Zoom Guidelines for Students

This article includes recommendations for instructors who want to provide Zoom guidelines for students. Note that each course is different, and these guidelines should be personalized by the instructor per their teaching style and the specific class environment.

Considerations for Your Course

When modifying the template language below, consider the following.

What will you be using Zoom for?

Zoom guidelines for students will differ depending on whether you are using Zoom in your class for:

• More formal purposes

  • Such as student presentations or guest lectures

• Less formal purposes

  • Such as “happy hours,” group work, or casual Q&A sessions

How much active participation do you expect from students?

• Consider your class size 

  • If you are teaching a large class, you may not wish to encourage a lot of active participation during a Zoom session unless students are in break-out rooms. 

• Spell out your expectations

  • If you expect a lot of participation in each session and want to encourage students to keep their cameras on, your guidelines should spell that out.

Be sure to edit the Zoom guidelines accordingly and let students know what is expected of them in your course. 

Template Language

Modify these guidelines per your teaching style and your course’s use of Zoom. 

Zoom Community Guidelines

Please read the following guidelines to ensure that we are all on the same page about the best practices for creating positive, collaborative, and successful interactions on Zoom.

Audio and Video Guidelines

• Mute your microphone when you aren’t speaking

  • When you are speaking, be mindful of background noise.

• Try not to interrupt others

  • In a small group, sometimes just selecting “unmute” will give others a chance to see that you intend to say something. 

  • In a larger group, I recommend you use the “Raise your hand” reaction or add a note in the chat window so we can be sure to give you a chance to speak.

• I encourage you to keep your camera on whenever possible

  • Keeping your camera on during Zoom meetings fosters a greater sense of connection and community among our class. It also helps encourage focus and attention!

  • If your camera is on, adjust your camera and lighting so we can see your face well.

  • Add a profile picture to your Zoom account, so we can still see your photo when you turn off your camera.

Set Yourself Up for Success

• Avoid multi-tasking during the Zoom meeting

  • You might want to minimize/close all other windows so you aren’t distracted by email or other applications.

• Silence your phone or put it away

  • Just like an in-person class, please use your phone only if there is an emergency.

• Remember that you are on camera 

  • Enjoy a beverage, but if you need to eat during the meeting, go ahead and turn off your camera and audio. Alert your instructor and the class via chat that you are still present and participating. 

  • Need to yawn, sneeze, or something else you don’t want us all to see? Mute your audio and turn off your video for a moment.

Keep it Kind

• Be respectful of others

  • All comments and discussions should be respectful of your instructor and fellow students; disagreements are fine, but personal attacks are not.

• Step up, step back

  • Don’t be shy—join in the conversation when you have something to contribute.

  • Take note if you feel you are talking too often; give everyone a chance to speak.

• Remember that this is our classroom

  • Keep remarks on-topic and courteous. 

  • Except for casual conversations at the start and end of class, the chat window should be used only for class-related discussions (comments, sharing of resources, etc.). Zoom automatically saves a chat file for all recorded meetings. 

Zoom Help

For help getting started with Zoom, refer to:

• Activate Your Zoom Account

• Getting Started with Zoom

• Zoom - OIT Teaching & Learning

Additional Zoom Resources

• Video Meeting Etiquette: 7 Tips to Ensure a Great Attendee Experience - from the Zoom Blog

• LTS: Zoom Basics - This page contains links to all of the LTS help-guide resources for students including how to set up their account

• Template Activity Directions - See “Zoom Meetings (Scheduled)” for template activity directions that can be a starting point for Zoom activities

This article took inspiration from this resource by Indiana University Bloomington: Zoom Etiquette: Quick Guides: Teaching Resources