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General Information about Wimba
Wimba originated as a tool to teach distance learning foreign language courses in Europe. It is a web-based audio collaboration system designed for on-line education, language learning and live interactive communications. Wimba's Voice Communication Tools are fully integrated into Blackboard and can be created in any of the Blackboard course content areas. (Syllabus, Course Documents, Assignments)
Wimba's on-line audio learning tools enable educators to add audio recorded exams, conduct live, synchronous audio chat sessions, record audio discussion topics, attach recorded audio messages to email messages, and provide students with audio announcements.
Wimba's Voice Communication Tools allow ACC instructors to add a recorded voice component to their courses. This can be particularly useful for web-based instructional materials and courses. Wimba’s audio resources can be incorporated into many types of curricula.
Wimba’s Voice Communication Tools consist of the following components:
- Voice Direct – enables students and instructors to have live audio chat sessions. This tool is Wimba’s only synchronous voice communication resource.
- Voice Board – enables students and faculty to compose, reply and listen to audio message blogs.
- Voice Authoring – provides ACC instructors with the ability to record audio announcements for students.
- Voice Email – enables ACC faculty and students to send and receive email messages with embedded audio messages.
- Podcasting--enables instructors to create Podcasts within Blackboard
Some of the benefits to incorporating Wimba's Voice Communication Tools into a course are the following:
- Generate real-time, live audio discussions with students
- Easily integrated with Blackboard
- Provide on-going discussions and debates
- Record audio announcements for class introductions as well as for the explanation of key course concepts
- Teach pronunciation, rhythm, stress and emphasis in language courses
- Add a level of interactivity with students
- Send recorded audio email messages to students
- Create audio discussion boards
- Test a student’s listening comprehension
- Integrate recorded audio seamlessly with Blackboard
Wimba's Integration into Blackboard
ACC instructors can create Voice Emails, Voice Announcements, live synchronous Voice Direct sessions (chat), Podcasts, and Voice Boards (audio blogs) and have them available in the Syllabus, Course Documents and Assignments areas of the Course Content section of Blackboard.
Wimba Quick Start Tutorials and Guides
Quick start tutorials and guides are available at the URLS listed below for each of the Wimba Voice Communication tools within Blackboard:
- Wimba within Blackboard Overview :
http://dl.austincc.edu/wimba/captivate/BbVA.htm
- Voice Authoring (General Announcement):
http://dl.austincc.edu/wimba/captivate/BbGenVoiceAnnounce.htm
- Voice Authoring (Content Area):
http://dl.austincc.edu/wimba/captivate/BbVAContent.htm
- Voice Direct: http://dl.austincc.edu/wimba/captivate/BbVoiceDirect.htm
- Voice Board: http://dl.austincc.edu/wimba/captivate/BbVB.htm
- Voice Email: http://dl.austincc.edu/wimba/captivate/BbVE.htm
- Podcasting: http://dl.austincc.edu/wimba/faculty/developPOD.htm . In addition, there is a demo of the Wimba Podcaster at:
http://www.wimba.com/assets/_flash/podcaster_demo.htm and a PDF description of the Wimba Podcaster features at:
http://www.wimba.com/docs/WVT_Podcaster_preview.pdf
Wimba Workshop and Training Opportunities
There are on-going information and training sessions about Wimba available through ACC and through Wimba.
For more information about Wimba, contact Jim Holzknecht.
If you want to take ACC's Wimba Blackboard workshop, you will also need to register into the Wimba Blackboard workshop. You will be set up with a Blackboard participant's account so you can take the on-line workshop.
Upcoming ACC Wimba Workshops. Type Wimba in the search box for the latest workshops.
Upcoming Wimba Voice Communication Tools Desktop Lectures.
Latest Wimba Voice Communication Tools benefits, features and upgrades.
Wimba Case Studies. * For the Wimba On-Line Training Resources, use the following User ID and Password:
- User ID = austincc
- Password = resource
Wimba's Oral Assessment Builder
Wimba’s Oral Assessment Builder enables ACC instructors to develop audio-based assessment instruments and exams. Faculty members can record procedural instructions and questions which test a student’s listening and comprehension skills. In addition, questions can be developed which enable the students to record their responses, thereby testing their speaking skills.
Oral Assessments sent by an instructor to a student are located in the “Assessments to Take” section of the Student’s Main Wimba page. Once a student submits an Oral Assessment, it will available for the instructor in the “Assessments to Grade” section of the Instructor’s Main Wimba page.