Zoom
Zoom
Zoom is a web conferencing technology that allows you to host and record live online video sessions and meetings.
What are the benefits of using Zoom in teaching?
Zoom allows for two-way communication via video, audio and text chat. Participants in the session can also share their screens, annotate resources, take polls and split off into smaller breakout rooms
Zoom can be used in a variety of teaching scenarios and provides an opportunity for students and educators to engage with each other in a live virtual environment. Using Zoom for virtual discussions promotes an active student-centered learning environment where students can collaborate and discuss, as well as give and receive instant feedback and/or reactions from you and fellow students.
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Use Zoom in teaching
Learn about strategies to encourage active participation and different ways Zoom has been integrated into teaching.
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Sign in to the Zoom app
Learn how to download and log in to the Zoom desktop application, which provides more stable experience and some added features.
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Run a Zoom meeting
Learn about the features you can use during the Zoom meeting, including how to manage your audio and video sources and share your screen.
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Record a Zoom meeting
Learn how to record a Zoom meeting, record your screen and view the recording files once the Zoom meeting has ended.
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Share your Zoom recording in Moodle
Learn how to embed your Zoom recording in Moodle anywhere that the text editor is available.
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Set up a scheduled Zoom meeting
Learn how to set up a scheduled Zoom meeting at a specified time via the Zoom desktop app or website.
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Adjust Zoom settings
Learn how to enable Zoom features such as polling, non-verbal feedback, breakout rooms and live captions.
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Add Zoom waiting rooms
Learn how to enable Zoom Waiting rooms and how to use them during the Zoom meeting.
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View the attendance report in Zoom
Learn how to access the Zoom participant attendance reports. You must be the creator of the Zoom meeting to view reports.
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Use Zoom integration with Moodle and Panopto
Learn how to create Zoom meeting links that students can access through the Moodle unit with the integration.
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Use Zoom webinars
Learn more about Zoom Webinars, which supports up to 1000 participants, multiple panelists and moderated Q&A.
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Use Zoom breakout rooms
Learn how to use Zoom breakout rooms effectively to enable small group discussions and collaboration, with additional considerations for hybrid teaching.
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Use captions in Zoom
Learn how to enable live captions, view the full transcript and view, access and share the captions and transcripts for your Zoom meeting recording.
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Use Zoom polling
Learn how to set up in-meeting polls in your Zoom meeting to engage your students which can include multiple choice questions, matching and more.
Record teaching activities
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Class recordings play an important role in supporting student learning, revision and accessibility. They complement active and engaging teaching approaches and help ensure a consistent learning experience across units for students.
Expand the accordions to learn more
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Educators are responsible for ensuring students clearly understand:
- Which activities are recorded
- Who can access the recording
- How and where recordings can be accessed in Moodle as part of a clear weekly routine
- Remind students when recording is about to commence at each class.
This information should be communicated to students at the start of the teaching period and reinforced throughout the unit. Consistent application of these expectations enhances clarity for students, strengthens continuity of learning and supports alignment with unit delivery best practices.
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- All scheduled lectures and seminars must be recorded and made available on Moodle within 24 hours of being recorded (or by Monday morning where a recording occurs on a Friday). Confirm this timeline to students at the start of the teaching period so that the routine is clear.
- Where a class is delivered more than once, only one class is recorded.
- If your class is recorded automatically via Echo360, normally the first class is recorded. If you would prefer a later activity to be recorded, you can request this by contacting the Timetabling team.
- If your class is recorded manually via other platforms, you can make the decision on which instance to record. The recording must be uploaded to Moodle within 24 hours of the class and students must be informed of when it will be available.
- Other activities, including tutorials, workshops, applied or other learning activities, may also be recorded, as determined by the faculty or unit teaching team.
- If the platform supports it, you should enable automated captions and transcripts for all recorded and live-streamed classes and other video and audio learning resources that are available on the Learning Management System.
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- Students must be made aware before class recordings are taking place.
- Where teaching is delivered online, participants may choose not to use their webcam if they prefer.
- Where Zoom sessions are recorded, participants are normally notified through Zoom's recording notification.
- Guest speakers who are not Monash staff should be asked to sign a release form before the activity is recorded and/or live streamed.
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Where an activity is not recorded due to special circumstances or where a recording cannot be uploaded within the expected timeframe, educators must:
- Inform students in advance, and
- Provide
- An updated timeframe for when recording resources will be available, and
- Alternative ways for students to engage with the class content.
