Service overview
Zoom is a cloud-based platform for video and audio web conferencing.
It allows instructors to easily create online meetings with students, chat with or without video enabled, and deliver presentations, while maintaining a good quality connection between all participants. Instructors can also poll students during the session, record videos, and share them in myCourses.
At McGill, Zoom is the recommended solution for conducting remote classes, and can also be used as a lecture recording tool for classrooms where lectures are not automatically recorded.
Zoom should only be used for teaching and learning purposes, including remote classes, tutorials and office hours; alternative web conferencing tools can be used for other collaborative needs. See Web Conferencing: choosing the right solution
NEW: Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base
All Zoom documentation for instructors has been moved to the Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base
Who can use it
Group |
Type of license |
Max participants |
Max meeting length |
Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All academic and non-academic staff (including TAs using mcgill.ca email accounts and Course Lecturers) | Licensed | 300* | 24h | Local recording & Cloud recording |
| All students | Licensed | 300 | 24h | Local recording only |
| Other accounts used for teaching purposes | Licensed | 300 | 24h | Local recording & Cloud recording |
* Instructors teaching sessions larger than 300 students will have their Zoom licenses automatically increased to exceed the 300-person cap on session invitations.
How to request & access the service
Links to topics below:
- Install the Zoom app
- Create a Zoom meeting within myCourses
- Join a Zoom meeting from myCourses
- Access a Zoom recording from myCourses
- Create a meeting from the Zoom website (outside myCourses)
- Join a Zoom meeting from invitation
Install the Zoom app
When attending courses on Zoom, you can either use the web app directly from your browser or install the Zoom app locally on your computer, tablet or mobile smartphone.
Just download and install the Zoom app from the Apple App store for iOS devices or Google Play Store for Android devices. You will be prompted to open the Zoom app whenever you click a link to open a Zoom meeting.
Using Zoom within myCourses
Instructors and TAs with full permission: Create a Zoom meeting in myCourses
Refer to the Zoom page of the Teaching and Learning site for instructions on how to create Zoom meetings from within myCourses, and access them from the Lecture Recordings link in the myCourses navigation bar.
Students: Join a Zoom meeting from myCourses
For students participating in a remote class hosted on Zoom, your instructor will schedule the Zoom meetings during your normal course time.
Go to the Course Home page, click Zoom from the course navigation bar, and click Join to begin. You will be promoted to download the Zoom client application if you don't already have it installed.
Access a recorded Zoom meeting from myCourses:
Go to the Course Home page and click the Lecture Recording link. All lecture recordings will be listed.
NOTE:
It can take up to an hour after the meeting has ended for the recordings to be posted in myCourses. This time may be delayed for exceptionally long recordings.
Using Zoom outside myCourses
Create a meeting directly from Zoom:
Students, staff members and instructors who cannot sign into Zoom from within myCourses, can create Zoom meetings directly from the Zoom website. Go to: https://mcgill.zoom.us/ and sign in with your McGill Username and McGill Password.
You will be able to schedule and record meetings.
- For students and staff members: the recordings will not be integrated with myCourses; save them locally to your computer, if needed.
- For instructors: if you include the course title within the name of your Zoom meeting, it will be automatically uploaded into the Lecture Recordings of myCourses. Otherwise, if you want to make recordings available to participants, you can upload them to directly to the Lecture Recordings tab in myCourses.
See Scheduling a Zoom meeting for instructors outside myCourses for detailed instructions.
Join a Zoom meeting from invitation:
If your instructor, TA or classmate creates a Zoom meeting outside myCourses, you will either receive an invitation by email, calendar meeting request, or a link within myCourses content. Click on the Join link to enter the meeting. You will be prompted to download and install the Zoom client application; it only takes a minute or two to get up and running.
Your host should let you know if the meeting is being recorded, and if your participation requires a microphone and camera.
Cost
There is no cost to use this service.
Availability
The service is available 24 X 7, except during planned maintenance or outages. Check the Zoom website for announcements.
Frequently asked questions
-
I am not able to sign into Zoom from myCourses. What should I do?
You can create the meeting from the Zoom website and then email the invitation to your students and/or publish a link to the meeting in myCourses. See Scheduling a Zoom meeting for instructors outside myCourses
-
I recorded a Zoom lecture from myCourses, but it was not automatically uploaded to my course's Lecture Recordings. Why?
In order for your recordings to be automatically uploaded to the Lecture Recordings and properly associated to your course, you must keep the course title in the topic/name of the Zoom meeting.
- Instructors: find answers to other questions by searching for "Zoom" on the Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base.
Best practices & policies
- When recording a meeting: Although the Zoom application has an indication when a session is being recorded, it is recommended to let your students know if you are recording a live lecture, because their participation will also be recorded.
- If active participation is required: Make sure your participants are aware and that they are equipped with a microphone and video camera (if needed).
Training & documentation
Self-serve resources:
- For students and instructors: Video tutorials on the Zoom website
- For instructors: Zoom meetings for education
Find additional resources for instructors by searching for "Zoom" on the Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base.
Support
Contact the IT Service Desk