Zoom: Running a Successful Class

Running classes in Zoom can be a great way to continue teaching and learning from a distance. There are some simple things that you can do to ensure that your sessions are successful. (If you haven’t read it already, check out our first article in this series – Planning a Successful Zoom Session)

Before the Session Starts

Starting your sessions with these simple steps can set you and your students up for a successful Zoom session

  • Just like regular classes, students may have questions. If possible arrive early and plan to stay a little later.
  • Greet participants by name as they join. Make them feel welcome and use the opportunity to ensure that their audio is set up correctly.

Provide an orientation to Zoom

Don’t assume that your students know how to use Zoom. During your first session, take some time to orient student to the meeting window, their audio options (including how to mute themselves) and the engagement tools.

Additionally, set expectations. Let students know if you expect them to connect via microphone, or if text chatting is ok, and if you’d prefer them to turn on their cameras. Be flexible with students who may have technology limitations or bandwidth issues.

Record your Session

We strongly recommend recording your Zoom sessions to share with students who may not be able to attend. Click here for more information on how to record your session.

Field Questions from Students

As in face-to-face classes, regular breaks in your presentation to prompt students for questions, clarifications or comments can increase engagement and understanding.

Additionally, setting an expectation on how students can ‘interrupt’ your presentation in order to ask questions can help them feel comfortable in doing so. Some faculty are happy for students to just use their audio to interrupt, others request that the students use the “raise hand” feature (click here for information on this option), others have the students ask questions in the chatbox, and have a TA or student representative ask the questions at specific times.

Stay Patient

Working with technology, especially new applications, can be stressful for faculty and students alike. Try to stay patient and calm if the technology doesn’t immediately cooperate. Communicate with your students via chat, or even email if you’re experiencing technical issues and ask them to be patient. Run through all the steps that you practiced such as restarting Zoom, trying another device and connecting to audio via cell phone. After the session, reach out to ITS (helpdesk@clarku.edu) for help and advice on what may have happened and how to be more successful in the future.

Click here to read more articles in our series on Zoom.