Online teaching: Using Zoom to connect with learners

Using cloud-based video conferencing platforms such as Zoom has become, for many people, a part of everyday life. This is particularly true for learners of all ages who are now spending more time online connecting with their peers or studying remotely. To ensure a successful learning experience for our online learners, educators and teachers need to feel confident designing and delivering a live Zoom class. In this course, you’ll explore the Zoom functions that are relevant to teaching a live online class, such as Zoom’s class management tools, break-out room function, chat, screen-sharing and the poll function. More importantly, this course will provide practical real-world examples of how to use these functions successfully in a live class setting, as well as provide an opportunity to design, develop and create your own Zoom lesson plan. The course is suitable for anyone who designs or delivers synchronous or live online Zoom classes. Learning Outcomes  By the end of this course, you’ll: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic functions of Zoom 2. Recognise the Zoom class management tools 3. Evaluate the ways Zoom can be used to deliver engaging live online class activities 4. Design, develop and create a Zoom lesson plan

• Essential Zoom settings and controls for educators
• Welcome to Week 1! This week we will explore how Zoom can be used to create a virtual or online classroom environment. We will take time to familarise ourselves with Zoom, the license or plans that are available, and the resources that can be accessed via the Zoom resource centre. We will then focus our attention on learning more about the appropriate Zoom controls, settings and preferences for an educational context.
• Prepare your virtual classroom on Zoom
• Welcome to Week 2! This week we will focus on creating a safe and supportive space for learners, and will explore privacy, security and accessibility in more detail. We will investigate Zoom's settings in an applied educational context, which will help you to confidently set up your virtual class so it is appropriate for your cohort of learners.
• Zoom tools for learner engagement
• Welcome to Week 3! Understanding what Zoom fatigue is can help you as an educator design virtual lessons that will prevent this feeling for you and your learners. This week we will explore techniques to assist with this and introduce the four main Zoom functionalities to increase learner interaction and lessen Zoom fatigue.
• Creating engaging and interactive online lessons
• Welcome to Week 4! This week we will continue to build your technical confidence and skills by diving deeper into Zoom tools that can facilitate learner engagement (as polls, chat, reactions, whiteboard, screen sharing) and learner collaboration (breakout rooms). Using these Zoom tools can assist you, the educator, in reducing the perceived distance between you and your learners and ensuring they are engaged and connected to their learning.
• Zoom lesson plans and 3rd party application integration
• Welcome to Week 5! As you have now discovered there is a range of Zoom tools that educators can use to create and deliver an engaging and interactive lesson. From a technological perspective, knowing how to use these tools is important however, the real skill is knowing how to strategically select and use tools that are appropriate for your learners and the purpose of the lesson. This week we will explore designing an online lesson plan using Zoom.