Note - many of these features are not enabled by default.  You may have to go into your Zoom settings and enable some features before using them.

Pedagogy Considerations

• A synchronous online class should be engaging and interactive.  To do this, plan on using Zoom's features for students to collaborate with each other and interact with the instructor and content. 

• Use frequent and varied interaction; 5 to 10 minute intervals (give or take) is a good marker. Use all the tools at your disposal so that the interaction avoids becoming mundane. Polling is an obvious option, but also consider asking students to type in a response to a question or comment using the chat box.  Hand raising is also a quick and easy way to interact with your attendees.

• Consider using a blend of small group and individual work.  Zoom provides the option for students to work in small breakout rooms with screen sharing and chat features.

• Avoid “death by PowerPoint” – visualize the content:  Text-heavy slides may seem meaningful and informative, but what they actually do is draw attention from the verbal content.  Replace those wall-of-text slides with images, single key terms or brief phrases that help to drive the content home without distracting from the presentation.

• Post presentations a week before your class in Canvas.  This practice promotes further thinking and advanced preparation of the content on the part of the students, as many students enjoyed having the notes printed out to follow along during the class sessions.  Additionally, students who have English as a second language often need the advanced preparation time to translate the slides. 

Preparation Best Practices

Install Zoom and become familiar with the basic Zoom meeting controls.

Meeting Controls:

• Use a recurring meeting ID and add Zoom onto your course menu in Canvas .  Classes can have their own semi-permanent meeting rooms with Zoom’s recurring meeting ID feature, which creates a unique virtual classroom that will last for one year. Students can join by using the same meeting room ID or clicking on the meeting room link every class. This way, you don’t have to send them a new link each time you start a class.

• Try a practice teaching session with a colleague or friend.  Schedule at least 30 minutes a few weeks prior to your first session to review the technology and practice using the Zoom features such as break out rooms, launching polls, etc. It takes practice and time to learn the basics and to figure out which features you will want to use in a class setting. 

• Follow a lesson plan and keep some extra material ready for each class in case it goes quicker than expected.  Keep a timer and put time markers in your lesson plan to keep you on track.

• Pick a good teaching location when you teach your class. This location should be quiet; use an office or conference room away from high traffic areas.  Place a note on the door letting others know that you are teaching. 

• Lighting should come from in front and never behind you to avoid casting shadows on your face. One or two lamps set up behind your computer monitor and facing you will accomplish this nicely. Your background should be interesting but not distracting.

• Change your Zoom settings to automatic record all meetings to the cloud. Doing this will place each recording into MyMedia within Canvas and make it very easy to share the recording with students who couldn't attend.

• Consider using dual monitors.  With a second monitor, you can host the screen sharing on your primary display and move windows like your participants list, chat, Q&A, and polling to a secondary monitor which will give you a greater ability to track everything at a glance. Don’t have dual monitors? Bring a second laptop, make sure it is made a co-host and you can monitor additional features there.