Getting started with Zoom in the classroom

I. Installing the application and signing in

  1. Download and install the Zoom Client for Meetings.
  2. Launch the Zoom.us application
  3. Click “Sign in with SSO”
  4. Enter colby.zoom.us and click “Continue” and log in when prompted

II. Inviting participants

A convenient approach to inviting participants is to use Google Calendar.

III. Starting the meeting

Once you are signed into Zoom and have invited participants, click the “Start” button to begin the meeting. Once the meeting is started, you can mute and unmute your microphone and camera.

IV. Note on connecting with multiple remote participants

In order to connect multiple remote participants simultaneously, you will need to request a Zoom Pro account (standard Zoom accounts may connect with multiple participants simultaneously but only for a maximum of 40 minutes at a time). Zoom meetings involving only one remote participant are unlimited and do not require a Zoom Pro license.

V. Recording your meeting

After starting a Zoom meeting, clicking the “Record” button and choose “Record on this computer.” When you stop recording (or end the meeting) the Zoom app will convert the recording into an MP4 video file that you can upload to Google Drive and share. By default, this file will be saved to your computer and can be found in the Documents\Zoom folder (or My Documents\Zoom on Windows). Each meeting will have its own folder, and inside there will be a few files. The file you want to share is titled “zoom_0.mp4” (and there may be more in this sequence).

 

VI. Note about screen recording with Zoom

You can use the Zoom to record your computer screen and microphone audio with or without remote participants. Once you start a meeting and begin recording, click the “Share” button to share your entire desktop or specific windows into the meeting. Whatever you share into the meeting will be visible to remote participants and recorded onto the meeting video. Even if you don’t have any synchronous remote participants, whatever is shared will be recorded — this technique essentially uses Zoom as a screen recording application similar to Camtasia or ScreenFlow.