Zoom - Supporting your students
There are a number of ways that you can support your students in using Zoom effectively and also in creating an engaging online learning experience for your students.
Provide students new to Zoom with helpful resources
Provide students with resources to familiarise themselves with the platform so that they know how to share their screen, annotate using the Zoom tools, use the chat feature, use reactions, mute themselves and join a breakout session. By providing this information in advance, students will feel more confident in the session. See links below for resources you can share.
Provide clear instructions in Moodle for the Zoom session(s)
It is not enough to simply place a link to the Zoom session and expect students to know what to do. Use Moodle as a space to provide clear instructions and guidelines for the Zoom session.
- State the date and time of the session and whether it is repeated
- Include the hyperlink to the Zoom meeting (make sure the passcode is included)
- State the agenda, objectives of the session
- Provide information on Zoom etiquette or house rules (muting, video use, how to ask questions, etc.)
- Provide troubleshooting tips if they can’t login
- Information about whether it will be recorded or not
- If it is recorded, let them know where they can access the recording
Create a safe and inclusive online environment
Learning online can feel very isolating for students. Take advantage of Zoom’s two way communication and breakout room features to get students involved in the session. It is recommended that you start the session with a short icebreaker, this can be as simple as having them answer a polling question to get them to breakout in groups and discuss a relevant topic. Find ways to get all students involved and get their feedback early on to improve their online experience.
Encourage webcam use in breakout sessions
It is hard to get students to turn on their webcams in a large session and may not be the best use of bandwidth. Therefore, the focus should be more on encouraging them to turn on their webcams in the breakout sessions so that they can have more meaningful discussions. This is especially helpful in a hybrid format where some students are in class. This shouldn’t be made mandatory though as there might be valid reasons for them not having their cameras on. Simply ask students why they have their webcams off. It could be because of bandwidth, they are in a shared space or they may not be feeling well that day. The key is to make them feel comfortable to share their video and explain why they should use their webcams in the breakout room.
Engage student in the session
Find ways of making the session more interactive and engaging for students, whether it is by integrating polling throughout the session, having group work in breakout rooms or having scaffolded discussions on the topic. For more tips on how to use Zoom to create engaging sessions, see the Quick start section. You can also see the MEA module on Increasing interactive learning with technology.
What resources and services are available to students
Here are some useful resources that you can share with your students:
Learn HQ: Zoom
Resource introducing students to the use of Zoom for a variety of online learning and teaching contexts at Monash University, from large-scale sessions, to small classes based on group work, as well as study group or teamwork collaboration meetings.
Zoom download link in China
Participants in China can download the Zoom app using this link and can join a Zoom meeting as usual by simply clicking the meeting invitation link as normal.
House rules
You can share these house rules to get students to understand how an online session functions very similarly to an face-to-face one but with slight modifications.
Zoom etiquette
This netiquette guide adapted from Monash College provides students some useful tips on how to prepare and participate in a virtual class.
Record group presentations using Zoom
You can get students to use Zoom if they need to do a group video recorded presentation. This guide provides them with the necessary steps to record a group video in Zoom.