Scheduling and Hosting a Zoom Meeting

Zoom Basic / Pro / Education

Various plans available. Currently the Basic version has had the time limit removed. It’s recommended for most organizations to purchase the Pro version.

Basic vs Pro vs Education

• Basic may not have a call-in number
• Basic normally has a 40 minute limit
• Pro includes cloud recording
• Pro allows Large Meeting add-in
• Education allows 300 participants (20 hosts required at $7.50/host/month)

Download Zoom

https://zoom.us/download

In order to schedule and host meetings, you will need to download the software at the address shown. There are available extensions for both Firefox and Chrome, as well as a Microsoft Outlook Add-in. These additions make it so the user can schedule meetings via their calendar. Mobile Apps are also available.

Schedule a Meeting

When you are ready to schedule your meeting, if you have downloaded the Zoom client, you can open

up Zoom. A window that looks similar to this will open. Click the Schedule button.

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After clicking Schedule, you can follow the recommendations on this slide, as well as the next one:

• Set a meaningful Topic. Once on your calendar, you can send invitations that will have this topic.
• Set the date and time of the meeting.
• Generally, you will want the Meeting ID generated automatically. This will make the room unavailable after meeting.
• Currently, Zoom is setting the password as required by default. This password should be shared with participants and will automatically be within the calendar invite. Put the password on your agenda.

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• For privacy, it is recommended that video be set to “off” for participants. Depending on the host’s location, consider whether it should be on or off.
• Choose “Telephone and Computer Audio.” This will allow participants to use an internet-connected device or traditional phone to connect.
• Choose which calendar you’d like to copy the meeting information to.
• Choose Advanced Options, which is covered in the next slide.

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Recommended settings:

• For non-board meetings enable the waiting room, which means after you start the meeting people are placed into a waiting room, and you have to admit them.
• For a board meeting, a waiting room could cause some potential concerns in the public if they think you're talking

before the public is allowed into the room.

• Turn off “Enable join before host.” Alternatively, make sure the host of the meeting is there prior to the scheduled meeting time so all conversation can be moderated.
• IMPORTANT: Mute all participants on entry.
• Uncheck “Only authenticated users” as this keeps participants out, and removes anonymity when it may be necessary.
• Optional: Automatically record meeting.
• Alternative Hosts can be added by typing in email addresses, separating with a semicolon.

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Once the meeting has been scheduled, in that same Zoom screen where you had the ability to schedule the meeting, you can click on the Meetings button,

click on your meeting, and you will see the join code for the meeting that you just created and the phone numbers that people can call to join and listen.This is the information you will copy and paste over to your agenda, or share with possible participants. You can also begin the meeting directly from this screen.

If linked to your calendar, all of the information will also be displayed in your calendar.

The details can be shared with guests, or you can use it to enter into the meeting.

At the time of the meeting, click on the link within your calendar, on your Zoom dashboard, or from the Zoom software. The meeting screen will remind you of the information for participants in case you need to share the address, and/or password.

Zoom Controls

Two important controls

It is recommended that at the start of any meeting for the host to click the “Participants” and “Chat” buttons. Two panes will open up. The next slide will show these panels. With Manage Participants, you will be able to see who is in the meeting, mute them, turn off their camera, as well as other controls as you’ll see later. Viewing the chat when you first begin your meeting is helpful as well if it is enabled, and you can disable chat from this panel. This way you can monitor any questions or other conversation being held by participants.

Your view, once you click on the Participants and Chat buttons.

Two important buttons:

As the host within the chat, you have three little dots. Clicking the dots will show you these settings. It is recommended for board meetings to set this so participants can chat with “no one.” Other meetings may require different options for chatting capabilities.

