Zoom
Overview
Zoom is a web conferencing tool that allows you to connect with students, faculty, and staff remotely.
We can use Zoom increase engagement and create quality learning experiences for students. Let's look at ways to engage students using Zoom.
For technical support or How-Tos, check out the Zoom Technical Page
Making Sure Students Can Find the Course
Communicate Regularly
It can be incredibly stressful to be ready for class and unable to find the link or have trouble signing on. The more we can do to support students with the information they need to access the course and work through the tech issues, the more students will feel supported in our classes.
Make sure your meeting time, date, and zoom link are on the syllabus. This should be posted in your Canvas Start Here module.
Before the first day of class, send a follow-up message to students with the date, time, and zoom link.
Send one last reminder the day of the first class meeting. Include the Zoom meeting link to help students enter class easily.
Sample Pre-course Letter
Hi Everyone,
The quarter starts on <insert day and date> and ends on <insert day and date>. Our final is scheduled for <day, date, time>. We will be meeting during our scheduled time <date/time> in our Zoom classroom <link to the class Zoom room>. To join, at our class time, click on that link using any web-enabled device with a camera/mic.
Install the Zoom app on your phone or tablet (use the app store) or your computer. Here's a link if you want to install it on your computer: Download and install Zoom Client for Meetings. Please do this as soon as possible to ensure you're ready for class.
Go to this website to test Zoom.
Just before class time, click this link <link to the class Zoom room>. This will allow you into the virtual room where you will be able to see and hear me and everyone else in the class.
When we meet, it would be great if you had headphones (ideally with a built-in microphone) or were in a relatively quiet space. If neither are possible for you, that's okay! We can work with whatever technology or space you are in.
I will be recording our class sessions and making the recordings available to you via Canvas. These recordings will only be available to the members of this class, and I ask that everyone be respectful and not allow others to view the recordings. At the end of the course, the recordings will be deleted. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about recordings.
Let me know if you're having trouble getting the Zoom app or if you have any questions about anything else related to our class.
If you're not able to join us at class time, please let me know. We'll figure it out together.
Making Class Engaging
Arrive early and check your tech
Even if Zoom worked perfectly last class, make sure everything is ready before class
Practice tab management and close screens you do not need during class (email, Canvas gradebook, other files you are working on)
Start each class with small - talk and conversation. This could be organic as people come in or could be a structured prompt
Use breakout rooms for small-group interaction (see tips for breakout rooms below)
Encourage interaction in the chat. Have students react, share something as it comes to them, respond to someone else. Make the chat a dynamic place and pause periodically to look at what is happening in the chat
Support using the reaction emojis
Use in-class polls. While you can set them up during class, best practice is to have them ready before class and saved in your zoom profile
Use polls at the beginning and end of teaching a concept to see how understanding changed
Use polls to gauge comfort with a topic
Use polls to prompt debate and discussion
Check out this example lesson flow
While it is helpful for connection to be able to see each other, requiring cameras on is not a great idea. Students will have many reasons for keeping their camera off, and only one of them is to hide from you.
Breakout Room Tips
Breakout rooms can be organized where you pre-assign them, Zoom randomly assigns them, or students can select into a room
Check in on breakout rooms to see how they are progressing and answer any questions
Use Zoom Breakout Room statistics to see how participation is going
Ask students to collaborate on group documents (docs, jamboard, padlet ...)
Use group roles to help organize group time
Before opening breakout rooms, message what take-away groups will share back in the main space
Teach students they can see the timer and set start and end times for breakout spaces
Breakout Room Considerations
When deciding what sort of breakout room to assign, there are reasons it can be effective and cautions to be aware of when selecting
You Assign
Effective Way to Use
Instructor can craft groups and balance different student needs.
Groups can remain for multiple class sessions (which is great for establishing community and using roles)
Groups can form an identity (best practice is to give time in each session for groups to mingle and get to know each other.
Caution
Can take time to set up during class.
Can set up beforehand, but then those groups need to be stable for the class session.
Zoom Assigns
Effective Way to Use
Groups are a mix
Quick to set up
Can easily create same-sized groups
Can allow people to opt out or can force all participants into rooms
Caution
Can lack group cohesion (although zoom will keep the same groups during a session, if you would like)
Participant Selects
Effective Way to Use
Allows people to select a space (so they can work with a particular person or on a specific topic)
You can label the rooms so people know what they are joining
Gives people choice
Caution
Can take time to get people into groups
May be confusing for participants who have not used before
Students may be hesitant to select a space
Groups may be unequal in size
Question not answered here?
Check out the Highline College Remote Teaching Course
Drop in on SETI - see the EdTech Events calendar
Contact us at et@highline.edu
Head to Zoom Support