What is Wimba?

• Wimba classroom is an educational collaboration tool that will allow the synchronous delivery or asynchronous archiving of online lectures.  It provides a virtual classroom that instructors and students can learn and interact in real time with audio and video.  Or lectures can be recorded and archived for future access by students for an asynchronous environment.  Downloads of the archived lectures in MP4 and MP3 formats are available for students to use on their portable devices for frequent listening if their instructors have chosen to allow this extra option.
  

Do I need any special equipment?

• Recommendations for optimal experience:  Instructors and students should use good USB headsets with echo cancelling and background noise reduction with attached microphones.  Wimba recommends Logitech or Plantronics brands.  You can try what you have, but if you run into any audio problems, please use the recommended headsets.  Our preliminary testing indicates those with VISTA and Windows 7 operating systems with Realtek sound cards need the headsets with a microphone plugged in before they enter the Wimba Classroom.  We have had great success with Logitech ClearChat headsets. They can be ordered from Amazon or purchased at stores like Hastings or Staples.

Which browser works best with Wimba?

• Mozilla Firefox is recommended as your browser as we have had fewer problems with Mozilla.  Mozilla is a free download (it only takes a few minutes), which you can get at: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/products/download.html                        
• If you are using Internet Explorer IE 8, and cannot access a Wimba classroom please follow these steps:
  
  • Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level > Miscellaneous and then under the heading: Display Mixed Content> Enable > OK > Are you sure you want to change the settings for this zone? > Yes > apply > OK > Restart Computer > reopen Internet Explorer
• Link to Wimba Knowledge Base for screen shots of the IE 8 issue.
• https://d2.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8052

How do I login into Wimba?

• Log into Moodle
• Go to the desired course
  

• Click the appropriate Wimba classroom (Testing Wimba) that you want to attend – then you are brought into the Wimba classroom environment.

How do I access the Wimba archives for my course?

• You will enter the archives the same as you do the Wimba classroom by going to the Wimba classroom through Moodle (unless your professor has posted them elsewhere.)
• Underneath the name of the classroom, the archive should be listed - it will be slightly indented, and it will have archive listed for the type
• Click on the archive
• Click on Enter Archive located above the name of the room
• The archive should start by itself, but if it doesn’t, you can click on the underlined Start Archive in the upper right hand corner

Notify your instructor if you do not see the Wimba Classroom.

Who can I contact if I have trouble with Wimba?

Kathy Stevens
Distance Learning Coordinator
KStevens@mtech.edu
Office: 406.496.4837
Cell: 406.491.2410

Moodle Support
CTShelpdesk@mtech.edu
Office: 406.496.4244