Sakai: Meetings

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Meetings

Meetings (BigBlueButton) is an open source webinar tool that allows you to share content and communicate with your students remotely. You can display presentations, use a white board, use audio and/or a webcam, use text chat with your students, and share your desktop. Meetings is a synchronous tool, which means users have to be online at the same time to interact.

Creating and Running a Meeting plus Student Handouts *

What version of Meetings (BigBlueButton) do we have?

What can you do with Meetings 0.9.0?

Minimum computer requirements

  • You must use a web browser running Adobe Flash 11.2 or higher, according to BigBlueButton .
    • To check your web browser flash version (and download the latest version), visit Adobe's Flash Version Check
    • Note: On the Adobe Flash Player Version check web page, scroll to step 5. If anything is moving (tire swing, clouds), you don't need to download the latest version of Adobe Flash.
  • New! When you join a meeting:
  • Instructors and Presenters only:
    • Starting April 14, 2015, use Firefox to share your desktop. Why? Chrome is dropping support for Java applets, so you can't use Chrome to share your desktop. You can use Chrome to do everything else in Meetings, and your students can use Chrome, too. If you forget, you'll get a message reminding you to use Firefox, if you try to use Chrome to share your desktop.
    • To share your desktop, you must have Java installed: Test Java or install Java on your computer.
    • If Java is not working after you install it, you may have to remove old Java versions, activate Java in your web browser or enable the Java Plug-in in your web browser.
    • Recommended Number of Users per meeting session: 25 or fewer. According to BigBlueButton, you may experience performance problems with more than 25 students in a single session.
Troubleshooting

New! Meetings now has a configurations notification icon, to let you know if your Flash Player or browser is out of date

Sound or Voice "Conferencing"

  • For the best results, all participants should use a headset, vs a microphone and speakers.
  • Or, once you join the Meeting, you can call the number displayed in the Chat area, enter the conference pin displayed in the Chat area, and you can use your phone to talk in the Meeting.
    • Note: The phone call is NOT free.
    • If I use my phone, is there a way to hide my phone number from the Meeting participants? Yes.
      • Now only your area code is displayed.
      • Otherwise, follow the first set of instructions, they are the easiest way to hide your phone number
  • Why do others only hear part of my audio? Your microphone volume may be too low. Move your microphone closer to your mouth. You may need to change the volume setting of your microphone. (BigBlueButton)

Users Area

  • The Users area (in the upper left corner of your Meetings session) has been updated and simplified.
  • What can the instructor/presenter do in the Users Area? Whenever a student enters the Meeting, they will appear in the Users area.
    • Beside each user name, you can click on the mic icon, to mute or unmute a user. Optionally, you can also click on a lock icon, to lock a user's mic muted or unmuted.
    • In the lower left corner of the Users area, you can click on the Settings icon (it looks like a wheel):
      • If students have clicked on an icon to Raise Hands (for attention or in answer to your question), you can click on the link to Lower All Hands
      • Don't use this: You can click on the link to Mute All Users but you would also mute yourself and/or the presenter!
      • You can click on the link to Mute All Users Except Presenter. This is good setting to use when some users have speakers or mics instead of headsets-their devices can cause a great deal of noise/feedback that you can mute.
      • NEW! You can now lock viewers: Webcam, Microphone, Public Chat, Private Chat, and Layout.
        • Note: Don't lock viewers from using the Public Chat if they don't have a microphone, they won't be able to communicate with you!

