BigBlueButton

Key Features of BigBlueButton

BigBlueButton is packed with tools designed specifically for online teaching and learning. Here are some of its core features:

• Real-time audio and video sharing for seamless communication between instructors and students.
• Slide presentations with live whiteboard annotations, allowing teachers to draw, highlight, and explain in real time.
• Screen sharing to demonstrate processes or show additional resources.
• Live chat for instant text communication among participants.
• Breakout rooms to facilitate small group discussions and collaborative work.
• Polling tools to check understanding and encourage participation.
• Shared notes that students and instructors can edit collaboratively.
• Multi-user whiteboards for interactive brainstorming and visual problem-solving.
• Recording and playback so sessions can be reviewed or reused later.
• Learning Analytics Dashboard that provides real-time engagement insights to moderators.
• AI-powered smart slides to enhance presentations and learning flow.
• Visual assessment tools built into the classroom interface for real-time feedback.

These features combine to create a focused, interactive, and data-informed environment built specifically for virtual education.

BigBlueButton: The Open Source Virtual Classroom That Goes Beyond Video Calls

In a world where remote learning has become not just a convenience but often a necessity, educators need more than just a video call. They need a space designed to teach. That’s exactly what BigBlueButton offers, an open-source virtual classroom that puts education at the forefront.

Unlike generic conferencing tools, BigBlueButton isn’t just about getting people into a room. It’s about what happens once they’re there. Teachers can share audio, video, slides, screens, and even annotate in real time with a whiteboard. Students can interact through chat, participate in polls, collaborate on shared notes, and join breakout rooms for smaller group discussions. These features aren’t tacked on, they’re built in, thoughtfully integrated to support teaching and learning from the ground up.

At the heart of BigBlueButton is its mission to empower education. Whether you're tutoring a single student, delivering a flipped classroom session, managing group projects, or teaching a full class, the platform adapts to your needs. It’s flexible, and more importantly, it’s free and open source.

The latest release, BigBlueButton 3.0, pushes the experience even further. With support for Ubuntu 22.04, installation is now simpler than ever, just run the bbb-install.sh script and you’ll be up and running in under 30 minutes.

What truly sets BigBlueButton apart from standard conferencing tools, though, are its educational intelligence features. Instructors have access to real-time learning analytics through the Learning Analytics Dashboard, allowing them to gauge student engagement and adjust accordingly. Presenters can record sessions for future playback, while students benefit from interactive, AI-enhanced slides and easy-to-use whiteboard tools that support group interaction.

Want to see the difference in action? Watch co-founder Fred Dixon walk through how BigBlueButton redefines what a virtual classroom can be. You’ll see not just technology at work, but a platform purpose-built for online learning.

So if you're looking for a virtual classroom that does more than connect, one that truly helps you teach and helps your students learn, BigBlueButton is ready when you are.