Overview
Big Blue Button (BBB) is a online web conference tool that is accessed in Canvas's course navigation or within a Canvas Group. This tool allows you to conduct real-time lectures and meetings, you can share audio, video, presentations, your screen, a multi-user whiteboard, chat, and create breakout rooms.
Keep in mind these features are not included in the free licensing of Big Blue Button
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- Downloading of your recordings
- Inviting external guests
- Usage analytics
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Can I use Big Blue Button to record classes in Canvas?
Yes, the free tier of BigBlueButton does INCLUDE recording of your classes, videos are available for 7 days only for students to watch. The recordings can be found under Concluded Conferences after the meeting has finished and the recording has processed.
Note: The time of availability of the recording depends on the length of the recording and the BBB server queue. Students invited to the conference will have access to the conference recording. Concluded conference recordings cannot be downloaded.
SVSU ITS RECOMMENDS
Echo360 and Teams (includes Breakout Rooms for student collaboration) are recommended for recording your classes, especially if you plan to reuse content; both Echo360 and Teams integrate in Canvas.
Teams Class - where all conversations, meeting recordings, files, and notes can be accessed by everyone, all in one place.
Echo360 - where you can record, upload content, manage, edit media/transcripts, share to a course or embed in Canvas, provides tools to monitor student participation and increase their learning.
Instructor/Moderator Resources:
Creating and Starting a Conference
Running a Conference
Additional Conferences (BBB) Resources
Conferences Help - Canvas Guides
How many webcams can be shared at one time? All users will see all other user's webcams. Example: If you have 100+ people sharing webcams in a session, the usability of the session will be degraded. If you are running a large conference, we encourage you to Lock the viewer's ability to see other viewer's webcams as shown in the image below.

Student/Participant Resources:
Conference Basics
Conferences in a Canvas Group
Additional Student Resources