Using Zoom Conferences Within Groups

[mmissenda]

I have looked through the Q&A for information about zoom LTI in canvas.  We have the links working but cannot figure out how to get zoom into groups for small group work.   Is anyone doing this?     How are you going about this?

Currently we are relying on a Zoom Admin link outside of groups to create meetings and sharing the links within the group.   This is inefficient.  Is there no way to get Zoom under the conference menu for Canvas?

Thanks in advance!

[Chris_Hofer]

Hello mmissenda...

The "Conferences" button in a Canvas course uses the BigBlueButton chat interface that  @ffdixon ‌ could tell you more about.  Zoom is a different product, and if your school has it integrated with your Canvas courses, it would show up as a separate Zoom button in your course navigation.  It cannot be added to the "Conferences" button.  If memory serves, once you create a Zoom meeting room, you can have all your students join the room.  Then, you can create what they call "breakout rooms" where students can have their own separate conversations online...and then at some point you can bring them all back together to discuss.  Here's a webpage I found which might help:

Getting Started with Breakout Rooms – Zoom Help Center 

Do you think this would work for your needs?

[mmissenda]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the creative ideas to help with this workaround.   The Zoom breakout rooms are useful tools!   In this scenario, however, the groups are meeting on different days and different times to work on coaching practicums.   What is happening is if we use the zoom link, the whole class gets the invite and not the small group.    The whole class also would have access to the small group's recordings.   

The current workaround is for group leaders to create zoom sessions in their private account, then share the meeting invite with their small group.    Then after the event, share the recording with the group. 

This requires a number of additional steps.   My hope was to tap into the creative minds here for ways to simplify these steps

Marybeth