2 - Teaching with Zoom Quick Reference Guide and Best Practices

Quick Start: Teaching with Zoom

Table of Contents

Before Class:

1. Ensure your technology is ready

  • Use a headset or earbuds for the best sound quality and prevent distracting background noise.
  • Check your internet connection, audio, and video settings at zoom.us/test.
  • Go to Zoom in your Canvas course navigation.

2. Review your Zoom settings

To reduce noise and distraction at the beginning of sessions, set your profile for such features as:

  • Participants video (choose off or on at start)
  • Mute participants upon entry
  • Play sound when participants join or leave

3. Schedule a meeting

  • The title of your meeting will default to the title of your course, but it is editable. You can also choose to make a recurring meeting if you know you will be meeting at the same time each week. Meetings that you schedule via Zoom in Canvas will automatically be added to your course calendar.

4. Arrange for help during your session

  • Ask a TA or student to monitor the chat so you can focus on teaching. Designate them as an alternative host in the meeting settings.

During Class:

1. Start the meeting early

  • Allow time to work out technical difficulties, and when prompted, follow the on-screen instructions to test your audio.
  • Close unnecessary applications and browser windows before joining the class meeting.

2. Familiarize yourself with the Zoom controls at the bottom of your screen.

3. Open Manage Participants

  • Mute participants to reduce background noise, turn on/off participants’ video, see who has joined, and more.
  • Remind participants to unmute themselves when they want to speak

4. Share your Screen Share slides, documents, a whiteboard, or your screen to participants.

 

5. Use Chat to Post or Send files to the whole class or one other person.

  • Chat can be overwhelming to keep an eye on while you’re trying to teach. Have a student or TA to monitor it so you can focus on teaching.
  • Chat can also be overwhelming for some students. It is recommended you offer this type of interaction as an option, but do not require it.
  • Download the full chat history at the end of class if you want to keep the record. 

6. Record the session:

  • Click Record and choose Record to the Cloud if you want to make the session available later.

After Class:

  • There will be a delay between the end of class and when the recording is available for publishing          

Additional Quick Reference Guides

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