Using Zoom for Remote Support
Zoom meetings can be used as a very effective tool in the support of students. Just being able to see the student face-to-face improves communication, and allowing them to share their screen with you to show you their problem makes solving it much simpler. If needed, you can even control their screen and reboot their computer.
Necessary Settings in your Zoom account
All settings are found here: zoom.us/profile/setting
Under In Meeting (Basic)
Make sure that Screen sharing - Who can share? - All Participants is set
Make sure that Allow Remote Control is on, along with Allow remote controlling user to share clipboard (this allows you to paste a URL into their address bar, for example)
Optional Settings
In Meeting (Basic)
Show Zoom windows during screen share
This allows you to see their Zoom window (the meeting interface itself) so that you can troubleshoot any Zoom issues they are having.
In Meeting (Advanced)
Remote Support
This adds a Support button to your Zoom meetings. With it you can directly request desktop or application control, bypassing the need for the student to start sharing their screen first.
You can also request a computer restart which, if they accept, will reboot their computer and then rejoin them to the meeting automatically (after they sign back in to their computer).
During the Meeting
If you can walk the student through the solution without controlling their screen they will be better prepared to resolve the issue on their own in the future. If you do need to control their screen, ask permission before taking control and narrate what you are doing as you are doing it (i.e. “I am now going to your browser settings to clear your cache”).
Ask the student to share their screen using the Share Screen button at the bottom.
Direct them to choose Screen or the particular application that is at issue (most likely their browser). If they have multiple monitors or browser windows they will need to choose which to share.
On your side, under View Options at the top of the shared screen, select Request Remote Control and confirm. Wait for them to approve the request.
While you have remote control, you can click on their screen to take over their mouse, type on their computer (including copy and paste), change settings, and open and close applications. If they only shared an application, you only have access to that application.