The article I will be discussing throughout my blog shared helpful tips for creating an interactive and effective Zoom class session. The shift to online learning has been difficult for students and teachers alike. However, we can make the most out of these online learning lectures by staying up to date and knowledgeable about several features that are here for the benefit of Zoom lectures. We must become familiar with these Zoom tools especially now that it is evident online learning is here to stay in the future as several online courses being offered in the Fall 2021 semester.

The article mentions the following features to create a great Zoom experience:

1. Enable Original Sound
2. Pre-schedule meetings
3. Screen-share Videos to Create an Interactive Online Classroom
4. Keyboard shortcuts
5. Secondary camera
6. Translated lectures
7. Engage with students

I will be touching on tip #3 and tip #6 throughout my blog.

Screen-share Videos to Create an Interactive Online Classroom

This tip is helpful as it allows students several advantages. Firstly, videos are an essential part of learning as they allow us to have a visual representation in learning. Students might get distracted or lose interest if a teacher is only lecturing for an entire class period, especially on Zoom. We must realize that this true even in an in-person learning environment. Thus, the videos should be fun and exciting to allow students to be engaged. I think this feature often goes unnoticed because of the difficulty with screen-sharing which post people have not yet mastered. However, the article includes an easy to follow step by step instruction for teachers. Please utilize this tool for a fun and engaging classroom environment via Zoom.

Translated Lectures

Translated lectures are crucial for students who are English language learners. This tool is useful for students whose English skills are dramatically struggling because of the switch to online learning. The translated lectures features allows recorded lectures to be translated to the students’ native language. Even cooler, students can have subtitles in their native language during the live session. This tool is so crucial for an inclusive learning environment for ELL learners. Furthermore, it can be beneficial for hard of hearing or deaf students who have an interpreter with them during an in-person session. Even cooler? If a student is seeking to learn a new language, they can perhaps add subtitles in the language they are trying to learn (of course as long as it does not cause a major distraction!). This tool is amazing for global learning and every instructor should familiarize themselves with it!

Thanks for checking out my blog! Talk to you all very soon.