.. _Course Live:

###########################
Course Live
###########################

.. tags:: educator, how-to

Live app can be used to configure video conferencing LTI tools like Zoom
and BigBlueButton. These tools will help connect educators and learners
within the platform.

***********************************
Enable or disable course live app
***********************************
Once course live app has been enabled, and an LTI provider has been
successfully configured, that provider will be accessible in "Live"
tab in course navigation.

1.  Go to "Pages & Resources" page and click gear icon on the "Live" configuration card.

.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/Live_configuration_card.png
   :width: 200
   :alt: Image of Live configuration card

2.  Turn on the toggle on top-right to enable the app.

.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/Live_app_configuration.png
   :width: 300
   :alt: Image of Live app configurations

3. Select the LTI provider and add credentials (if needed).

4. Click "Save" to enable the selected LTI provider.

Once successfully enabled, the LTI provider will be accessible in
"Live" tab in course navigation.


********************************
Provider specific configuration
********************************

At present, the Open edX platform supports following video conferencing LTI providers:

#.  Zoom
#.  Big Blue button

LTI setup
=========

For enabling LTI components, see :ref:`enable_lti_components`.

Zoom setup
==========

`Zoom LTI pro app <https://marketplace.zoom.us/apps/f8JUB3eeQv2lXsjKq5B2FA>`_
can be used to integrate Zoom video conferencing at the course level.
Course authors will need to generate their own credentials for the Zoom LTI pro
app and add those credentials in Live app configuration for Zoom.

Instructors can use the LTI Pro app to schedule and start Zoom meetings and
students can see and join these meetings to attend classes, office hours, study
groups, etc. Learn more about the app
`here <https://marketplace.zoom.us/apps/f8JUB3eeQv2lXsjKq5B2FA>`_.

To generate LTI credentials in LTI pro app:

1. Add Zoom LTI pro app to your Zoom account.

2. Navigate to configurations of LTI pro app and add a new credential.

3. Name the credential and select LTI 1.1.

4. LTI URL, LTI Secret, and LTI Key will be auto-generated.

5. In settings of the credential:

   a. Add "instructor_email" to `Email or Employee Unique ID Attribute Name` setting.

   b. Add the link to your Open edX instance's Learning MFE (for example, `learning.myinstance.com` - see the URL when you view your course) to the `Approved Domains` setting.


To configure Zoom, navigate to Live app configurations
(see `Enable or disable course live app`):


1. Copy LTI URL, LTI Secret, and LTI Key from LTI pro app and paste in LTI input
fields in Live app configuration for Zoom.

2. Add the email associated with your Zoom account, in "Launch Email" field.

Once successfully enabled, Zoom will be accessible in "Live" tab in course navigation.

.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/Zoom_in_Live_tab.png
   :width: 600
   :alt: Screenshot of Zoom rendered in Live tab in course navigation


Big Blue Button setup
======================

`Big blue button <https://bigbluebutton.org/>`_ can be used to create virtual classrooms
for a course.

Instructors can use the big blue button to schedule and start meetings and students
can see and join these meetings to attend classes. Learn more about
the app on `Big Blue button site <https://bigbluebutton.org/teachers/features/>`_.

Configuration options for BBB are presented below:

#. **Free tier**: You can use BBB for free with certain limitations. See this
   `document <https://bigbluebutton.org/free-bigbluebutton-service-for-edx/>`_
   to learn more about the free tier. To configure, select the *Free* option in
   *Select a plan* dropdown menu and click *Save*. No further configuration
   is required.

.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/course_live_bbb_free.png
   :width: 300

#. **Commercial/self-hosted**: You can deploy BBB on your own server or use
   third-party hosting providers. Please find more information on features
   available in the commercial tier in this
   `document <https://bigbluebutton.org/free-bigbluebutton-service-for-edx/>`_. You
   can use the services listed on this
   `link <https://bigbluebutton.org/commercial-support/>`_. These services provide
   complete BBB deployment and support.
   Once you have obtained LTI credentials for BBB from your own deployment or via
   a third-party provider, select the *Commercial/self-hosted* option in
   *Select a plan* dropdown menu, add LTI credentials in respective input fields
   and click *Save*.

If you want to deploy your own server of BBB, please the documentation provided
by BBB in the links below.

https://docs.bigbluebutton.org/administration/install

https://docs.bigbluebutton.org/administration/lti

Once successfully configured and enabled, BBB will be
accessible in *Live* tab in course navigation.

.. image:: /_images/educator_how_tos/BBB_in_live_tab.png
   :width: 600
   :alt: Screenshot of BBB rendered in Live tab in course navigation

.. seealso::

 :ref:`enable_lti_components` (how-to)

 :ref:`Determine Content Addresses` (how-to)


**Maintenance chart**

+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                                                   |
+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2025-04-13   | Docs WG                       | Sumac          | Pass                                                            |
+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| 07/03/2025   | Docs WG                       | Sumac          | `Fail <https://github.com/openedx/docs.openedx.org/issues/956>`_|
+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
