Four Things You Might Not Know about… Zoom
Welcome to “Four Things You Might Not Know About,” a series of short posts on edtech tools and ways they can be used.
Zoom, among other videoconferencing options, is a part of the educational landscape. If your school is still remote or delivering a mix of hybrid and in-person classes, it’s likely you’re using streaming video to teach and learn. Zoom is a popular choice.
Here are a few things you might not know about Zoom. Note that most features will need to be enabled by your school’s Zoom admin, so if you don’t see the appropriate option or field in your Zoom settings, reach out! You can figure out who your admin is by visiting zoom.us/account while logged in.
1️⃣ You Can Have Students Annotate Screenshares, Then Save Those Annotations
This feature has been used by educators since the start of remote learning. If you’ve never used it, you can find out more by checking out this guide. One nice feature with the annotation tools is that annotations can be saved, so students who have to miss class can still see a visual record of thinking and learning.
Saving annotations can also lead to deeper exploration. You could have students annotate a document prior to class, then have students annotate the screenshare, adding layers of responses in real time. Or as a reverse of that, students could annotate during class, then annotate or respond to saved annotations. You could even embed saved annotations in a file such as a Wolfram Notebook, then have students comment on specific areas and analyze data.
2️⃣ You Can Zoom In to a Shared Document if It’s Hard to See
Speaking of screenshares, if you or your students are struggling to read a shared document, there’s a way to zoom in to make text easier to see. Just follow the steps shared in this HigherEdPraxis: Tips for Teaching Professors newsletter, no admin intervention required!
3️⃣ You Can Share (or Opt to Share) Your Pronouns in Zoom
Many folks have added pronouns to Zoom by renaming themselves. In the summer of 2021, Zoom released a feature to enable pronouns more directly. Pronouns can be seen either from the profile page or in the meeting itself. Here is a Zoom guide with more information.
This feature must be enabled by your admin, but once it’s in place, you can go to your account settings and type in your pronouns, including mixed pronouns. You’ll need to determine whether you want to always share pronouns, be prompted to share or never share in meetings directly.
4️⃣ You Can Connect Zoom to Other Video Tools Like Mmhmm
The video tool mmhmm is designed to increase video streaming functionality, from changing the way webcams are displayed to adding virtual backgrounds. The backgrounds, or “Rooms,” are seasonal and are often themed around different cultures and holidays. While mmhmm works on its own, it also connects with Zoom.
At the moment, mhmm offers a long trial of Premium features for educators. Simply follow these instructions for year-long Premium access. (Note: students can use this discount too, making it a possible option for future video projects.)
If you’re interested in further integrating tools into Zoom, look into Zoom Apps, which need to be enabled by your admin.
About the blogger:
Jesika Brooks
Jesika Brooks is an editor and bookworm with a Master of Library and Information Science degree. She works in the field of higher education as an educational technology librarian, assisting with everything from setting up Learning Management Systems to teaching students how to use edtech tools. A lifelong learner herself, she has always been fascinated by the intersection of education and technology. She edits the Tech-Based Teaching blog (and always wants to hear from new voices!).
