Running a Zoom session (Host)
- Eliot Hoving
A short introduction to the UCL Zoom interface is provided in the 10 minute video below.
Zoom meetings have a number of options, which are further explored in the written guidance below.
The Zoom Host interface
After you have joined the session you are presented with the Host interface. There are three parts to the interface.
1. Meeting information
The Meeting information icon allows you to view the Meeting ID, Host name, and join link if provided.
The second icon (show above as a green shield icon) allows you to access your user settings, including viewing statistics on your internet connection as well as virtual backgrounds and a range of settings.
2. Audio and Video input
The Host and Participants can toggle audio and video on and off using these buttons. When buttons are presented with a line drawn through them they are inactive. You should switch off either if you are not currently using them. Video should be used sparingly as it uses significant bandwidth.
Clicking the arrow icon in the top right of each button allows you to change audio and video settings including audio and video source.
3. Meeting controls
Security
Clicking on the Security panel allows you to Lock Meeting, manage waiting rooms, and also change the Participant permissions. By default, participants will be able to Share Screen, Chat and Unmute Themselves.
You can also Remove a Participant or report a user's account to Zoom.
The Participants panel displays the Hosts and Participants who are currently in the session. The panel includes:
- The participant name and their session role, whether they have authenticated via Zoom or joined without signing in (in other words as a Guest) (image 1);
- A button to Mute all participants.
Clicking on a participant's name allows you to chat with them specifically, or edit their role including making them a Host (there can only be one Host per Zoom session) or Co-Host, or assign a user permission to enter Closed Captions.
The Chat panel where you can select to send your message to different channels: Everyone, or a specific person.
Clicking the arrow in the top right allows you to close the chat, or Pop out the chat to view it in a separate window.
The Share Screen panel is the primary location from which a Host or Participant can control material within the session. This panel provides access to a number of features, but is only accessible to session participants if the Host has enabled them.
These functions include:
- Share Application/Screen, whereby Host and Participants share an onscreen demonstration of a specific application (such as PowerPoint Slides)
- The Whiteboard, which is a blank space to write or draw. If permissions have been granted, participants will be able to draw or write text on the Whiteboard;
- Checkbox options to share computer size, and to optimise screen sharing for a Video clips.
Clicking the closed Captions button allows you to grant permission to yourself or another user to enter Captions which will be visible to the whole class.
Alternatively, if you have purchased a third party captioning service, you can configure it.
The Breakout Group panel allows the Host to randomly or manually allocate students into Breakout groups.
If you have pre-prepared Breakout Groups within the Zoom web portal for a meeting, your breakout groups should already appear. Only students who are logged into the meeting will appear in the allocation. You can manually move or assign students to groups to even up numbers.
Once the Breakout rooms are created, the panel will show the allocations.
Clicking the Options button will display a range of options to customise the Breakout room, including setting a timer.
You can also re-create your original Breakout Groups if you wish to return to the pre-prepared allocation.
To launch Breakout Rooms, click the Open All Rooms button.
4. Leave button
This enables Hosts to end Meeting for All.