What is Zoom and how is it used?

Zoom is a videoconferencing tool that enables participants to "join anywhere, on any device" from mobile to desktop.  It can be used for distance learning, virtual meetings and collaboration sessions by providing video, audio, real-time messaging and content sharing in one application.  Some of its features include:

• Virtual meeting rooms that can host up to 300 participants
• Session recording and transcripts
• Built-in collaboration tools
• Meeting security (passwords, waiting rooms, placing attendees on hold)
• Team chat

How do I download and install Zoom?
​​​​​​​(a.k.a. - Authenticate my CSU Zoom Account)

If you are faculty, staff or a student at CSU, you have access to a licensed version of Zoom.  Here are videos demonstrating how to download and install Zoom as well as sign-in using Single Sign-On (SSO), on a number of devices, with your CSU credentials.  This is how you would authenticate your CSU Zoom account.

Zoom on a PC | Zoom on a Mac | Zoom on an iPhone | Zoom on an Andoid

CSU Zoom Links

• CSU Zoom Login page 
• CSU Edition of Zoom's Education Guide 
• CSU Zoom Help Meeting - Meet with us live for help with Zoom. (Monday through Friday - 8:00am to 5:00pm)

CSU Branded Virtual Backgrounds

You can add a Cleveland State look and feel to your virtual learning, teaching and working with University-branded Zoom virtual backgrounds.  When you sign-in to Zoom with your CSU credentials, you'll find them waiting for you to try out. You can learn how to select virtual backgrounds here.

Note: If you are not able to locate the CSU branded virtual backgrounds after signing in with your CSU credentials, please try updating your Zoom desktop client to the latest version.  You can learn how to update to the latest version here.

Resources from Zoom

• Best Practices for Securing Your Virtual Classroom (including how to lock your virtual classroom, control screen sharing, lock down the chat, remove a participant and more)
• COVID-19 Pandemic Resource Page (including a section on Educating Over Zoom)
• Zoom FAQs 
• "How to" video quicklets (provides quick instructions for common tasks such as: scheduling a meeting, recording a session, sharing your screen and more)
• Articles on Getting Started with Zoom
• Other Topical Zoom Webinars and Events 
• Zoom Blog

Zoom-Hosted Webinars

Zoom staff host free and interactive live training webinars daily.  They are designed to get participants "up to speed in less than an hour." 

Topics include: Getting Started with Zoom, Zoom Meetings, Zoom Meetings for Education (Students and Educators) and Zoom - Ask Me Anything. They ask that you make sure to select the time zone that works for you when registering for one of their live training webinars.

• A list of Zoom Live Training Webinars can be found here.
• Recordings of these webinars can be found here.

CSU-Hosted Webinars

Getting Started with Zoom Videoconferencing
(Recorded - August 18, 2020)
This webinar explores how to schedule, host, record and share a Zoom Meeting.
(Recording | PDF of links to resources)

Interactive Teaching with Zoom
(Recorded - August 20, 2020)
This webinar explores several tools used to facilitate interactivity among participants in a Zoom meeting including breakout rooms, polling and non-verbal feedback.
(Recording | PDF of links to resources)

Recording Handwritten Content for Sharing Online
(Recorded - August 25, 2020)
This webinar showcases a range of hardware and software tools available to instructors for recording handwritten content such as complex concepts, processes, equations and diagrams. 
(Recording | PDF of links to resources | PowerPoint)

More questions about Zoom?

You can access the Zoom Education Guide to learn how to install and start using it.

If you'd like to walk through the download and installation process with us or discuss how you can you use Zoom in your remote teaching, please contact us at instructionaltech@csuohio.edu.

We’ve also opened a Zoom Meeting to answer questions in real-time.  For instance, if you simply want the answer to “how many participants will a Zoom Meeting hold?”  You can drop by the meeting to ask, we’ll tell you 300 and you’ll be on your way. Our Zoom Meeting is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.