Guide for Online Students
REQUIREMENTS FOR ONLINE CLASS
Computer / tablet / phone
Microphone
Headphones (preferred) or speakers
Camera (optional)
Internet connection (1.5 mbps)
Zoom app (https://zoom.us/download)
Getting Started
Check your system requirements
We recommend using Zoom on your computer for the best experience, but you can also download the application on your phone or tablet.
You can also use Zoom inside an internet browser on your computer if you have problems with the application.
To use Zoom on your computer, you'll need the following:
Internet connection: Wi-Fi, cellular data (3G or 4G/LTE), or a wired Ethernet connection
Speakers and mic: built-in, USB plug-in, or Bluetooth
Webcam: built-in or USB plug-in
Power source: plug in your laptop as Zoom will deplete your battery
For more detailed system requirements, see this link.
Download and install Zoom
Download and install the Zoom app from https://zoom.us/download.
Zoom has both an application and a web interface.
Use the application to join Zoom meetings and configure user preferences (e.g. profile picture and audio/video settings).
Use the web interface to configure other Zoom options
Click here to sign into the web interface with your Zoom account.
Feel free to ignore these settings if you're just joining Regent classes, as they're primarily for users who are hosting their own meetings.
Testing Zoom
Please familiarize yourself with Zoom before using it for class.
To test your Zoom setup, visit https://zoom.us/test.
For an overview of Zoom's features, see Zoom's page on Getting Started.
Check out Zoom's free training webinars at https://zoom.us/livetraining.
Updating Zoom
Zoom consistently releases updates to its application in order to upgrade its security and features.
When an important updated has been released, Zoom will often automatically update when the application is opened. If your application needs to be updated, this can delay your attendance in class.
Therefore, we recommend that you check the app for updates at least once a week to ensure that you can connect to your class.
To check for updates:
Launch Zoom's desktop app and sign in.
Click your profile picture in the top right of the application, then click Check for Updates.
Follow any on-screen instructions to complete the update.
Preparing for class
We have surveyed several hundred Regent College students for their advice on how to approach online courses.
Please click the following link to read their recommendations on how to succeed in online courses at Regent:
Connecting to Your Class
Please note that Regent's Policies related to Online Courses have recently changed
Please review the following excerpts from the Academic Catalogue concerning Online Access to Onsite Courses:
"If a course is offered both onsite and online, students must register for the online section of the course to gain online access. Normally, online access is given via Zoom.
"Zoom link sharing is prohibited. This includes viewing a course in a group with people who have not registered in the course’s online section. Zoom access sharing may result in the student being dropped from the class.
"Registering for an online section counts towards the online credit limit in the student’s program"
"Normally, students registered in the onsite section of a course will not receive any online access. This includes access to course recordings."
Some exceptions to these stipulations are outlined in the full text of the policy.
For further information, click here to view the full text of the policy for Online Access to Onsite Courses.
1. Sign into Moodle with your Regent Login.
If connecting via computer/laptop, sign into the Zoom desktop app.
2. Open the Moodle page for your class.
3. Scroll down to the section titled Zoom Video Conferencing and click the Zoom Video Conferencing link at the bottom (see screenshot below).
Mac, Safari, and Firefox users may see an error that says, "Redirect to Zoom... Cookies are blocked or not supported by your browser. If you can not launch LTI Pro, please click here."
Please enable cross-site tracking to continue, use another browser, or click the hyperlink to visit the Zoom Meeting tool on the Zoom website instead of on Regent's Moodle site
4. Under Upcoming Meetings, click the Join button on the right (see screenshot below). This should launch the Zoom app and automatically join the meeting.
If you have trouble joining the meeting, please email the class TA and ask for a new link.
Viewing a Class Recording
Please note that Regent's Policies related to Online Courses have recently changed
Please review the following excerpts from the Academic Catalogue concerning Course Recordings:
"A course instructor may choose to record their course if it already has an online section."
"Recordings will normally only be accessible to students in the online section of the course, and who cannot reasonably be expected to attend the course live."
"Students should contact the course instructor to request permission to access recordings."
Some exceptions to these stipulations are outlined in the full text of the policy.
For further information, click here to view the full text of the policy for Course Recordings.
Sign into Moodle with your Regent Login.
