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Quick Guide: Zoom for Instructors

Zoom is a powerful web conferencing tool for meeting virtually online. It has a variety of features that can be used to enhance engagement, such as recording, polling, and breakout rooms. Zoom can be used for webinars, trainings, and online team/class meetings.


As of Fall 2020, all PLU members have a Zoom account tied to their PLU email address. PLU has a limited number of Licensed accounts for faculty and eligible staff. Students and colleagues with a Basic (non-licensed) account can join and participate in meetings as usual. Basic accounts can host 1-on-1 meetings without a time limit, but group meetings of 3+ users will be restricted to 40 minutes. Licensed Accounts: All PLU Faculty have a licensed Zoom account. Eligible staff can request to opt-in by contacting helpdesk@plu.edu.

To access your account, login with your PLU ePass at plu.edu/zoom.

To get started with using Zoom for meetings, download the Zoom Client.

Click the sections below to expand their content.


To schedule a meeting:

  1. Open the Zoom Client and click the Schedule button. A new window will appear.

  2. Configure settings as desired, including the date and time.
  • We recommend selecting the Google Calendar option under Calendar.
  • Click Save.
  • If the Google Calendar option was selected, it will open as a new event in a new browser tab with the join link posted in the details. Invite participants via email address in the Guests field, or copy and share the join link.

    When its time to start the meeting, open Zoom and click the Start button next to the meeting in the scheduled list. Alternatively, click the join link from the Google Calendar event. After starting a meeting, configure settings, such as the microphone and camera, as desired with the options to the bottom of the window.

    To start a meeting on-the-fly, click New Meeting from the homepage of the Zoom Client. Allow any permission prompts that appear.

    To invite participants during a meeting:

    1. Click the up-arrow next to Participants from the Zoom toolbar, and select "Invite."
    2. Use one of the following methods to invite participants:
    • Contacts: search for the desired users, select them, then click Invite.
    • Email: select the Gmail option and an invitation email will open in a new browser tab. Send this email to desired participants.
    • Copy Invite Link/Invitation: click one of these options to the bottom-left and paste the information into an email, chat message, or other form of communication.

    If a passcode was enabled for the meeting, it will appear to the bottom-right of the Invite window. 

    To end a meeting, click End or Leave to the bottom-right of the window. Then, either select "Leave Meeting" to allow the meeting to continue after departing, or "End Meeting for All" which will close the meeting for all participants.


    The host of the meeting will need to invite you in order to join it, and send you a link (such as in an email or Google Calendar event). 

    To join a meeting, either:

    • Click the join link that was sent to you, such as via email.
    • Click the join link from the Google Calendar event.
    • Click the join button for the meeting in the Zoom Meetings tool within the Sakai course site.

    After joining a meeting, configure settings, such as the microphone and camera, as desired with the options to the bottom of the window (see Zoom: Participating in a Meeting for more details).


    During a meeting, collaboration tools and settings are accessed from the bottom of the window. Hosts may have different tools available than participants, and hosts may choose which tools participants have access to. Features such as whiteboarding and polling are enabled in the users Settings.


    Zoom has other web conferencing features, such as whiteboarding, polling, and breakout rooms. These features may need to be enabled in your Zoom account in order to use them during your meetings. Visit plu.edu/zoom for more information about the features and capabilities of Zoom. 

    To configure settings and features, click My Account to the top-right (see Zoom: Settings and Enabling Features for more details).


    • Do a test! Have a practice meeting before a session to make sure that everything is working correctly. Check your webcam, mic, and connectivity.
    • Use an external microphone. PLU classroom computers arent equipped with mics, and built-in laptop mics are very poor quality. A USB mic called the Snowball is available for checkout at the Help Desk in the library. 
    • Position the mic and webcam (if using) so that you can be seen and heard easily. 
    • When using Zoom during class, repeat/rephrase students' questions to ensure remote participants can hear them. 
    • Remote participants that are causing distracting noise can be muted. To mute a participant, click the People button to the top-right, select their name from the list, and click the microphone icon.
    • If microphone or other audio problems occur, the text chat feature can be used to communicate.



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    Keywordsweb conferencing, virtual meeting, distance learning, online, video, call, chat, remote   Doc ID98582
    OwnerJanelle B.GroupPacific Lutheran Univ
    Created2020-03-09 14:26:25Updated2023-08-04 15:29:48
    SitesPacific Lutheran University
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