The More button (available when you click “Participants”) gives additional options. The following are recommended settings:

• Check mark in front of “Mute Participants on Entry” (The host and co-host will have the ability to unmute.)
• No check mark with “Allow Participants to Unmute Themselves.”
• No check mark with Play Enter/Exit Chime. (This can be distracting to hosts and participants.)
• No check mark “Allow Participants to Rename Themselves.” (This can be a way to circumvent chat.)
• No check mark for “Lock Meeting” as this will keep people out.
• No check mark for “Enable Waiting” for board meetings

There are additional settings that the host can adjust for the meeting. In order to do so, click the caret (^) next to the Share Screen button, and choose “Advanced Sharing Options.”

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Items that can be adjusted are:

• How many participants can share their screen at the same time.
• Who can share? Just the host, or all participants.
• Recommendation: For board meetings “Who can share” should be set to host only to prevent participants from taking over the meeting by sharing their screens.

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If you want participants to share co-hosting duties, with the ability to mute and unmute and share screens, etc., hover your mouse over the participants name, click “more,” and click “Make Co-Host.”

Hosts and co-hosts can control participants with the mute and “more” buttons.

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Participant controls are limited. They can request to be unmuted and they can use “reactions” such as raise hand, need a break, etc.

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Clicking speaker view will give the host options for how the participants can be viewed:

The video panel can be minimized to show only who is talking.

This shows a smaller version of the person speaking.

The grid shows participants in gallery view.

This view shows the participant who is speaking in large panel view.

If you want to share your screen, a tool, or another application, click “share screen.”

Choose what you would like to share, such as an agenda on a Google doc. Once you click “share,” that screen or application is what your participants will see.

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Clicking “more” will enable you to stream your meeting live to Facebook or YouTube. Note: If you have a district YouTube Channel and want to stream live there, you have to set up streaming at least 24 hours in advance.

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Hosts have the ability to record sessions to their computer. If you pay for the pro version or higher versions, you will be able to record to the cloud. If you record to the cloud, you will get an email with two links--one that allows you to view the chats and everything from the meeting, and one that you can share with participants that will show the main part of the meeting.

Breakout Rooms for Executive Session

By clicking on “breakout rooms,” hosts or co-hosts can assign participants to go to a separate or breakout meeting. Once participants move to their breakout room, they will only be able to communicate with each other. Note: Breakout rooms will not be recorded with the original meeting.

You can rename your breakout rooms, delete a room, or assign participants to each room.

Clicking “options” will allow the host to choose more specific settings for managing the breakout rooms.

Once the host clicks “open all rooms,” the participants will receive a message to join their breakout room, and they can click to join.

A participant may choose to leave a breakout room, and that will take them back to the main room.

Or the host can close all rooms, and that will take all participants back to the main room.

Security

A newer addition to Zoom is the Security control. In case of various situations within your meeting, either the Host or Co-host, can make quick adjustments.

• Lock meeting: No one else can join. Participants attempting to join will receive a message that it has been locked.
• Enable waiting room: If the meeting has begun, participants will receive a message that the host will let them in. The host will receive a message within their Participants window:

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When the meeting is finished, the host can click “end meeting.”

The host will then receive a message to end the meeting for all, or they are reminded to make someone else a host before leaving if the meeting should continue without them. Once the host “ends the meeting for all,” participants will be automatically removed from the Zoom room.

Hosting Etiquette

• Begin with a soundcheck, ask if participants can give you a thumbs up or chat if they can hear you to ensure participants are hearing your audio.
• Consider having someone in your meeting assigned to help monitor the chat and answer questions or bring up questions to you to stop and address.
• Consider having someone assigned to take meeting notes and have a plan for sharing them.
• Pause at times to allow people to ask questions or to clarify points.
• If you have your participants muted, watch for “reactions” such as raised hands, etc. (if available), or watch for chats.
• Consider sharing your video as nonverbal communication, but be aware of what is in your background.
• Wear headphones with a microphone.

Participant Etiquette

• Be aware of surroundings, and turn off camera if needed.
• If you have bandwidth concerns, turning off your camera may help.
• Mute until you need to speak.
• If available, use reactions such as raise hand, or chat for permission to speak. This will help to avoid participants speaking over each other.
• Use chat for questions if participant reactions aren’t available.

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