Uploading and Displaying Presentations

  • How do I upload a document to display to my students? In the Presentation area (in the middle of the Meeting), in the lower left corner, click on the icon that looks like a document with a plus sign on it.
    • Click on the Select File button to select your document
    • Find your document, click on your document, and in the dialog box lower right corner, click on the Save button
    • Click on the Upload button to upload your selected document into Meetings (you'll see a Progress status displayed until your document is uploaded successfully). Remember, save your files as pdf's for the best (and fastest) results.
    • Your document will display. At the bottom of the Presentation area:
      • You can click on the Upload presentation icon to upload another document.
      • Click on the right facing arrow (or later left facing arrow) to transfer to other pages in your document.
      • If your document has more than one page, click on the number icon, to display miniatures of all the pages of your document. You can click on any miniature page to display the page. If you can't see miniatures of all of your document pages, a tiny scroll bar appears below the miniature pages that you can click and drag to move around your miniature document pages. When done, click on the number icon to turn off the display of miniatures.
      • Click on a triangle and drag it to maximize display of your document.
      • Click on an icon with two horizontal arrows to maximize the display of the width of your document.
      • Click on a four headed arrow icon to fit your document in the presentation display area.
  • See the "Whiteboard Features" area below for instructions for using the Whiteboard with your uploaded documents.
  • Is there a page limit for uploaded files? 100 pages.

Whiteboard Features

  • New! At the bottom middle of the presentation area, click on the next arrow, to get to a blank slide to use with the Whiteboard.
  • The Instructor and Presenter can use a Whiteboard in Meetings, by moving your cursor over the right side of the default presentation area.
  • A number of icons will pop up for you to click on and draw with. Newer icons are highlighted in bold:
    • Whiteboard icons available: A hand (pan and zoom), pencil, shapes (rectangle, circle, triangle), line, T (text), X (clear page), backward arrow (undo shape), color box (to pick a drawing color), sliding arrow icon (to change the thickness of the lines/shapes drawn).
      • To draw perfect shapes (rectangle, circle, triangle), click and hold the Ctrl or Shift key on your keyboard, then click and draw your shape.
    • You can draw on the default presentation page, an uploaded document, or you can upload a blank document.
    • New! Note: If you already uploaded a presentation but want a blank slide to draw on:
      • Click on the upload presentation button
      • Click on the default.pdf file
      • Beside the default.pdf file, click on the Show button

Chat box

  • A Chat box is displayed on the right side of Meetings.
  • At the bottom of the Chat box, type in text, then click on the Send button. All participants will see your message.
  • All participants can type in Chat messages.
  • If you need to chat with a specific user, near the top of the Chat box, beside the Public tab, click on the Options tab.
    • Click on the name of a user. A new Chat tab will appear, with the user name.
    • In the user's Chat tab, type in text, click Send. Only the selected user will see a new Chat tab appear with your name. They have to click on the tab starting with your name. The user will then be able to see your private Chat message.
    • If the user responds to your private Chat message, their message will pop-up in your Chat tab with their user name.
  • Click on the Public tab, to post chat messages to all participants.
  • How can you change the size of the chat font size displayed? At the top of the Chat box, click on the Options tab.
    • Click on the number beside Chat Message Font Size, click on a new font size, such as 12 or 14.
  • How can I copy all chat messages to the clipboard? (BigBlueButton)
  • To share a video, share the video link in the Chat box. If you try to share your desktop and play the video, students won't hear the video, only the presenter will!
  • New! Can I turn off private chat? YES.
    • In the User area, you can now lock viewers: Private Chat.
    • Note: Don't lock viewers from using the Public Chat if they don't have a microphone, they won't be able to communicate with you!

Layout Manager

Webcam Features

  • The instructor can display their webcam, as well as students.
    • After the instructor has plugged in their device, they must go to the upper left corner, and click on "Share my Webcam". You'll be presented with a Webcam Settings dialog box.
    • In the Webcam Settings dialog box, you must click on the Start Sharing button to display your Webcam or click Cancel.
      • Optionally, you can change the device you're using and change the size of your webcam display.
    • Your webcam will display in the Webcams area, usually located in the lower left corner of the default presentation.
    • Students can perform the same steps to display their webcams.
    • Instructors can move their cursor over student webcam displays, click on the microphone icon, and mute or unmute them.
      • Instructors can also click on the "X" in the upper right area of a student webcam display, and close the display.
  • Can I permanently lock the my students from using their webcams? YES:

