Wimba Live Classroom - October 2008
Wimba Live Classroom is a real-time virtual classroom environment designed for distance education and collaboration. Wimba’s live classroom supports audio, video, application sharing, content display, and white boarding. It enables instructors to achieve a high level of communication with their students from the comfort of their computer. Faculty as well as staff can use this environment to make Webcasts and hold live online classes, interviews, office hours, guest lectures, and meetings.
Wimba incorporates the use of face to face and online instruction to develop several key elements needed for instruction such as:
- Quizzes with feedback and group results
- Enhanced breakout rooms
- Live interaction with audio, polls and hand raising
- Phone and guest access when needed
A headset with microphone, a Web camera (optional), and a Blackboard account or a guest account on Blackboard or Wimba (with a high-speed Internet connection) are all the tools needed to get started working in Wimba Live Classroom. The two main tools commonly used in Wimba are Wimba Voice Tools and Wimba Live Classroom. Wimba Voice Tools make it easy to embed voice in your course pages, hold conversations with your students live, and send voice e-mail as well. Wimba Classroom is a flexible, Web-based tool for conducting live online classes that can be archived and viewed at a later time.
The Content Frame is the main focus of a presentation. Almost all content, such as images, charts, and text will appear in the Content Frame. The Text Chat Area is where you can communicate via text chat with participants and other presenters.
The Media Bar appears above the Text Chat Area. It is home to the WimbaMedia System, a multi-way audio and video means of communication during a live presentation.
If you would like to learn more about Wimba, feel free to contact the Office for Teaching and Learning at (313) 577-1980 and schedule an appointment with one of the Instructional Designers.
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