Schedule Builder: How to Add Zoom Session Information

For courses with synchronous class sessions that do not utilize LiveTalk, Zoom is the primary method of meeting as a class. As such, when setting up their course sites, faculty need to determine the best way to share Zoom session information with their students so that it is not displayed on the course schedule or any public-facing page. Though there are various ways faculty can present this information, below are a few ways this is commonly done:

• Creating a Schedule Builder event that links to the Zoom meeting
• Creating a single page that is also listed as an event on the schedule
• Creating multiple pages that are also listed as events on the schedule
• Or, specifically for virtual office hours where you prefer students to sign up, by using Signup Sheets and making sure to include a link to the video conference tool

Here we describe the Schedule Builder event, single page, and multiple page options, along with some reminders regarding Zoom use.

Create a Schedule Builder Event for the Zoom Meeting Link

The simplest way to share Zoom session information is by adding an event to the schedule and linking it directly to the Zoom meeting. You also have the option of entering additional information that will appear below the link on the schedule. It is a good idea to put this event at the top of the schedule so it is easily accessible to students. Please keep in mind that this option only works if there is a single Zoom link that will be used throughout the duration of a course.

1. Navigate to Schedule Builder by clicking Schedule Builder on the Faculty Tools page, or clicking Edit the Schedule on the Content page.
2. Click Add New Event.
3. Next to Associate Event with, click Web Page.
4. In the URL box that appears, paste the URL for the Zoom meetings.
5. Enter a date in the Available On field that will allow the link to be accessible from the start of the course, such as the first day of the term.
6. Click the Mask Available Date checkbox if desired. Masking the available date is especially recommended for events that should always be available, as the date entered in that field is not relevant.
7. Enter any Zoom session information in the Additional Information box if desired. 
8. Click Save.

Create a Single Page for Zoom Session Information

If you would prefer to have a more thorough place to host Zoom session information, you may want to create a standard page that contains Zoom information, the Zoom link, and any relevant login information. This page can then be added to the main Content page via Schedule Builder for students to quickly access. Please keep in mind that this option works best if there is a single Zoom link that will be used throughout the duration of a course.

1. On the Faculty Tools page, find and open Page Builder underneath Content Tools > Course Content.
2. Click Add Standard Page.
3. Enter a Page Title, such as "Zoom Link." Adding a Subtitle is also an option and will appear above or before the main title.
4. Click Create Page.
5. Find the newly created page and click the Edit button (pencil icon). 
6. You can then add a section for the purpose of sharing Zoom meeting information. Click Add Section followed by Create New.
7. Enter a Section Title, such as "Zoom Meeting Information."
8. For the body, important information to enter would be the meeting link, meeting ID, and the password (if applicable).
9. Click Create Section.
10. If you would like to post a recording of each session after it ends, be sure to add the Online Library section to the page and then add the recording to the Online Library.
11. Add other sections to the page if desired.*
12. Switch to Schedule Builder by clicking Schedule Builder on the Faculty Tools page, or clicking Edit the Schedule on the Content page.
13. Click Add New Event.
14. Next to Associate Event with, click PageBuilder Page.
15. In the box that appears, find the page you created and click it. This will autofill the Event Type and Title fields with your previously entered information.
16. Click the Always Available (overwrites "Available" date) checkbox. This will ensure the Zoom link is available to students for the duration of the course.
17. Click the Mask Available Date checkbox if desired. Masking the available date is especially recommended for events that are always available, as the date entered in that field becomes irrelevant.
18. Click Save.

* Bonus: Below is an example text with information that faculty will often implement on their Zoom pages, perhaps with the section title "General Zoom Information":

"You are required to use a JHU Blue Jays Zoom account for participation in all live session activities. Information about creating your free JHU Zoom account, using your JHED, can be found at JHU Student Zoom Info. You are expected to have Zoom downloaded, regularly updated to the latest version, and ready for use prior to the first day of class. You are encouraged to turn on your video to better engage with your peers, faculty, and guest lecturers during the live sessions. Additionally, you should familiarize yourself with Zoom etiquette, such as muting yourself unless you are currently speaking and using your host’s parameters for discussion by using the chat or raise hand function."

Create Multiple Pages for Zoom Session Information

There are different reasons why the aforementioned methods may not work in all cases. For example, multiple individuals may be responsible for hosting Zoom meetings in a course, thus causing different Zoom links to be created. Faculty may also wish to pair the recordings of meetings after they are finished with unique pages for those meetings. In situations like these, it may make the most sense to add Zoom session information to each pre-existing lecture page in a course or create individual lecture pages for this very purpose.

Many faculty will create a section on each Page Builder page with Zoom information, the Zoom link, and any relevant login information. After a meeting is completed, it is then possible to add the recording to the Online Library for that same page. Depending on the course, this may be the best way to present Zoom session information because everything a student needs for each individual class session will be in the same place.

Here is a screen clipping of a page that has implemented a section with Zoom information and then placed the recording in the Online Library. You can also view a full page set up this way in the Lectures and Core Didactic Content module of the CTL Exemplars and Best Practices course site.

Reminders

Here are a few additional reminders about setting up a Zoom meeting and recording:

• Create Zoom meetings, with embedded passcode for "one-click join," for the dates and times matching your scheduled class sessions. You may want to schedule a separate meeting for each session, schedule a recurring meeting, or schedule one meeting and simply use the same link to join for all your sessions.
• This URL (the “Zoom link”) is copied directly from your Zoom portal. When viewing the meeting’s details, the URL is labeled Invite Link. (Alternatively, the same URL is labeled Join Zoom Meeting in the meeting’s invitation text.) This is the link you will use to place in your Page Builder page.
• You should also remember to:
  • Record to the cloud (By recording to the Zoom cloud, an automated transcript is also made. If you record the meeting locally, you will need to use a 3rd party tool to get the transcript.)
  • Turn on the live transcript (captioning)
  • Post the recording after the session has occurred on CoursePlus

Note: This page is a duplicate of the same page in the Page Builder section.