Using BigBlueButton and Moodle to host a virtual classroom

1. Virtual classroom:
BigBlueButton
Dr Helen Dixon
Digital Learning Team

2. Why use a virtual classroom?
Off-campus
participation
Include
multimedia
Accessible
content
Facilitate
discussions
Increase
student
engagement @NRCDLT

3. Why use a virtual classroom?
67% of 18 year olds
think that all learning
will be carried out
online within 20 years.
(Jisc 2016)
@NRCDLT

4. During a BigBlueButton
Conference you can:
Record a
live video
Share
documents
Share your
desktop
Make live
annotations
Chat with
participants
@NRCDLT

5. What will you need?
A PC or
laptop
Internet
connection
Microphone
headset
Webcam
(optional)
@NRCDLT

6. Issues to consider
Access to
equipment
Willingness to
participate
Technical
knowledge
Online
interpersonal
skills
@NRCDLT

7. Getting started
Creating a video conference

8. Add an activity or resource to your course page
Select Add an activity or resource

9. Select the BigBlueButton activity
Select BigBlueButtonBN

10. Click Add to add a BigBlueButton session to your course

11. Enter the details of your BigBlueButton session
Enter a name

12. Enter the details of your BigBlueButton session
Select to send a notification to the participants

13. Enter the details of your BigBlueButton session
Select the checkbox to display the description

14. Enter the details of your BigBlueButton session
Require participants to wait for a moderator
before they can enter the session
Enter a welcome message

15. Add participants and allocate roles
You can add additional
viewers or moderators
By default, all users will
be added as Viewers and
you will be added as a
Moderator

16. Schedule the date and time when participants can join
Select a date/time to open
and close the session

17. You can add group access restrictions
Select from No groups, Separate
(invisible) groups or Visible groups

18. You can add group access restrictions
Choose whether to
track student
completion manually or
automatically
Save your settings when you
have finished

19. Your BigBlueButton activity will be added to your course
The BigBlueButton
activity will be
added to the
course

20. Teaching online
Joining a video conference

21. At the arranged time, you can join the session
Select Join session
@NRCDLT

22. If you are presenting you will need a microphone
Select Microphone

23. BigBlueButton will carry out an Audio Test
Select Yes

24. A Record Notification will state that you can record the session
Select OK

25. The session will open using the default layout
Users who
have joined
the session
will be
listed here
Use this area to present your
document or slides (PDF works best)
Use this area to chat
with users

26. You can upload a document to present (PDF works best)
Select to upload your presentation

27. Click Select File and locate your file
Select File

28. When you have selected your file, upload it to BigBlueButton
Select Upload

29. Your presentation will be displayed
Use the toolbar to annotate the
screen. You can change the
colour and width of the pen.
Click the middle button to select a slide

30. You can also share your screen with users
Choose from Full Screen or Region
Requires Flash and Java to be installed
Firefox is the best browser

31. Use Firefox and make sure that Adobe
Flash and Java plugins are allowed to run
If a notification appears at the top of the browser, click Allow
Select Allow and Remember to enable BigBluebutton to run the Adobe
Flash and Java plugins
@NRCDLT

32. If you select Region, move the frame to the part of your screen you
wish to share
Select Start Sharing when you are ready

33. The Presenter’s Preview will show you what users can see
Select Close to stop sharing your screen

34. You can ask a question and poll users
Start a poll to get feedback from users

35. Select from Yes/No, True/False, A/B/C or a Custom Poll
Choose a poll type

36. You can see the results as they come in and publish when you are
ready
Select to display the result on the screen

37. You can see the results as they come in and publish when you are
ready
Poll results

38. You can use emoticons to show your status or post messages in the
Chat area
Select from the emoticons available
Or send a message using the Chat

39. You can chat privately with a user or lock the chat option
Select Settings to view other options
Select Options to chat privately with a user

40. Lock Viewers to prevent them changing settings
Select any features that you don’t
want viewers to access

41. To leave the session at any time, use the Log Out icon.
You can return while the session is still in progress.
Select any features that you don’t want
viewers to access

42. If you recorded the session you can view it later
Click the
presentation
to view it
It may take a few minutes
for the recording to appear
Use Firefox or Chrome
@NRCDLT

43. Virtual classroom checklist
Choose your topic carefully – is it suited to online delivery?
Clearly define the learning outcomes
Provide students with information and training in advance
Include activities to encourage participation and interaction
Check that equipment is working correctly, software is up-to-
date and plugins are enabled
@NRCDLT

44. More BigBlueButton Videos
Exploring the Virtual Classroom: What Students Need to
Know and Teachers Should Consider
Use of Synchronous Virtual Classrooms: Why, Who and How?
Further resources
@NRCDLT