So initially I was very excited to use Blackboard Collaborate for our Education and Technology last week on Monday. I quickly found myself to be frustrated with the video and audio limitations we had. For some reason, we could only have 3 people using audio/webcams at once (our colleague Maureen figured out). Since our class relies heavily upon discussion, I found this limitation to be frustrating. Although I do admit my bias and preference for Google Hangout. The features on Google Hangout for many people to use their audio and webcams at once, and the way the main screen enlarges to demonstrate who is currently talking, gives the discussion a very natural feel. That being said, one of the pros of Blackboard Collaborate was the chat option that allowed for us to chat and not disrupt the presenter, it reminded me of Backchannel. The screen on the right shows that Blackboard collaborate allowed us to all write, paint, or add images. I think that is a great option for working together on a project. Overall, I think that Google Hangout is the better option for discussion based courses. On the other hand, I believe that Blackboard Collaborate is a great option for teacher-centered lecture styles online and for collaboration on projects.
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