Zoom Updates and Resources for Teachers

FID Updates

When there is a possibility of inclement weather, please take a moment to test your Zoom link to ensure you can start your session without any issues. We strongly encourage you to practice today with a colleague or your students to avoid any disruptions.

✅ Please remember:

             •          Follow your building’s guidelines for FID day procedures.

             •          Ensure your Zoom links are posted in Canvas(6-12) or Seesaw (k-5)

• K-5 Send home Clever QR codes. 

If you experience any issues with Zoom or other technology, please submit a helpdesk ticket immediately so we can assist you. Contact us at helpdesk@hershey.k12.pa.us

ZENDESK Support Resources for Parents/Students - Open Link

PLEASE make sure you Update ZOOM.  - Directions Linked

Zoom Updates

Zoom 6.0, now branded as "Zoom Workplace," is the latest version of the Zoom platform, offering a refreshed user interface, customizable toolbar, enhanced lighting controls, and a wider suite of features designed to improve online collaboration for educators, including a new multi-speaker video layout and the ability to isolate audio for noisy environments, essentially making it a more comprehensive tool for teaching and virtual classrooms. 

• What's New in Zoom 6.0 PPT

Key points about Zoom 6.0 for educators:

• Name change: The app is now called "Zoom Workplace" reflecting its expanded capabilities beyond just video conferencing. 

• Visual update: A new look and feel with a customizable toolbar within meetings. 

• Improved customization: Users can adjust the layout of the toolbar by dragging and dropping icons. 

• Enhanced lighting control: Better options to manage lighting in your video feed. 

• Multi-speaker view: A new layout option to display multiple recent speakers on screen simultaneously. 

• Audio isolation: Feature to isolate audio in noisy environments. 

How educators can benefit from Zoom 6.0:

• Better virtual classroom management:
  The customizable toolbar and new layouts allow teachers to easily navigate meeting controls and optimize student viewership. 

• Enhanced engagement:
  Features like multi-speaker view can facilitate more dynamic discussions and participation. 

• Improved accessibility:
  Lighting adjustments can help students with visual impairments.

• Streamlined collaboration:
  The expanded feature set within Zoom Workplace can support a wider range of teaching activities. 

BREAKOUT Room Updates

In Zoom version 6.0, the most notable new feature regarding breakout rooms is the ability to sort participants into breakout rooms based on their answers to a poll, allowing for dynamic room creation depending on poll results, essentially creating "poll-based" breakout rooms; this feature is accessed through the polling function within the meeting interface. 

Key points about the new breakout room functionality in Zoom 6.0:

• Poll integration:
  You can now create breakout rooms directly from a poll, where participants are automatically assigned to rooms based on their poll responses.

• Dynamic room creation:
  This allows for more flexible group assignments based on specific criteria gathered through a poll.

• Access through polling section:
  To use this feature, initiate a poll, then when reviewing the results, you'll have the option to create breakout rooms based on the poll answers. 

Zoom Settings:

We have enabled some settings at the domain level for our Zoom Accounts. These settings are also customizable in your own account settings. Please take time to familiarize yourself with these settings. They include some of the following items. You can turn on video and audio at your will. 

• Mute participants upon entry

• Screen Sharing - Host ONLY 

• Video OFF for participants upon entry 

• Allow host to put and attendee on hold - Allow hosts to temporarily remove an attendee from the meeting.

• Chat is allowed but NO private 1:1 chats are allowed

 General Zoom Recommendations

• Zoom Links should NOT be posted on public websites sites. Please share them directly with parents/students via Seesaw or Canvas

  • It is best to generate a new unique link for each Zoom session

• For Additional Security in Zoom has made “Waiting Room” a default setting. You will have to approve each student at the start of your session. 

Learn Zoom 

1. Getting Started With Zoom - Webinar Recording  - Learn Zoom meeting basics, such as scheduling and starting meetings, managing attendees, and recording sessions.

2. Zoom Meetings for Education - Webinar Recording - Learn how to reach your students using Zoom communication services for hybrid classrooms, office hours, administrative meetings, and more.

Zoom Resources & Best Practices for Teaching with Zoom

1. Zoom Tips for Educators

2. Zoom Task Cards - Good steps to walk through to customize your Zoom settings before your first meeting

3. Tips & Tricks for Teachers Educating on Zoom

Zoom Quick Guide

How to Join a Zoom Meeting