Intended Audience: Students or any user from the University of Minnesota joining Zoom meetings as aParticipantorAttendee.
Use this page to prepare for Zoom-supported learning activities.
TheStudent Conduct CodeandTeaching and Learning: Student Responsibilitiespolicies apply to using and participating in Zoom meetings for your academic courses.
Note: If you are a student or resident in one of the U of MN Health Sciences departments (HST/HCC), you are required to complete a 15-minute self-paced online Training for Access to Zoom. Your Zoom account will be activated within 24 hours. Please plan accordingly to allow enough time for this step.
In this article:
- Choosing Equipment
- Recommended Software
- Students: Accessinga Zoom Meeting for Your Canvas Course
- Accessing a Zoom Meeting Outside of Canvas
- Joining the Zoom Meeting
- Meeting Best Practices
- Limitations as a Student Hosting Zoom Meetings
- Troubleshooting Resources
- Additional Resources
Choosing Equipment
It is possible to join a Zoom meeting using a mobile device or telephone. For the best meeting experience, we recommendthe following hardware equipment:
- A web camera:Many laptops and mobile devices come with a built-in camera. For desktop setups, you may need to purchase a webcam in order to fullyparticipatein the meeting experience. Without a webcam, youare not able to transmit video.Learn more about what you can and cannot do with a webcam
- A headset with a microphone:A headset or earbuds with a microphone allows you to hear and be heard more clearly.Using the built-in laptop microphonemay result in poor audio quality or distracting noise (such as typing).
- Two monitors (Optional):A dual-monitor display feature allows you to view the video on one monitor and the screen share on another monitor simultaneously.
If you areinterested in purchasing a headset or webcam, the University Bookstore carries several recommended options that have been tested by our IT staff across the University system. Check out headsets and webcams in the University Bookstore.
Recommended Software
Download the Zoom Desktop Client (umn.zoom.us).Doing so gives youaccessto many features.Zoom can be accessed using the following browsers:
- Chrome: Within2 versions of current version
- Firefox: Within2 versions of current version
- Edge: Within2 versions of current version
- Safari: Within2 versions of current version
If you do not download the Zoom Desktop Client, you will be able to access some (but not all) of Zoom's features using abrowser.Learn more about using Zoom without downloading the Desktop Client.
Students: Accessinga Zoom Meeting for Your Canvas Course
There are two ways for you to find the virtual location of your Zoom meeting(s).
In most cases, your Zoom meetings will be scheduled within a Canvas course site.
- On your Canvas course site, select Zoomon the left-side navigation menu.
- You will view upcoming meetings for your course. ChooseJoin to join the meeting.
- You can also find Zoom meetings in the Canvas course calendar.
- You can also find Zoom meetings in the Canvas course calendar.
Note:The first time you log in to Zoom within Canvas, you need togive permission to authorizeZoom for Canvas.
Accessing a Zoom Meeting Outside of Canvas
Meetings may be scheduled and shared in a variety of ways. Meeting hosts are responsible for communicating the meeting details to participants.
Google Calendar
If the zoom meeting has been added to a calendar invite, select the link provided in the calendar event or appointmentdetails.
Direct link
The Zoom link may be sent through email or Canvas chat notification, before or during the meeting.
UsingMobile Devices or Telephone
You can join a Zoom meeting using a smartphone or landline device.
Join Using theZoom Application on a mobile device
To join a meeting using the Zoom mobile app, you can opena link in your email or calendar, or you can enter in the Meeting ID and passcode if you know it.
- Tap theZoomMeetinglinkto open the app, much the same way as joining from a computer.
- TapSign in
- TapSSO
- Domain: enterumn
- You will be directed to the U of MN authentication system to enter yourUniversity of Minnesota ID and password. Then you will be able to join your meeting.
Join Using the Dial-in Calling Option
You can join a Zoom meeting using your phone's dial-in feature, which joins the meeting by telephone instead of using an app or web browser.
- SelectOne-tap mobileto call in using your cell phone and follow the prompts.The meeting ID automatically enters.
- Or,Dial by your location if using a landline phone.You will need to enter the Meeting ID, located in the meeting invite.
- Or,Dial by your location if using a landline phone.You will need to enter the Meeting ID, located in the meeting invite.
JoiningZoom Meeting
Before joining the zoom meeting
- Make sure you are signed into your Zoom account using your University of Minnesota information.
- Make sure your computer is plugged into a power source.
- If possible, connect to hard-wired internet (ethernet) for the best connection and meeting experience.
After entering a zoom meeting:
- Check youraudio and video settingsto make sure your camera, microphone, and speakers are working correctly and connected to the source you wish.
- You may wish to modify yourname, add titles, or add other information to your Zoom Display Name.
- To change your display name, use theMoresection in theParticipantspanel.
- Or, select the 3 dots within your video thumbnail.
- Or, select the 3 dots within your video thumbnail.
- Notes:
- If you do not observe a Renameoption, the host may need to enable the setting.
- To permanently change your Zoom display name, update your PRF Name in MyU.
- To change your display name, use theMoresection in theParticipantspanel.
Meeting Best Practices
- It is easy to get distracted online. Please:
- close out of as many tabs and apps as possible
- put away phones and other devices.
- minimize distraction while maximizing attention, respect, engagement, and learning.
- If you're not actively speaking, muteyour microphone.
- Set your computer or mobile device on a solid surface to avoid a bouncing screen.
- Use the Chator Raise Handfunction within Zoom to ask questions directly to the instructor or the whole group.
- Youcan use various optionswithin the Reactionspanelto get the host'sattention.
Limitations as a Student Hosting Zoom Meetings
Some Zoom features are unavailable to students as meeting hosts. If you use a UMN Zoom account and are a student, be aware of the following limitations to using UMN Zoom:
- You cannot be assigned webinar licenses or host webinar events.
- Student organizational accounts may obtain webinar licenses.
- The Telephone Call Out feature is not available formeetings that you host.
- You cannot record class meetings, regardless of if you are a host.
- Important: This is anAdministrative Policy listed in the Teaching and Learning: Student Responsibilities under theUse of personal electronic devices in the classroomsection.As a student, your Zoom account allows you the ability to record Zoom meetings; butif the Zoom meeting is a class meeting(class/lab/other session) then it is against policy for students to record any part of that meetingunless explicitly granted permission by the instructor.
Troubleshooting Resources
- Participant's Guide to Improving Your Zoom Experience
- Troubleshoot your WiFi connection
- The third column in the Teach, Meet, and Learn with ZoomSelf-Help Guide is devoted to troubleshooting audio and video problems
Additional Resources
- Login to Your UMN Zoom Account
- Zoom's Access to Your Data
