Zoom: Everything you need to know

Overview

Zoom is one of the easiest online meeting tools, which is why we use it at New England Tech for our online courses.  It is simple to use for a quick one-on-one meeting with a student,  for having a group discussion, or for holding an entire class session.  While simple, it is also feature rich.

  • The screen share feature allows you to share, annotate, and discuss documents or presentations.
  • A built in whiteboard for brainstorming and solving problems.
  • It can record your live session so you can post it for students to review, or you can use it to create a lecture or demonstration that students will view outside of class time. 
  • Manage the session by controlling who can speak, having students raise their hands, and posting  questions in the chat board.
  • Advanced features such as in-session polling, breakout rooms for groups, and attention tracking during presentations.

Zoom has two versions: the free Basic and the paid Pro account. NEIT has a limited number of Pro licenses. The free version has all the features listed above, but is limited to 40 minutes with groups of 3 or more. But don't fret--we have suggestions on how you can teach if you only have a free account.

Getting Started for Instructors

Zoom.us resources 

Live Webinar options: Links to an external site.Zoom Meetings for Education will give you an complete overview from the student and instructor side (45 minutes)

Zoom video tutorials: Links to an external site. Bite-sized videos to address specific how-tos such as scheduling or joining a meeting, working with breakout rooms, etc.

Comprehensive Guide to Educating on Zoom Links to an external site.:  (Recommended) Includes a Quick Start guide, and a teacher's guide to educating in Zoom, including how to and  links to  support guides for commonly used tools, tips for teaching over video, and resources for advanced features like breakout rooms and polling.

Other Resources

There are many videos on YouTube that have been created by universities and classroom instructors to help you get started. Below are a few that we think you may find helpful.

view.pngHow to Teach Online Lessons with Zoom. Links to an external site.  Focused on Free account. Takes you from sign up, scheduling a meeting, settings to consider, and recording the session. 

view.pngHow to teach online with Zoom Links to an external site. (18:01) Complete Introduction. Goes into issues you may encounter. Covers: setting up an account; getting the settings right for teaching; what you need to understand about your view and the student view ; how to chat; how to control the audio and the video; how to screen share; how to play video in a lesson; how to draw and mark content on the screen.

view.pngHow to Use Zoom Mobile App For Free Video Conferences Links to an external site. (5:56).  Good information for doing Zoom meetings from your phone or iPad. Remember, your students may be joining from their phone.

Teaching with Zoom

Tips and Tricks for Teachers Educating on Zoom: Links to an external site. Starting a class, tips and tricks  virtual lessons and  lesson delivery, support links to built in tools for engaging your students.  (included in the Comprehensive Guide to Educating in Zoom)

Quick Help

Check out Zoom's general Help Center Links to an external site.or FAQ Top Questions Links to an external site.

NOTE: Zoom has changed its default screenshare settings so that only the host can share. If you want to allow students to share screens you will need to adjust your settings.  Go to Share>Advanced sharing options. Under Who Can Share, click the radio button next to All Participants

Screencasting and Recording Presentations

You can do a screen recording of your presentation or lecture in Zoom. You just create a meeting but don't invite anyone to it.

  1.  Start a meeting by clicking Start without video.  How Do I Host a Video Meeting?  Links to an external site.
  2. Bring your PowerPoint up on your screen. Launch the presentation.
  3. Share your screen   before you start recording. Choose your PowerPoint and not the desktop. How Do I Share My Screen? Links to an external site.
  4. Select the Record button  or under More... choose Record meeting.  If given an option, select Record to my computer.  How Do I Record My Meeting Links to an external site.
  5. Make your presentation. At the end of the presentation, stop the recording by clicking More... and choosing Stop Recording.
  6. End the meeting by clicking More... and choosing End Meeting. Choose End Meeting for All on the pop up menu.
  7. The video will process automatically. 
  8. Once you have recorded your meeting you will need to find the recorded file. How Do I Find My Recorded Meeting? Links to an external site.

 

Getting Started for Students

Here are some resources that you can share with your students.

How to join a meeting Links to an external site.: Link to share with your students

view.pngVideo guide for how to join a meeting Links to an external site.: YouTube video guidance.

Student Tips for Participating in Online Learning: Links to an external site.Handout on meeting etiquette.