Web-conferencing is available via Zoom!
Web-conferencing lets you connect with anyone, anywhere, in real time. Zoom, the university's supported web conferencing platform, combines desktop sharing through a web browser with audio and/or video capabilities, so participants can meet virtually synchronously. Zoom's web-based conferencing is accessible on MacOS, Windows, iOS and Android mobile devices. Anyone in the world can join a Zoom meeting, while a host can start/create meetings. All DelVal faculty (and staff) have access to Zoom.
See this link if you are using Zoom in the physical classroom to capture your lecture. Any questions with this should be directed to Technology Services.
Recommended Readings
Quick Reference Guide (Customguide Printable)
Tips & Trips for Teachers Educating on Zoom
Best Practices for Synchronous Communication
Reference Material
Zoom video tutorials are available here, including these essential introductory videos on How to Schedule a Meeting (If you add the Zoom tool to your LMS, disregard the initial step where they direct you to their website), How to Start a Meeting, How to Share your Screen, Share a Whiteboard, Use Meeting Controls and Record a Meeting. Visit the Full Zoom Help Tutorial Page and review Recommended Best Practices. Lastly, here is the link to Test Zoom Connection and Equipment.
Below is some highlighted reference material:
FACULTY SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS: It is recommended that you add the Zoom tool to your Blackboard course(s). This integrates the two systems so no additional login is needed and access is available for both you and your students through the course site. No need to distribute a specific URL or send to emails, etc. To set this up: First, add Zoom to your LMS course site(s) - see screenshot below. Second, schedule Zoom sessions needed for that course within that course site. Third, when it is time to meet, both you and your students, click on the Zoom link within the course site. *Note: Doing this does not prevent you from being able to distribute the meeting URL to others. Should you wish to combine sections or add additional participants, you can create the link in one section to authenticate access for them and then distribute the meeting URL to the other via an announcement or email.
Adding Zoom to a course
Open the course where you would like to add Zoom.
Click on Settings.
Click on Navigation tab
Click dots to Enable
Click Save.
Scheduling a Meeting
Click the link the course navigation and login to Zoom if you are not already.
Click Schedule a Meeting.
Select the desired settings for the meeting.
Topic: Choose a topic/name for your meeting.
Description: Enter in an option meeting description.
When: Select a date and time for your meeting.
Duration: Choose the approximate duration of the meeting. Note that this is only for scheduling purposes. The meeting will not end after this length of time.
Time Zone: By default, Zoom will use the time zone that you sent in your Profile. Click on the drop down to select a different time zone.
Recurring meeting: Check if you would like a recurring meeting, i.e. the meeting ID will remain the same for each session. This will open up additional recurrence options.
Recurrence: Select how often you need the meeting to recur: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or No Fixed Time. It can recur up to 50 times. If you need more than 50 recurrences, use the No Fixed Time option.
The other recurrence options will depend on how often the meeting recurs. You can configure the meeting to end after a set amount of occurrences or have the recurring meeting end on a specific date.
Registration: Check this option if your meeting will require registration. Instead of a join link for your participants, you will be provided a registration link. Read more about meeting registration.
Host Video: Choose if you would like the host video on or off when joining the meeting. Even if you choose off, the host will have the option to start their video.
Participant Video: Choose if you would like the participants' videos on or off when joining the meeting. Even if you choose off, the participants will have the option to start their video.
Audio Options: choose whether to allow users to call in via Telephone only, Computer Audio only, Telephone and Computer Audio (both), or 3rd Party Audio (if enabled for your account).
Dial in From: If Telephone only is enabled for this meeting, click Edit to select the dial-in countries that you would like included in the invitation. By default, this includes your Global Dial-In Countries listed in My Meeting Settings.
Require Meeting Password: You can select and input your meeting password here. Joining participants will be required to input this before joining your scheduled meeting.
Enable join before host: Allow participants to join the meeting without you or before you join. The meeting will end after 40-minutes for Basic (free) subscribers.
Mute Participants Upon Entry: If join before host is not enabled, this will mute all participants as they join the meeting.
Use Personal Meeting ID: Check this if you want to use your Personal Meeting ID. If not selected, a random unique meeting ID will be generated.
Enable Waiting Room: Check this if you want to enable Waiting Room for your meeting to manually admit attendees. Learn more about Waiting Room.
Record the meeting automatically: Check this if you want the meeting to be automatically recorded. Select if you want it to be recorded locally (to your computer) or to the cloud (zoom.us/recordings).
Alternative Hosts: Enter the email address of another Zoom user with a Pro license on your account to allow them to start the meeting in your absence. Read more about Alternative Host.
Click Save.
Viewing Scheduled Meetings via Blackboard
When instructors access Zoom via Blackboard, they will see any meetings that they have scheduled regardless of course, but not any meetings for that course scheduled under any other instructors. When students access Zoom via Blackboard, they will view any meetings scheduled for that course regardless of instructor.
Starting or Joining a Meeting
When it is time for the scheduled meeting, students and instructors can access the Zoom meeting similarly.
In the Blackboard course, click the Zoom link.
Next to the scheduled meeting, the instructor can click Start to launch Zoom and begin the meeting.
Next to the scheduled meeting, the students can click Join to launch Zoom and join the meeting.
Recording a Meeting
When you wish to start recording the meeting, click Record. If you chose the option to Record on This Computer, the recording will automatically be saved locally to your computer at the conclusion of your meeting. If you chose Record to the Cloud (available to premium users), you can obtain and download the file to distribute under Cloud Recordings. NOTE: Recordings saved to the cloud will be removed 14 days after the close of each semester (fall, spring and summer). To upload your recording to YouTube/Blackboard to keep longer, click here. SPECIAL NOTE: If you plan to record class sessions, be sure to include a privacy statement in your syllabus.
Notes and Considerations
The standard Zoom set up usually is sufficient. As long as students are muted upon entry (and unmute when they speak), class can run as a typical web-conference.
Plan for the additional time. Students may need to get comfortable navigating the meeting window and proficient with with tools available to them as well. Plan to attend (open) the session a few minutes early for students to get adjusted to the environment.
In small enrollment courses, it is feasible to see all students in Zoom using the Gallery view. Learn how to switch your view here.
If students need to speak among themselves during class, instructors could implement the break-out rooms feature of Zoom. This avoids having all students speaking in the same Zoom meeting. Typically, when the breakout rooms are going on, there is no lecture; rather, the instructor is visiting the individual rooms.
Instructors can solicit questions from students using the Chat function in Zoom. To minimize confusion, instructors should communicate how and when students should ask questions. Note that the instructor can monitor incoming questions in the chat window.
Test your Connection
Highly recommended! Test your Zoom connection and equipment.
Request a Live Demo
View Recording of a prior live training session or schedule a live demo with one of the Zoom specialists at your convenience, Monday through Friday 1pm - 7pm EST. Fill out the form and someone will contact you to discuss your requirements, answer questions and offer ways Zoom can help you.
Support/Contacts
If you experience an issue with Zoom, please contact their support team directly at 1-888-799-9666 (option 2) and/or our campus Help Desk at 215-489-4357.
For additional information and details, see Zoom at DelVal (Technology Services page - DelVal login required) or Zoom student reference page.