Learning and teaching tools: Zoom

The following aspects of Zoom will be introduced in this section. Click on the links to jump to the relevant topics.

Please ensure that you have an appropriate space, i.e. one in which you can listen and speak, without excessive background noise. 

The recommendations for best participation experience are:

• webcam
• speakers/headphones
• microphone/headset.

The minimum requirement is speakers and a microphone – you must be able to listen and join the discussion.

You can use Zoom as an application on your computer or as an app on a mobile device. We recommend that you install Zoom on your computer.

Before start using Zoom, make sure you sign in. When prompted, choose the "Sign In with SSO" option and enter "monash.zoom.us" as the SSO site URL.

You can find out more about accessing Zoom from:

The Zoom screen

When you have the software installed and signed in, you will be able to see the Zoom screen:

Update your Zoom profile

To make it clear who you are in the session, make sure that your name displays in Zoom. You can check this by looking at your profile. If you need to change it, you can edit it through “My Profile.”

You should receive a calendar or email invite from your facilitator for a Zoom session. You may also find the Zoom session details in the relevant Moodle units. To join the session, either follow the URL in the invite. Alternatively, open Zoom and select "Join". You will then enter the meeting ID, which is also in the invite.

You may also be asked to enter a passcode when joining a Zoom meeting. You will generally find the passcode along with the meeting ID in the invite.

When the facilitator is presenting, make sure your microphone is muted. This will prevent small sounds on your end from echoing through to everyone else.

Change views

The side-by-side mode is recommended when the facilitator is presenting. You can change the session display via “View Options”.

Ask questions

If you have a question while the facilitator is presenting, 

• Raise your hand. The facilitator will, if possible, pause and unmute you so that you can ask your question. You can only see this option if you have opened the “Participants” menu.
• Use the group chat. Remember to send the message to everyone, so that your peers can see the question. You can only see this option if you have opened the “Chat”.
• Non-verbal feedback. Once enabled, you can display icons such as “Yes” and “No” next to your name the same way you can raise your hand via the “Participants” menu.

Share your screen

You can share your screen with others in the session using the “Share” option.

In some sessions, you may be asked to undertake small group work. This means that you will be assigned to a “Breakout Room”. In these rooms, you will need to unmute your microphones to join the discussion. Click "Join" to enter a Breakout Room.

There is a brief delay when joining and leaving a break out session. This may take a little longer if your internet connection is less stable.

You will also be able to “Ask for Help”. The facilitator will briefly join you to answer your questions. NOTE: 

• The facilitator cannot hear or see what you are doing in the breakout rooms unless they have joined your room, and can only see what you are doing while in the room.
• There will be multiple rooms that may need the facilitator’s assistance. Please be patient.

You can also share your screen in the Breakout Rooms. This includes the 'Whiteboard' option where your group members can annotate the screen together and to save the annotations for themselves.

Whiteboard/Annotation

To annotate the screen, select the “Annotation” option from the control menu if you started the screen sharing. Alternatively, go to “View Options > Annotate” if you are viewing a shared screen.

Make sure you select "Save" from the annotation toolbar if you wish to keep a copy of the whiteboard. An image will be saved to the Zoom session folder (with the session's date-time-name as the folder name) on your computer.

You can chat in your Breakout Room as you would in the overall Zoom session. However, note that your chat can only be seen by other participants in the same Breakout Room.

The facilitator may send messages to you all while you are in a Breakout Room. These will appear as banners on your screen before disappearing. Keep an eye out for them.

A countdown may appear when it is time to return to the main session. You can wait and be automatically sent back to the main session. Alternatively, you can choose 'Leave' and 'Leave Room' to return to the main session manually.

Normally the facilitator will close the session when it’s concluded. However, if you need to leave in the middle of the session, select “Leave Meeting”.

It is a good idea to test your set-ups and do a trial session before hosting a Zoom session of your own. When you are ready, schedule the meeting and make sure the details have been sent to the participants via email or calendar invite.

When scheduling meetings, they will automatically include a passcode. Make sure you send all the necessary information to your participants. This may include a meeting link with the passcode appended, the meeting ID and the passcode as text.

Your Zoom sessions can be recorded. It's useful as you may be asked to submit video assignments such as a presentation. 

Remember to seek permission before your record if there are other participants in the meeting.