further details and how to book can be found on our Getting Digital Ready pages.
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Getting Digital Ready – March’s staff development offer
This month we have a range of bookable staff development sessions on offer, from getting started with Learning Edge to implementing breakout rooms successfully.
Spotlighted sessions
Making “Groupwork” Work: Facilitating effective groupwork online
This session will explore techniques, tips and strategies to effectively facilitate groupwork online, with a specific focus on integrating breakout rooms in Blackboard Collaborate and utilising tools such as the whiteboard, Padlet, Vevox and more. Not only will we consider how to set up/use breakout rooms effectively, but how we can use them with a purpose, for example, to work intensely on focused tasks, establish closer connections via discussion/activities and build momentum for discussion back in the main room.
Monday 15th March (12pm-1:30pm)
Thursday 15th April (1pm-2:30pm)
Email [email protected] to book on.Build Accessible
Build Accessible: Making Documents Accessible
– Wednesday 17th March (1pm-2pm)
– Thursday 22nd April (12pm-1pm)
– Wednesday 2nd June (1pm-2pm)
Build Accessible: Importance of accessible formats and accessibility software (Blackboard Ally)
– Friday 19th March (12pm-12:30pm)
– Friday 9th April (12pm-12:30pm)
– Friday 7th May (12pm-12:30pm)
Email [email protected] to book on.Take a look at March’s bookable staff development sessions below. Please email [email protected] to book on.
Thursday 4th March (12pm-1pm)
OneDrive: Making online collaboration and sharing easyThursday 4th March (1pm-1:30pm)
Using the Blackboard Journal and Blog ToolsThursday 11th March (12pm-1pm)
PowerPoint’s Zoom feature for Assessments, Poster Presentations and InteractionMonday 15th March (12pm-1:30pm)
Making “Groupwork” Work: Facilitating effective groupwork onlineWednesday 17th March (1pm-2pm)
Build Accessible: Making Documents AccessibleThursday 18th March (12pm-1pm)
Introduction to Learning Edge for StaffThursday 18th March (12:30pm-1:30pm)
OBS (Open Broadcast Studio): Adding new possibilities to your presentationsFriday 19th March (11am-12pm)
Microsoft Teams (Part 2)Friday 19th March (12pm-12:30pm)
Build Accessible: Importance of accessible formats and accessibility software (Blackboard Ally)Tuesday 23rd March (12pm-1pm)
Setting up Turnitin Submission DropboxesThursday 25th March (12pm-1pm)
Blackboard CollaborateTuesday 30th March (2pm-3pm)
Using Padlet to Facilitate Discussion and Interaction with StudentsWednesday 31st March (1pm-2pm)
Are we YouTubers?: Using Flipgrid and Microsoft Stream as video-blogging tools for studentsTo find out more information visit Getting Digital Ready for the session blurbs. To book onto any of the above sessions email [email protected].
Pre-recorded Sessions
If you can not attend a live session or want to work through a session at your own pace, we have pre-recorded a range of sessions. These pre-recorded sessions can be found on LTDs Training and Consultation page – https://go.edgehill.ac.uk/display/ls/Training+and+Consultation
LinkedIn Learning
Another valuable online resource for staff development is LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform which contains a wide variety of courses on topics including business, management, design, photography, IT, marketing, media and much more.
As part of the My Staff Development offer, within each of the pathways you will find a range of LinkedIn Learning courses we have recommended. These pathways have further been divided into Build, Develop and Enhance.
Screenshot of the LinkedIn Learning courses available underneath the ‘Resources’ section. You can access LinkedIn Learning via the LinkedIn Learning home page or using the LinkedIn Learning iOS app or Android app.
Online Staff Development Toolkits
We understand the importance of moving teaching and learning online, so in response to staff needs and seeking to enhance digital skills, we have developed online toolkits.
These toolkits aim to develop your digital skills and provide a greater awareness of the resources, services and support available to you.
View the toolkits by clicking on the image below.
For more information about staff development opportunities, visit the Getting Digital Ready wiki page, which is part of the collaborative My Staff Development offer.
