Blackboard Collaborate is the University’s centrally supported system for providing an online collaborative learning experience. The tool is provided through the centrally supported VLE’s, Learn and Moodle, and also via an integration with MyED. 

The Collaborate MyEd channel was refreshed in the summer of 2016 (TEL032) as a result of the move to Collaborate Ultra.  When Collaborate Ultra was adopted, the product was still very much in its infancy and significant new functionality has been added, which is reflected in the Learn and Moodle integrations.    

There is now a lack of continuity between the VLEs and MyEd in terms of user experience and cosmetic feel.  The Collaborate Channel in MyEd is the only way for students to schedule their own Collaborate sessions, which are used as a secure online space for group work and/or interviews for research and dissertations. The MyEd integration is used extensively by Student Recruitment and Admissions (SRA) and Student Induction and therefore is often the first digital experience students have of the University.   In addition, the Collaborate Channel in MyEd is often the only way non-teaching staff have access to Collaborate to use for hosting online training, virtual meetings or large live online events. 

The Collaborate service team have determined that in order to keep the MyEd channel reasonably aligned with other integrations, a review and upgrade of the channel would be required every 2 years.