Advanced: Desktop Sharing

  • To start sharing your desktop, in the upper left corner of Meetings, click on an icon that looks like a monitor (by the headset icon and webcam icon).
    • The Presenter's view of Desktop Sharing will appear in the lower left corner.
  • In the Desktop Sharing: Presenter's View, you must either click on the icon to share Full Screen or Region. When first starting out, click on Full Screen.
  • On Firefox, if you have an older version, you’ll have to look at the top of your Meetings session (otherwise, you'll be walked through what to do).
    • For an older version of Firefox:
      • Go to the top right, and click on the Allow button, so you can allow blindsidenetworks.com to run the Java Platform.
      • You'll now see a new dialog box, in the top/middle of your Meeting, requesting you to allow plugins to run for Adobe Flash and the Java Platform.
        • Click on both of the drop downs, and click on Allow Now or Allow and Remember. Click OK.
    • Next, for Firefox, a dialog box will pop up asking if you want to Run an Application (from publisher BigBlueButton, Inc).
  • Your Desktop Sharing: Presenter's View will now display a miniature copy of your desktop-this is what your students are now seeing displayed.
    • You can click on any web browser tab, open a new web browser tab or window, or go to any application (such as Word or Excel).
    • To stop sharing your desk:
      • You must return to the Desktop Sharing: Presenter's View,
      • Click on the Close button.
      • If you have an older version of Firefox or Chrome:
        • Plus, you must click on a new coffee cup icon that will appear on your taskbar (at the bottom of your Windows screen). You'll be taken to a new dialog box that pops up behind your open web browser windows.
        • You must click on the Allow button to allow access to Publisher BigBlueButton, Inc. to close your desktop sharing session.
      • Your Desktop Sharing: Presenter's view will close. Your students will see the last document you displayed (otherwise, they'll see the default Presentation).
  • Can I share a video while sharing my desktop? NO. Your students will not hear the video (but you will). To share a video, share the link to the video in the Chat box.

Record and Playback Basics

NEW!: Meetings does record lectures now easily. The recordings won't show up immediately, but short recordings show up fairly quickly. You can "Hide" Recordings (make recordings unavailable) to students, too.

  • How do I set up a recording? When you create a meeting, you must click on the box beside Recording.
  • When does a recording start and stop? BigBlueButton will record the meeting from the time you press the record button to the time you press the record button again. You can start and stop the recording as many times as you like-only one recording will be created.

Note: When you set up a meeting, you can also state it's duration, therefore, a meeting may also end when it reaches your stated meeting duration. (BigBlueButton)

  • How can I hide a recording? In Meetings, in Recordings, move your cursor over the recording you want to hide.
    • Below it, you'll now see links you can click on to Hide or Delete the recording.
    • After you click Hide, make sure the Status changes from Published to UnPublished. Now only you can see your recording.
  • How can I make a hidden recording available again? Follow the steps above, but now you'll see a new link "Show" you can click on. Make sure the status changes back to "Published".

Advanced Record and Playback

  • When does a recording appear for review? It can take a few minutes, depending on how long your recording is, after you make a recording:
    • Click on Meetings, Click on Recordings.
    • To the right of your Meeting title, you can click on one of two links to recordings of your meeting. Click on a recording link to review it.
  • How do you Share Recordings?
    • Click on Meetings, click on Recordings.
    • Now you can direct students to the Meetings Recordings area link, or after clicking on the recording link, you can copy the web address of the link and share it with others.
  • Can I download recordings? You can do this now, but we don't recommended it. Why not share the link to the video?

Polls

  • Is Polling available? Not now. A Polling module is planned for the next release. In future, a polling on/off button will be provided when you start a Meeting session. You can type in polling questions, and type in multiple choice answers for your participants. You can then start the poll when you like, show the results, and end the poll when you like.

Accessibility

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