Zoom is currently available for use to all Faculty and Staff at the UofA. If a Zoom account is required by a Staff or Faculty member who does not want to access Zoom via eClass, please contact us at eclass@ualberta.ca to request a manual account in Zoom

This article describes how instructors can create and launch Zoom meetings through their eClass course. Follow these instructions for creating online sessions outside of regular Beartracks credit sections.

Adding Zoom to eClass:

1. First ensure that you have turned editing on in your course by clicking Edit mode in the top right corner of your course page. Then click on 'Add an activity or resource' in the desired topic to add the Zoom meeting activity tool:

2. Give the activity a name that will indicate where all the course meetings will be located. You will only need to add a single Zoom activity to your course and add multiple meetings within it. All the other settings can be left as defaults:

3. If you chose Save and return, click the new Zoom tool link from your course:

Activating a Zoom account:

4. If you chose Save and display (or clicked the link), you should now see the Zoom course dashboard. If this is your first time accessing the tool (and Zoom), you will need to confirm your UAlberta email address as an account on the system. Note: if you already have a Zoom account associated with your UAlberta Gmail account (in the form ccid@ualberta.ca) you may encounter problems with this step. You will need either to delete or rename your personal account to link an account to Zoom through eClass. 

5. Clicking the link in your UAlberta email account will allow you to follow a sequence of steps to sign in to and connect your account to Zoom. Note: some people have had their accounts created without needing to go through this step. If you go into the Zoom tool and just see the screen in step 6, your account should be set up.

Creating Zoom meetings in eClass:

6. Now your account is enabled and you will be signed in to the Zoom web application. As this interface is slightly different from the integrated eClass tool, it is recommended that you navigate back to eClass and refresh your page. You should see the Zoom Course recordings interface at this point. This will show any Upcoming meetings you’ve already created, along with tabs for Previous meetings, and any Cloud recordings:

7. When creating a new meeting, you can specify the following:

• Topic: Enter a name for your meeting to identify it to students
• Description (Optional): Any clarifying information about the meeting needed
• When: The Date and time of the meeting  
• Duration: The meeting length - students will see a Join button in your course until the meeting duration has passed
• Timezone: Leave as the default
  
  
  
  
• Registration: Leave unchecked
• Security: You must have one of these options on.
  • Passcode: Enabled by default, this ensures that people can't get into the meeting without the passcode or a direct link to the meeting (such as the "Join" button for students in eClass).
  • Waiting room: Checking this will require you to click ‘Admit’ for each participant who enters and is recommended for holding virtual office hours.
  • Only authenticated users can join: Use this setting to require students to sign in to their U of A google account before accessing. This ensures that students are logged in to their account, which is recommended for setting up certain settings, such as pre-assigned breakout rooms and watermarks.
• Video: Determine whether video and audio should be enabled by default for Hosts or Participants.
• Audio: Leave as default.
  
  
  
  
• Meeting Options:
  • Enable join before host: If unchecked, students will see a message saying ‘Please wait for the Host to start the meeting’ until you join
  • Mute participants upon entry: Good option to check in large sessions
  • Record the meeting automatically: Check this to record and then specify whether it should be Local (.mp4 stored on your computer) or Cloud (available to students in a list in your course)
  • Alternative hosts: Add instructors and TAs to act as alternative hosts in meetings. Other instructors and TAs in the course who are not added to meeting rooms will not automatically receive notifications about it.
    
    
    
    

8. Once created, you will see your meeting listed under ‘Upcoming meetings’:

9. Accessing the meeting settings will provide you with a link to share with external participants. Students in your class can just click the link to join.