WSB Teaching and Learning Toolkit

Zoom Meeting Checklist

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Schedule Meetings

Use the Zoom web client to schedule one-on-one meetings or office hours. Go to uwmadison.zoom.us to schedule meetings and adjust meeting settings in the Zoom web client. Click Sign In. 

Use the Zoom Canvas client to schedule recurring class sessions. For a detailed overview of when to schedule meetings via the web or Canvas versions of Zoom, check out Zoom Interfaces: When to use Canvas, Web, and Desktop clients.

Initial Setup in the Zoom Web Client

Changing any meeting functions in Settings via the Zoom web client will make changes to any Zoom meeting created or hosted in the web client, desktop app, or Canvas client.

The following recommendations are found in Settings > Meeting > Security.

    • Confirm that the Waiting Room is disabled so that you do not need to manually admit participants.
    • Disable Require a passcode when scheduling new meetings to eliminate barriers to entering a meeting. 

The following recommendations are found in Settings > Meeting > Schedule Meeting.

    • Enable Host Video to start each session with your video on. 
    • Enable Allow participants to join before host if you would like students to be able to congregate before the class session and/or your arrival. A 5 or 10 minute join window before the session is recommended. 
    • In large classes or lectures, it is recommended to enable Mute all participants when they join a meeting. 

The following recommendations are found in Settings > Meeting > In Meeting (Basic).

    • Enable Chat for participants to share their typed thoughts in real time with all participants or with the host only.
    • Disable Sound notification when someone joins or leaves to eliminate distractions, especially in larger classes or when guest speakers are present. 
    • Confirm Co-Host is enabled if you would like a TA or guest speaker to have in-meeting host controls. The host can remove co-host permissions at any time. Note that co-hosts are assigned during the meeting while alternative hosts must be assigned before the meeting.
    • Enable Polling if you plan to use this tool for information-gathering during class sessions. 
    • Enable Screen sharing for All Participants if students are expected to present. 
    • Confirm Whiteboard is enabled and Allow saving of whiteboard content.
    • Enable Meeting reactions so participants can display emojis that last for ten seconds on their video. Other nonverbal feedback includes icons to slow down, speed up, take a break, and raise a hand.

The following recommendations are found in Settings > Meeting > In Meeting (Advanced).

    • Enable Breakout room if you would like to split participants into groups. 
    • Enable Virtual background so participants can change their backgrounds and have added privacy.

The following recommendations are found in Settings > Meeting > Email Notification.

    • Enable When a cloud recording is available Notify host when cloud recording is available. 

The following recommendations are found in Settings > Recording.

    • Enable Local Recording if you plan to record videos that you would like to keep beyond 150 days. These recordings will be stored on your computer. Note that if Cloud and Local recordings are enabled, you have the option to select which recording type you want to use in each meeting. 
    • Enable Cloud Recording if you plan to record videos and share them for 150 days or less, if you would like to record different meeting views (i.e. gallery and speaker) and/or if you would like to be able to record in the Zoom mobile app. Cloud recordings are available to download during the 150 days.
    • Disable Require passcode to access shared cloud recordings so participants can view your cloud recordings quickly. 

Meeting Settings

Meeting settings must be adjusted for each meeting you schedule. Changing meeting settings for one meeting or a recurring series of meetings will not affect any other meeting settings.

The following recommendations are found in Meetings > Schedule a Meeting. 

    • Set class meetings to Recurring to create a series of meetings with the same settings. 
    • If using breakout rooms where participants will be pre-assigned to rooms, set Registration to Required and then select Attendees register once and can attend any of the occurrences. In Meeting Options, you must select Breakout Room pre-assign to create rooms and import a CSV file with each participant’s wisc.edu email address. 
    • If using breakout rooms where participants will be assigned to rooms during the meeting, either randomly, manually by host, or by self-selecting, Registration is NOT required and should not be selected. You do not need to import a CSV file with wisc.edu email addresses.
    • For Security, deselect Waiting Room and Passcode so students can enter the session with greater ease.
    • For Meeting Options, Allow participants to join 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or Anytime before start time. 5 or 10 minutes is recommended.
    • If a TA or guest speaker needs co-host permissions, you may enter their email address(es) as Alternative Hosts. An Alternative Host has the ability to start the meeting and can manage breakout rooms. For an overview of alternative host permissions, please review the Zoom support article Alternative host.