When you launch Zoom from Canvas, if your camera is turned off, your initial screen will offer you some prompts to take further action (share your screen or applications, invite participants, etc.)

As host you have a number of options in the Zoom menu which will allow you to control what happens in the room.

This is usually available as a series of buttons along the base of zoom which allow you to control what happens in the room

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The key Zoom Menu items are

  • Microphone
    • The microphone option allows you to mute or turn on your microphone

See Setting up your Audio in Zoom for more information.

  • Video
    • The video option allows you to turn your webcam on or off
  • Security
    • The Security option allows you to permit/prohibit everyone on the call to share their screen, use the chat, unmute themselves, and start video
See Zoom In-Class Security Feature for more information. 

  • Participants
    • The participants option allows you to see who is in the room and to invite or remove individuals
    • Clicking this button shows another panel with participant information to the side of your Zoom interface (or as a moveable window if sharing your screen)

See How to admit Zoom attendees from a waiting room for more information. 

  • Polls
    • The polls option allows you to offer polls to your students
    • You can create polls in advance of your sessions and share them during the live class

See Creating a Poll in Zoom and Advanced Polling in Zoom for more information. 

  • Chat
    • The Chat option allows you to see and make available a chat area for all participants in the room
    • Clicking this button shows another panel with chat to the side of your Zoom interface (or as a moveable window if sharing your screen)

    • If you like, you can ask students to ask questions in the Chat feature during your session

  • Share Screen
    • The Share option allows you to share your screen or applications with other participants
See Sharing your Screen with Zoom for more information. 

  • Record
    • The Record option will allow you to record your live class.
    • When you schedule your session through Canvas, you can choose to record automatically or you can manually record the session using the Record button in Zoom.
See Recording your session in Zoom for more information. 

  • Live Transcript
    • The Live Transcript feature allows you to provide students with an automatic transcript of what you or others are saying during a class. 

  • Breakout Rooms
    • The Breakout Room options allows you to break students up into breakout areas
    • This feature is useful for replicating short group sessions that you might run during a face to face class

See Creating and using Breakout Rooms in Zoom for more information.

  • Reactions
    • The reactions option allows participants in a call to provide non-verbal feedback through using emojis. 
  • Whiteboards
    With Zoom Whiteboard, you can brainstorm and collaborate on a persistent, expandable, digital canvas.
    • More
      • The more option includes Focus Mode, which places meeting participants in a view where they are only able to see themselves, the host/co-hosts, any participants spotlighted by the host, and any content they are sharing.
    See Using Zoom Focus Mode for more information.

    • End
      • Click to end call.