Open your class' Moodle page.
Scroll down to the date when the class was recorded.
Locate the recording link if you have been given access to view it. (It should be indicated by the icon of a white sphere on a blue background with the name/week of the lecture indicated)
Click the link to view the recording.
Privacy
Where is your data and how is it processed?
All classes are governed by the same Privacy Policy that applies to all of Regent College.
In the case of online classes personal information is disclosed via the Zoom platform (Zoom Privacy Policy).
User and meeting data, such as participant names and email addresses, are processed by the Zoom cloud, which is provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS Privacy Policy) and/or Oracle (Privacy @ Oracle).
Meeting traffic (video, voice, in-meeting chat, data sharing, and recordings) are also processed by the Zoom cloud.
Class recordings are hosted with Vimeo (Vimeo Privacy Site).
What are your rights and obligations?
By taking classes at Regent College you agree to the Student Contract for the term of study and our Student Code of Conduct.
In the case of online classes, this prohibits the capture, recording, or sharing of lectures, as they may include sensitive personal information from other students. For this reason, copying text from the chat box has been disabled.
Recordings of lectures may be provided by Regent College for a limited time to your class, depending on the course. Your video and voice may appear in the recording if you use your microphone.
If you do not wish other students to see your video or voice, whether live or on the recording, you can:
mute your microphone
turn off your camera
If you do not wish to display your real name on Zoom, you can use a pseudonym as your display name, provided your lecturer and TA know in advance who you are.
Troubleshooting
Internet connection issues
If your Zoom connection or video/audio quality is poor:
Move closer to your Wi-Fi router, or connect directly to your router with an Ethernet cable.
Turn off your video
Open Zoom's settings, click on the Video tab, and uncheck Enable HD.
Check your internet connection speed at Speedtest.net.
You'll need a 1.5mbps download/upload speed to use Zoom's "Gallery View" function.
Click here to see Zoom's bandwith requirements.
Check to see if other devices/users are connected to and using your internet connection during class.
If possible, ask them to refrain from heavy usage during that time.
See Zoom's help page for more tips.
Webcam issues
If you don't see any video after launching Zoom:
Check that your webcam is turned on and plugged into your computer.
Check the camera icon in the bottom left corner of the Zoom app. If there's a red line across the icon, click Start Video (see screenshot below).
Check your video settings to make sure you've selected the correct webcam.
Ensure that your webcam is not being used by another application.
Connect your webcam to a different USB port.
Restart your computer.
Microphone issues
Having microphone issues? Try running one of the tests below. Remember to un-mute your speakers beforehand!
Testing your microphone before a meeting
1. Once you join a meeting, you can test your speakers and microphone before entering it.
Join a Zoom meeting, then click Test speaker and microphone (see screenshot below).
Note: this will only work if the setting to Automatically join audio by computer when joining a meeting is unchecked (see screenshot below).
2. Zoom will guide you through a series of tests. Follow the in-app instructions (see example screenshots below).
Testing your microphone during a meeting
1. While you're in a Zoom meeting, click the arrow next to the microphone icon to view its settings (see screenshot below).
2. To test your speakers and microphone, click Test Speaker & Microphone.
3. To adjust your mic input and speaker volume, click Audio Settings. The settings window will appear (see screenshot below):
For more more detailed instructions, please see this Zoom support article.
Cross Site Tracking Issues
Mac, Safari, and Firefox users may see an error that says, "Redirect to Zoom... Cookies are blocked or not supported by your browser. If you can not launch LTI Pro, please click here."
Please enable cross-site tracking to continue, use another browser, or click the hyperlink to visit the Zoom Meeting tool on the Zoom website instead of on Regent's Moodle site
How to enable cross-site tracking on Safari
While safari is open, click Safari in the top right corner of your screen and then click on preferences.
Click on the Privacy tab and then uncheck "Website Tracking: Prevent cross-site tracking" shown below:
Go back to moodle and refresh the page.
How to enable cross-site tracking on Firefox
Click on the shield to the left of the address bar.
Toggle the switch at the top of the panel. This will turn off Enhanced Tracking Protection for this site.
The page will reload automatically and allow trackers on this site only.
Still need help?
Contact the IT Help Desk at [email protected].
Visit Zoom's support website at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us.