BigBlueButton How-To

BigBlueButton is our conferencing system, along with Greenlight. This is where workshop attendees participate.

Workshop Registration

Starting Friday July 24, use the Schedule page at https://www.hope.net to find the workshop you are interested in. Select/click that workshop on the web page, and you will see a login window. Provide your name and ticket code to register. Some workshops have limited capacity (as requested by the workshop organizer) and sign-ups are first-come.

Joining BigBlueButton

Attendees do not need to create a BigBlueButton login. Just use the link sent to you, and provide the same name you used to register for workshops.

You will be admitted to the room by the moderator. Usually you will be muted at first (no ability to send audio or video), but you can use chat to communicate. After that, the specifics of the workshop vary depending on the workshop.

Information for Presenters

Be sure to test your full setup ahead of time to make sure event time isn't spent troubleshooting! Make sure your PC and internet connection can handle simultaneous voice, screensharing, etc.

You can register and get your own login at https://workshops.hope.net . You can use the test room you see there to get familiar with how things work.

NOTE: During HOPE, your workshop will be assigned a specific room, and the presenter and registered attendees will get the link by email before the session.

Troubleshooting

• To reduce mayhem, most workshops do not allow participants to speak.
• HELP -- I'm allowed to speak, but I can't!
  Make sure you joined the conference in "Microphone" mode, not "Listen only" mode. You can click the headphones button at the bottom to disconnect audio, then click it again to re-join in a different mode.
• I never got the (account confirmation, password reset, etc) email!
  Check your spam box, it's most likely there! If it's been a few minutes and it's not shown up, contact the helpdesk.
• How can I ask a question?
  Ask your question in chat, or click your own icon on the left side of the screen to set your status to "Raise [hand]"
• Oh no! The conference died!
  No problem -- Wait 1 minute, then refresh you browser. If that doesn't work, go back to the original meeting invite link and re-join the meeting.

Other issues: Please install Firefox ESR and try joining the workshop with it. Don't worry, it won't replace your regular Firefox.

Some details on BBB capabilities and use

• Workshops will happen over Big Blue Button (BBB).
• All Presenters and workshop helpers (facilitators) must have a BigBlueButton username in order to be room moderator. Visit https://workshops.hope.net to get a login. You must use the same name or handle that we already know you by, in order to enable you as moderator.
• IMPORTANT: Test out BBB the day before your first workshop presentation, using your own BBB room.
• You can share your screen with your workshop participants. This works for PowerPoint and other presentation software, but it does not work well for video or audio recordings.
• What works better for PowerPoint, PDF, MS Office, Libre Office, or photos for presentations/documents is uploading them to BBB as a PDF document. But max file size is 30MB (and 100 slides), so if you have a larger presentation, break it up into smaller files, and upload all of them. You can switch between presentations during your workshop in BBB. You can upload your presentations, as well as switch between presentations, with the big blue "+" button in the middle of the bottom of the screen.
• If you have a video or audio recording, the best thing to do is to upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, Instructure Media, Twitch or Daily Motion. You can then share the video url on BBB during your workshop. You do this with the big blue "+" button in the middle of the bottom of the screen, and then choose "Share an external video".
• You can log in to your workshop with both your laptop and a phone/tablet. You can use your phone/tablet as another camera for showing close-ups of what you want to show to your participants. If you do this, be sure to turn mute both the mic in BBB and the speaker on your phone/tablet.
• You can record your workshop while you're giving it -- there is a "Start Recording" button at the top of the screen of BBB. We will then get your recording to you. When you meet your volunteer facilitator before your workshop starts, please tell them you want to record your session.

Workshop rooms will be created for every workshop. Presenters and attendees will be send the link to their room shortly before the workshop begins, typically the morning of the same day (to allow for last-minute sign-ups).

Having other issues? Please reach out to your assigned workshop support person or our NOC.