Using Zoom in the Virtual Campus (Brightspace)

We recommend that you use the Zoom integration within each of your Brightspace courses to schedule your class meeting. This will ensure that the students associated with a specific course will have access to their particular meeting easily.

To schedule a session, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Virtual Campus (Brightspace) course that you would like to schedule a meeting for. 

2. In the default Navbar, click on "Zoom."

Warning! If you had replaced the default Navbar, you will need to add the "Zoom" link in your custom one. Here how to modify your custom navigation bar and add zoom:

1. Click Course Admin in your Navbar.
2. Select Navigation and Themes.
3. Click the title of your custom Navbar.
   • To add links to your navbar, click Add Links. Use the search box to find the link you want to add (e.g. Zoom), check the box next to it, and click the Add button.
   • To rearrange the order of your new Navbar, hover over the button you want to move, left mouse click it, then drag and drop it into its new location.
   • To delete unwanted items from the Navbar, hover over the button and click the X.
4. Click the Save and Close button.

When the Zoom page opens up, click on the blue “Schedule a New Meeting” button.

Set your meeting details in the “Schedule a Meeting” page. Use the following as a guide.

Topic: your course name will appear here by default. 

Tip: We recommend having the course code and a few words that describe the intent of the meeting in the title to help attendees quickly identify which course the meeting is for at what it is for.

Description: provide a brief description of the intent of the meeting to help inform attendees (e.g. Office hours, Exam review, etc.). 

When, Duration, Time Zone: Set the date, time, duration and time zone for the meeting. Check the “Recurring meeting” box if this will be a meeting that recurs. You will then be asked to indicate when the meeting will recur. 

Security: a passcode will be enabled by default. The passcode helps ensure that only those you wish to attend have access to the meeting. 
Important: the passcode will be embedded in the session link provided through Brightspace, and therefore does not need to be shared with students if they join via Resources > Zoom. 

Enable waiting room: the waiting room is enabled by default and places students in a waiting room until you as the host invite them in one at a time or all at once.  This is a useful setting when scheduling virtual office hours to ensure that only those you want to enter the space can.

Video: Indicate whether you and your participants will start with their webcams on or off. The recommended setting is off.

Audio: the default and recommended setting is “Computer Audio”. 

Meeting options

Enable join before host: enabling this allows participants to access the meeting before you do. Disabling this will keep participants out of the meeting until you join.

Mute participants upon entry: enabling this will keep participants on mute when they enter. Disabling this will un-mute all participants upon entry. 

Important: Participants can mute and unmute themselves once they enter a meeting. 

Record the meeting automatically: The meeting recording will start as soon as you begin the meeting. Disabling this option allows you to control when and if you choose to record the meeting. 

Important: We strongly recommend recording your Zoom class sessions for students in different time zones.

Alternative Hosts: You can add other people (e.g. your teaching assistance) as a host for your Zoom session if you want them to have host capabilities.

Warning! TAs Zoom accounts must be activated by connecting to https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us. If TAs do not activate their accounts before you try to add an alternative host, you will get this error message:  "User Not Authorized." If that happens, ask your TAs to activate their account.

Once you have finished adjusting the settings for the meeting, click “Save.”

You will be directed to a new page with the meeting settings. Your students will be able to find the link to the meeting in the course. Also, if you want to share the invitation by email, click on "Copy the invitation" to the right of the web address, then paste it into an email.

The University of Ottawa provides a Zoom account to all its employees (professors, TA, RA and support staff). You must use the University of Ottawa's Single Sign On (SSO) system to log on at https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us. It will create automatically a full account for you (300 participants with no time limitation).

More information on using Zoom

• Zoom video tutorials
• Zoom Help Center
• Best Practices for Securing Your Virtual Classroom: https://blog.zoom.us/best-practices-for-securing-your-virtual-classroom/
• Best Practices for Securing Your Zoom Meetings (PDF)