For my final free inquiry, I chose to record a lesson on Zoom. For this tutorial, I worked collaboratively with Cassidy in order to simulate a one-on-one editing session between a teacher and a student.
Zoom is a video conferencing platform that allows people to connect virtually. It can be used to conduct meetings and virtual lessons, and sessions can also be recorded for further use. Presenters can also share their screens with participants, which can be especially helpful for instruction.
In our tutorial, Cassidy and I worked collaboratively to edit a document. It was really helpful to see the changes she suggested in real-time so that I could ask clarifying questions and be sure of her meaning. While this type of one-on-one meeting is obviously not always possible with every student, I think it can be a great option for those who may need extra support. It can also be helpful to record meetings for students who may be absent, so they can still benefit from the lesson even if they could not directly participate.
Before completing this tutorial, I was familiar with using Zoom as a student but not as an educator; I had never had to think about things like sharing my screen or recording the meeting. In my own teaching practice, I can see myself using Zoom in special circumstances where a student needs extra support or is away for an extended period of time and needs to do some distance learning. As someone who experienced lots of online school during Covid, I do think that I will use the platform sparingly as I’m aware of its drawbacks when used in place of in-person instruction; however, I do think that I could see myself using it to record videos to post to Classroom that students could refer back to if they were seeking clarification about a topic.