Use of the different functions in the meeting

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You will see the meeting options, such as the camera/microphone settings, on the toolbar below the screen. Remember that the toolbar is hidden by default in the web browser version of Zoom; you can make it appear by moving your cursor (by moving your mouse or touching your touchpad).

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The use of the symbols are explained in the next 8 steps. (Note: the example pictures were taken in the computer app version of Zoom, but the browser version will look similar.) Click directly onto the middle of the symbol for action. Some symbols have a small arrow next to them; if you click on it, a list of additional options opens. In addition to this explanation, you can find more pictures to illustrate the use of those symbols in the previous section ("Set up a test meeting").

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• STEP 1: Microphone and speaker settings. The two symbols on the very left side, the microphone and the camera, will let you modify the settings for those. Mute yourself by clicking directly onto the microphone symbol (circled in blue in the example picture). The other(s) will not hear you anymore and a red line will appear across the microphone symbol. Click on it again to unmute. The small arrow next to the microphone opens the options for testing the microphone.

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• NOTE: it is useful to remember about this symbol during the meeting - check that you are unmuted when you want to speak (i.e. your microphone is on), and that you are muted when you would like to stay quiet.

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• If you click directly on the camera symbol, you can stop the video, and the other participants won't be able to see you (instead they will only see your name). Click on the same symbol to start your camera again. If your microphone is on, the other participants will still be able to hear you. The small arrow next to the camera opens the options for changing the video settings (for example, you can choose a virtual background).

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• STEP 2: Security. Under the shield symbol (circled in blue) you can find the security settings. You will only see the security settings if you are the organiser of the meeting. They include the following three things:

  • the option to lock and unlock the meeting (by locking the meeting, you can end it for everyone immediately);

  • the option to enable and disable the waiting room (if it is enabled, people who join the meeting will first enter a waiting room and you will have to admit them to the meeting manually - this is an extra step, but it makes your meeting more secure);

  • settings for participant allowances, including screen sharing, chatting, renaming and unmuting themselves. If there is a tick next to the option, it means that people are allowed to take the corresponding action. For example, if you would like to mute the other participants while the presenter speaks, you can take away the option of the participants unmuting themselves.

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• STEP 3: Participants. If you click on "Participants" (two heads with a number next to them - the number shows how many people are active), you will see who is in the meeting - in the example picture these are Sasha (the guest) and Paloma Talk (the host). At the bottom of the window you will see more options that you can click on (circled in blue). (Note: you might see the window as a side bar if your Zoom window is not maximised to sull screen.)

  • Click "Invite" in order to invite more people. If you want to invite others, either send the meeting invitation to your contacts (you will not have saved any if you have only started using the program, so this is for later) OR copy the invite link so you can send this link by email, WhatsApp or other messaging service to anyone you want to join the meeting. To do this, you can click on "Email" (circled in blue in the example picture) and choose an email application directly. Another option is to click on "Copy invite link" on the bottom left (circled in pink), then go to your email account and paste it for sending. Importantly, this link is ready to use immediately and can be used multiple times while the meeting is active.

  • Click on  "Mute all" to switch everyone to silent and "More" to open another set of options. Under "More" you will find options for muting and unmuting people, play sounds when participants enter or leave and another two security options: locking the meeting and enabling the waiting room (you can also find them in the security section - see STEP 2 above).

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• NOTE: If you are in a meeting with other people but forgot to let someone in (or if you do not see the pop up bar) - click on "Participants" and you will see the person who is currently waiting in the "Waiting room" section. Click "Admit" to let them into the meeting.

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• STEP 4: Chat. Using the chat function is a way of exchanging written messages with either one or all participants of the meeting. Click on "Chat" in order to start writing messages. You can chat at any time during the meeting. You can either message everyone who is on the meeting, or individual participants by choosing them in the drop down menu within the chat (this option is only available if there are several people on the meeting). In order to send a message, just type the text into the bottom box, make sure to select the correct recipient and then hit enter. In the example picture, Paloma Talk first sent "Hello" to everyone and then "Hello Sasha" to Sasha privately. You can also attach and send a file (circled in blue), and clicking on the three dots (circled in pink) will allow you to save the chat or adjust the participant chat settings (for example, you can block the chat during a lecture to avoid distracting the participants).

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• STEP 5: Share screen. You can use this function to show your computer screen or a white board to the other participants, for example if you would like to explain something. Click on the "Share screen" symbol and under "Basic" (option shown at the top), choose between the different options for sharing by clicking on the one you want. If you choose a program, for example Firefox, they will see a mirror image of that. If you choose "White board", you will then see the white screen you can draw and write on. Click on "Stop sharing" (in red, at the top) when you want to finish the screen sharing. Clicking on the little arrow next to the screen sharing symbol allows you to control the screen sharing options of the participants.

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• STEP 6: Recording. You can record your meeting or a part of it by clickig on the "Recording" symbol. Whilst recording, you will see the recording sign converted into a pause and stop sign (circled in blue). By pressing it you can pause or stop the recording. When you stop it, the recording will be saved as an mp4 file on your computer at the end of your meeting (in a folder called Zoom). If you decide to record your meeting, make sure that the other participants are aware and agree to it.

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• STEP 7: Reactions. If you click on the "Reactions" sign (circled in blue), you can send little emojis into the meeting (they will appear on top of your picture).

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• STEP 8: End the meeting. When you are finished with your meeting, click "End meeting for all" or "Leave meeting" at the bottom right corner (circled in blue in the example picture), or leave the meeting by closing the window in the top corner. In case there are more people in the meeting and you want to let them continue chatting, choose "Leave meeting" (you will be asked to transfer the host responsibility to someone else). Once you finish the meeting, you will again see the white screen of the Zoom meeting platform.

 

• NOTE: Depending on your browser settings, you may remain signed in Zoom after you close your browser, and you will not need to log in again when you open the Zoom website the next time you want to use it. If you want to sign out, click on your initials in the top hand right corner (orange PT in our case, standing for Paloma Talk).

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