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This can be a handy direction (in both video and writing) for using Voice Thread in Blackboard for people like me who are using Bb. Thanks for sharing!

Due to issues I've encountered lately with opening sites and links that did not like my laptop, I've decided to stick with tools offered in BB which is what is used at my school. The explanations look clear enough for EVEN ME to figure out so I am thrilled to be able to access this tool AND use it!

I agree that app integrations is the best feature. We are using Canvas for our classes at my institution but we are also using Teams for university wide communication. Both are new but the experience so far has been positive. I may follow up on the advise to start a small project on Teams to learn more about its best features in building a collaborative classroom. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for posting this, Jordan, and reminding me that here at UofL we've got MS Teams as an additional resource! I've just check to see if there's the possibility of integration with Blackboard and it appears there is. (I'm glad to have the option for synchronous class meetings, since I've always found Blackboard Collaborate to be a little baroque in its layout....)

Thanks for the tip @greghutcheson ! It hadn't occurred to me to look for Teams/Blackboard compatibility. I'm not sure yet if I prefer Teams over Blackboard Collaborate, but if one runs more smoothly than the other, that would be my pick!

"CourseSites is an online platform that enables faculty members in K-12 and higher education to set up Web-based class sites where they can post course materials, communicate with students, encourage collaboration, monitor performance, and manage grades."

You can use this to put your course online if your institution doesn't have a course management system that you are required to use. Includes some of the "collaborate" additions.

Josh Murdock offers three tips to engage students: #1: Create a Community From the Start, #2: Assign an "All About Me" Project, and #3: Use Video Announcements

Good ideas - I could see Tip #2 as a great starter project in language for level 2 and above.  Alyssa and I do the weekly video updates, pretty much just like three points listed here - and we've also gotten good feedback on those.

Wow, this just seems like an awesome idea. I've been toying with the idea of getting an iPad, just for fun, and this makes me want to get one and play around with it before the next school year starts.

I really like this idea! The teacher can give a much more detailed commentary on the assessment and with that the student may come away with a better understanding of necessary improvements.

This is a great idea and I like that there are other gadgets that can be used in conjunction. However I assume this would only be useful if you are a f2f teacher. In Blackboard we have wimba voice authoring which allows us to give audio feedback. I use this tool a lot and I feel that those who actually listen to my feedback profit from it.