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Best Practices for Effective Video Conferencing

To make your online classes more productive and rewarding for everyone, review the general video conferencing best practices and learn how to improve the experience.

Prior to a meeting:

  • Test your video and audio before your meeting at https://zoom.us/test.  
  • When possible, establish online video conferencing connections several minutes before the meeting start time.
  • If connecting from a laptop, plug in the laptop wall power. Battery use can adversely affect video quality or your laptop might close unexpectedly due to out of charge.
  • Ensure that you have a camera, microphone, and headphones or speakers available. Earbuds or headphones are preferable to avoid audio feedback and echo. Most modern laptops and all-in-one desktops have a headphone jack, microphone, and speakers built in.
  • Call from a quiet location with no background noise.
  • Close any applications that are running on your computer that you don't need during the conference. Restarting your computer prior to the start of the conference closes applications. This helps to ensure that the necessary resources are available for an optimum desktop video conferencing experience.

 

During a meeting:

As a participant;

  • Please keep your audio and video closed during the session. Video streaming might require additional bandwidth from your internet and lower the performance of the session causing freezes or lack of hearing the host. Your audio might create background noise that can be picked up by your microphone, which may lead to a bad audio experience for you and the others in the meeting.
  • Use a headset that includes earphones and a microphone so that your voice is transmitted without interference from other audio sources in the room.
  • If you want to ask a question please click on raise hand before you unmute or ask your question through the chatbox.

 

As a host;

  • Please ensure your audio and video is open during the session. Ensure all participants can see and hear you, as appropriate.
  • Use a headset that includes earphones and a microphone so that your voice is transmitted without interference from other audio sources in the room.

 

For additional information, see Zoom's Meeting and Webinar Best Practices and Resources: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/209743263-Meeting-and-Webinar-Best-Practices-and-Resources