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Monash staff and students can now opt in to Zoom AI Companion to generate meeting summaries, transcripts, action items and live captions. It captures both meeting audio and chat history to produce AI-generated outputs.
Zoom AI Companion must be enabled by the meeting host. Participants can request that the host turn it on, and the host can accept or decline the request.
Currently, Zoom AI Companion can be used for:
- staff meetings with colleagues and external stakeholders
- student meetings with other students.
It’s not yet approved for:
- educator–student meetings
- research activities.
Before using Zoom AI Companion, you should:
- Ensure it’s used only for appropriate activities and avoid sessions involving sensitive, personal or confidential discussions.
- Inform participants before enabling Zoom AI Companion and displaying the introductory slide.
- Ensure participants are comfortable with Zoom AI Companion being enabled and provide opportunities to raise concerns.
During your meeting:
- Participants will receive an in-meeting disclaimer from Zoom when AI Companion is enabled and can ask for it to be turned off at any time.
After your meeting:
- Always review AI-generated outputs for content sensitivity and accuracy before sharing. Do not treat these resources as authoritative.
- Share reviewed outputs only through appropriate Monash-managed channels.
- Manage AI-generated records in accordance with the University's privacy, recordkeeping and data governance requirements.
Learn more about Zoom AI Companion on the eSolutions page.
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All recordings, including Echo360 class recordings, Zoom recordings and Zoom AI-generated content must be managed in accordance with University privacy and recordkeeping requirements.
- By default, Zoom AI Companion data is retained for 30 days and accessible only to the meeting owner, meeting hosts and co-hosts. For Monash users, Zoom AI data is saved within Australia and will not be shared to train Zoom's or third-party AI models.
Educators should ensure that:
- Access to recordings must be restricted to students enrolled in the relevant unit or teaching activity.
- Recordings, including Zoom AI-generated content, should be retained for as long as needed to support their intended educational purpose. Monash’s video capture platforms currently retain all recordings unless they’re actively removed.
Class recording requirements at a glance
| Class recordings (Echo360 and Zoom) | Zoom AI companion | Student initiated recordings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inform students before recordings take place | Y | Y | Not applicable |
| Manage recordings in line with Monash’s privacy and record keeping requirements | Y | Y | Y |
| Inform students when recording will be accessible in Moodle | Y | Y | Not applicable |
| Ask students to not share class recordings broadly | Y | Y | Y |
Supporting your students
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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.
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.
Related resources
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Using Zoom for teaching workshop recording
Watch the Zoom training session presented by Heath Graham (55 min). You can also download the slide here.
Online moderation
This guide provides some useful strategies for online moderation.
Zoom conferencing
This eSolutions guide provides information on how to install Zoom, some important settings, and key strategies of how to stay cyber safe when using Zoom.
Learning spaces with video conferencing
This eSolutions guide allows you to search learning spaces across Monash campus to find out the room capacity, whether it is a web or cisco enabled room and obtain the room guide for using the technology in the room.
Microsoft Teams (MS Teams)
As an alternative to using Zoom, you can also use MS Teams to run unscheduled meetings or get students to work together in an online space.
Google Meets
You can also use Google meets for creating video meetings with students or get students to work in a group together and collaborate in Google Meets. However, Zoom remains the preferred technology for online lectures, tutorials, and other online live teaching activities as the video quality and number of participants is better suited.
Education Performance Standards Framework
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The Education Performance Standards identify the expectations of education practice at Monash – See the Education Performance Standards for more details.
Impact on student learning | Impact on educational knowledge | Impact on educational environment | |||||
Effective teaching and learning | Responsive program design | Student- centred orientation | Professional learning engagement | Pedagogical content knowledge | Education research performance | Education innovation | Education leadership |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
You could address these Practice Elements by providing evidence of how you:
- Demonstrated ability to use engaging, authentic and active approaches to teaching and learning, for example using breakout rooms in Zoom to create more active learning opportunities for students.
- Demonstrated contributions to development of activities, units and courses in line with current best practices, for example create engaging online synchronous activities that can be done in Zoom
- Demonstrated contributions to support positive student learning experiences in practice, for example create Zoom drop in sessions or schedule support meetings with your student to discuss feedback
- Demonstrated ability to create or adapt teaching and learning approaches in line with new thinking and understanding, for example adapt teaching to a mixed online and in-person students cohort and make learning inclusive.