Provided below are some tips to help you effectively facilitate a class session in Zoom.
- Keep all microphones muted unless you are speaking.
- Decide when and how you will take questions. For example, you can ask students to unmute themselves and ask verbally, ask a question and then have students raise their hand, allow questions in chat or not. Decide this in advance and be clear with students at the beginning of the zoom session. How you engage with student questions may depend on the size of your class.
- Think about the background (e.g. consider using a “virtual background”) and the position of your camera.
- Run a test session to familiarize yourself with Zoom.
- Eye contact is extremely important. Try to look and talk directly to the camera.
- Small noises can be big distractions. Avoid shuffling paper, covering the microphone, drumming fingers, eating, or carrying on side conversations.
- Arrive 10 minutes early to get oriented, set up materials, and check if things are working (e.g. headsets, microphone, camera, etc.).
- It might take a bit of time to get used to teaching on Zoom. Keep it simple at the beginning.
