Zoom Guide for Students

Zoom is a web-based conferencing tool. Zoom works through a web browser, a local desktop client, or a mobile app. Users can  record sessions, collaborate with others on projects, as well as share or annotate one another’s screens.

All W&L faculty and students will have a Zoom Pro license. A Zoom Pro license allows for unlimited 1-to-1 meetings with an unlimited duration and group meetings for up to 100 participants for up to 24 hours.

Since Zoom can be used to do many things outside of a regular classroom. For example, you could:

  • Meet with group members for projects and assignments
  • Record a presentation
  • Host a meeting for a club or organization

On what devices can I use Zoom?

  • Computer or laptop (PC/Mac) — recommended
  • Tablet (iOS, Android)
  • Smartphone (iOS, Android)

What You Need to Get Started

  • An internet connected computer, laptop, or device
  • Your meeting ID number or the URL of the meeting
  • A headset or ear buds

Etiquette and On-Camera Tips

  • Find a quiet location from which to join your session, ideally with access to a fast LAN connection or good quality Wi-Fi signal.
  • Join meetings a few minutes early to test your audio and video connections.
  • Make sure you have the latest version of Zoom.
  • Use a headset (or ear buds) instead of speakers and a microphone. The connection may sound fine to you, but speakers and a microphone can generate static for others.
  • When your video is enabled, try to speak to the camera (not to the screen) for better eye contact.
  • Getting clear video is a lot like taking a good selfie: it’s all about contrast. If possible, light your face more brightly than the background to make it easier for others to see you.
  • Keep your clothing G-rated and professional.
  • Remember that activities such as eating, drinking, shuffling papers, etc. are extremely distracting.

Canvas-Zoom Integration

If your professor adds Zoom to your Canvas course, he/she will be able to schedule Zoom meetings for your class. When a meeting is created, you will receive a notification within Canvas and an email to your W&L account (assuming you haven’t changed the default notifications in Profile > Notifications). An event with the Zoom information will also show up in the course calendar.

You can join the Zoom meeting when you’re logged into Canvas by clicking on the Zoom link in the course navigation. You will see a list of upcoming meetings and a button to join. You can also click on the event in the course calendar to join the Zoom meeting.

How do I host and record a Zoom meeting with just me, my voice, and presentation?

  1. Log in to Zoom:
    1. In the latest version of Firefox or Chrome, go to myapps.wlu.edu and log in with your W&L credentials.
    2. Click on the Zoom tile.
  2. Check your settings:
    Once logged into Zoom, on the left hand side of the screen, click on Settings (https://wlu.zoom.us/profile/setting).

    1. Under Meetings (https://wlu.zoom.us/profile/setting?tab=meeting), make sure that Screen sharing is enabled.
    2. Under Recording (https://wlu.zoom.us/profile/setting?tab=recording), make sure that Cloud recording is enabled.
  3. When you’re ready to start the meeting:
    1. In the upper right hand side of the screen, hover on Host a Meeting and choose Screen Share Only:
      Zoom - Host a Meeting - With Video On, With Video Off, Screen Share Only
    2. Click Open zoom.us on the dialog box that appears. If you don’t see a dialog box, click on the Launch Meeting button.
  4. Choose what to share:
    You can share your entire desktop, just a specific application window (i.e. Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Word, etc.), whiteboard, or iPhone/iPad screen.

    1. Make your selection, then click the Share button. When you start sharing your screen, the Zoom meeting controls will move into a menu that you can drag around your screen.
  5. Join Audio:
    1. In the Zoom meeting controls, click Join Audio. In the dialog box that appears, click on Join with Computer Audio button.
  6. When you’re ready to start recording:
    1. In the Zoom meeting controls, click the More button, then Record to the Cloud.
    2. When you’re done recording, click the More button, then Stop Recording. In the dialog box that appears, click on the Stop Recording button.
  7. Download the recording:
    You will receive an email once the recording is finished processing.

    1. Click on the link in the email to access the recording OR go to https://wlu.zoom.us/recording.
    2. Click on the thumbnail to watch! Hopefully, you won’t need to re-record!
    3. Click on the More button, then Download. Ignore the .m4a file, which is audio only; you only need the .mp4 file.