Synchronous Assessment: Student Presentations via Zoom

Overview

While most online assessment occurs asynchronously, you can still conduct some assessments synchronously. For instance, you could use Zoom to have students present their semester-long project to the class. This could be an individual or a group presentation. You can also use Zoom's polling feature to check students understanding. Note: You can create synchronous quizzes in Canvas and add security features. This is discussed more in this module.

 

Student Presentations via Zoom

Student presentations are a way for students to demonstrate what they have learned and gives them real-world communication and interpersonal skills. The class can meet synchronously while each student takes a  turn  presenting to the class using Zoom screen share. Students can also present as a group where one student from the group shares the presentation and clicks through the slides while the group presents.

It is important that you make sure your students understand the Zoom requirements you want them to use for the course. For example, Share Screen, polling, or the Whiteboard.

Feel free to download this handout for students: Download Zoom tips for students


 

Enable Your Zoom Account

  1. Log in to Virginia Tech Zoom at https://virginiatech.zoom.us/ Links to an external site.. 
  2. On the computer you're teaching from, download and install the Zoom Client.

 

Show the Zoom Tool in Canvas

Video of adding Zoom to Canvas

  1. Go to the Canvas course site and click Settings. 
  2. Click the Navigation tab.  Course tools are sorted into two sections: top (visible to students) and bottom (hidden from students)
  3. Drag the Zoom tool from the bottom to the top section, scroll down, and Save

 

Schedule and Start a Meeting

Video for scheduling Zoom in Canvas

You can't hold an instant meeting via Canvas. Instead, schedule a meeting. To hold the scheduled meeting instantly, schedule it for the current time. 

  1. Go to the Canvas course's Zoom tool.
  2. Under Upcoming Meetings, click Schedule a New Meeting.
  3. Set the meeting to start now and end one hour after the class ends.
    • You can end class whenever you want. This is to make sure Zoom doesn't stop the meeting before you're done. 
  4. Uncheck Enable join before host.
  5. Click Schedule.

 

Enabling Share Screen

By default, the host has the ability to share their screen. The host is usually the instructor since they often setup and start the session. The instructor can allow a student or students to share their screens so they can give their presentation. To do this:

  1. While in your Zoom session, select the up arrow next to the Share Screen icon.
  2. Select Advanced Sharing Options.
  3. The option to allow students to share screen will appear, select desired option.
  4. Repeat the steps to disable share screen.

share

Image of enabling Screen share

 

Best Practices

  • Make sure students know how to use Zoom, specifically how to share their screen. Download this: Download Zoom tips for students  document to share.
  • Have your assessment rubric and/or note taking tool ready to assess.
  • Time permitting, after each presentation, allow time to ask questions and allow other students to ask the presenter questions. 
  • Let students know that when they are presenting, they can use the Zoom polling feature.
  • Once all presentations are done, have a reflection session where the class reflects on the presentations, the process, what they learned, and what they would do differently. This helps to guide students and teaches them about self-reflection, which is important for young adult learners to practice.
  • Connect the presentation project to other content such as readings and videos and discuss how they tie together.
  • Allow students to share screen to present or discuss a topic.
  • Have students work in collaborative groups and then present to the class via Zoom.
  • Give students annotation privileges so they can make up presenter screen and collaborate in a live discussion.
  • Let students set the level of audience engagement (e.g., use participant tools such as "wave hand or yes/no" to ask questions, wait until after to answer questions, use polling, annotation) Let student engagement procedures be something students can elect to do.

 

Additional Resources