Zoom is the New Tool for Collaborating with Your Students

AOI | Learning Innovations
Faculty Insider

Weekly Tip: Zoom is the New Tool for Collaborating with Your Students

This past summer WSU introduced Zoom as the university-wide solution for a variety of distance learning needs. You have likely already used it to join meetings from your computer, or as the infrastructure for your video conference room calls, but it is now available in the Tools section of your Blackboard Learn Course Space allowing real-time connection with students directly through our learning management system.

Global Campus instructors have already begun using it to hold their synchronous virtual course sessions, utilizing features such as:

  • Screen Sharing – You and your students can share any program or video clip (with audio) to the group to help clarify, review, and collaborate.
  • Virtual Whiteboards – Anyone in the class can annotate on content being shared, or on the built-in whiteboard, with different color for users.
  • File Sharing – Collaborate on and share files within the Zoom app, no need to use email to transfer files.
  • Recording Transcripts – Students with different learning preferences can re-watch the class session with auto-generated transcripts to supplement the audio.

Ways Zoom can Improve Your Class Experience

  • Student to Instructor Interactions – Provide alternative means of meeting by setting up one-on-one virtual office hours by.
    • Utilize the waiting room feature to offer students privacy.
  • Outside Experts – Host a guest presenter; from their office PC, or via mobile if they’re stationed in the field.
  • Increase Student Engagement – Create multiple virtual meeting rooms so students can collaborate on group work outside of the class session.
  • Active Learning – During live sessions, create breakout rooms to allow students to work in small groups and learn from each other.

Learn more about peer instruction. 

That’s just the beginning of what you can do with Zoom.

Join Us

Learning Innovations hosts a number of Zoom trainings designed to answer your questions, cover the basics, and offer best practices. During these trainings, we also provide a space to test out and collaborate on the implementation of Zoom in your courses.

See you there!

Register for Zoom training.

This series of videos and teaching tips is presented by Academic Outreach and Innovation (AOI). We invite you to join the conversation. Share your tips and ask questions through this blog. If you would like these posts to be sent directly to your email each week, subscribe to the listserv by emailing aoi.li@wsu.edu.

For more information or to schedule time with an instructional designer or emerging technologist, contact aoi.li@wsu.edu or request training on demand. You can also visit the Spark Faculty Innovation Studio in room 102 any time from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, during the academic year.