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How to Attend Class Virtually using Zoom (for Students) - Knowledgebase / Phones & Conferencing / Zoom Web Conferencing / Zoom for Teaching and Learning - OIT Service Center

How to Attend Class Virtually using Zoom (for Students)

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If an instructor is using Zoom for a class, this guide will provide the steps for downloading, setting up, and accessing the session. 

Zoom is a video conferencing and recording tool that can be integrated within Canvas. Brown offers free Zoom accounts to all Brown faculty, staff, and students. If your instructor is using Zoom, here’s what you need to do:

Download & Set-Up your Brown Zoom Account 

You first need to download and set-up your Brown Zoom account. Follow the steps to download Zoom to your PC, Mac, tablet or phone

Test your setup beforehand

Try the Test Meeting to make sure your software and audio is set up.

Find the Zoom meeting link for your class

If the meeting was scheduled via Canvas, the Zoom meeting link is:

  • In the Canvas course, under Zoom 
  • In Canvas Calendar, as an event
  • In a Canvas event notification (in your email if notifications are on)
  • In the Zoom app
  • In an email from your instructor

Join a Zoom session

Click the Zoom meeting link several minutes before your class. Since you already downloaded and set-up your Brown Zoom account you will be able to enter the Zoom session without any additional downloads or steps. Follow the instructions to join computer audio and mute yourself if that isn’t default. Unmute when you want to talk. In most cases, your instructor should be recording the session so you can watch it later, but if you can participate, you should try.

Note: If a participant shows up as a phone number instead of a name, a host or co-host has the ability to change the name in the participant panel, as does the participant themselves.
Note: If you are not comfortable with your full name being displayed, you can change your name to "First Name, Last Initial" by clicking on Rename that appears on your avatar via the participant panel.


How can I get help?

Contact the Brown IT Service Center https://it.brown.edu/get-help, but first check your internet connectivity. If you are unable to reach Brown IT, please contact support.zoom.us. If you are having trouble and your class session has started, you can call the phone number for your meeting, to hear its audio, but mute as needed. Most of your sessions should be recorded as well.

Find recordings of a Zoom meeting in Canvas

If the meeting was scheduled via Canvas and recorded, the Zoom recording can be accessed in your course (left-hand navigation) in the Zoom tool > Cloud Recordings tab a few hours after the meeting ends.

Considerations for Hosting Your Own Event

Zoom offers guidelines to Zoom users for ensuring the security of your hosted events.  It is recommended that you review Zoom's article, How to Keep Uninvited Guests Out of Your Event, prior to hosting a new Zoom event.

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