Tips for preventing Zoom issues

Avoid many technical or student privacy issues with Zoom recordings by following the tips below.

In this article:

Tips for instructors

• Select automatically record meeting in the cloud: Ensure that when you set up your session, you select Automatically record meeting and In the cloud.

• Set up your Zoom meetings directly in myCourses: When you schedule your sessions in the Zoom tab in myCourses, they will be automatically associated with your course and accessible to students (via the Zoom tab). Any other instructors and TAs with full permission will automatically be enabled as Alternative Hosts.

• Session name as the course title and CRN in Zoom session topic: If you schedule sessions via the McGill Zoom portal, enter the course title and CRN code in the “Topic” field so that the recordings will be properly associated with your course in myCourses.

• Recordings not properly associated in myCourses: In some cross-listed courses, the code conflicts with the CRN from another course, causing the recording to be associated with the wrong course. If you notice your course recordings are missing from myCourses or if you notice recordings from a different course appearing within your course, submit a report to IT via the myCourses issue page. IT will resolve these issues.

Important considerations regarding in-person recording

Recordings with Zoom/external camera kit that only point at the instructor or instructor materials (with no capture of students) 

Measures to put in place: 

• Instructors should orally repeat questions from students so that they are clearly captured in the recording. 

• Instructors should avoid articulating information that might identify students. For example, instead of naming students, one might say, “Yes, you by the door” or “the student in the front row wearing the blue top.” Instructors may also use students’ first names if they know them; however, it is important to be aware that less common names may identify students. 

• Instructors should communicate to the class a disclaimer that academic activities will be recorded and that students’ voices and first names may be recorded and viewed by other students. The disclaimer can be included in the course outline.
  Example disclaimer: Your instructor will notify students if any components of the class will be recorded. Students must consent to being recorded. By staying in class and participating in in-class activities, you consent to being recorded. Alternatively, students who are uncomfortable being recorded can choose not to engage with the instructor during the recording or not to attend class and instead view the recording later.  

• Instructors should remind students each time recording is turned on. 

• Instructors should only make recordings with equipment owned by McGill or themselves. RLAs and TAs should not do any recording on their personal devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets). 

Recordings that include student characteristics (such as name, voice, image) that might make it possible to identify them  

Measures to put in place: 

• A disclaimer that academic activities will be recorded, and that students’ voices and first names may be recorded and viewed by other students, should be shared with the class. The disclaimer can be included in the course outline.
  Example disclaimer: Your instructor will notify students if any components of the class will be recorded. Students must consent to being recorded. By staying in class and participating in in-class activities, you consent to being recorded. Alternatively, students who are uncomfortable being recorded can choose not to attend class and instead view the recording later. 

• A disclaimer and consent form should be available for students to sign when they enter the classroom to indicate they accept the recording conditions. (Alternatives to this manual system are acceptable as long as students somehow acknowledge having read the disclaimer and can indicate consent.) The instructor, TA, or RLA who oversees the recording should store the consent form in a secure location, so that access is limited to the instructor and TAs. Instructors are advised to remind students each time recording is turned on. 

• Students who do not wish to consent to being recorded can absent themselves from the class and instead view the recording.  

• Recordings should only be made with McGill or instructor-owned equipment. RLAs or TAs should not do any recording on their personal devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets). 

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Tips for students

If your students are new to Zoom, you can provide them with tips and resources on our Student learning with Zoom page.

Some common issues that your students may face when viewing Zoom lecture recordings:

• Turn off AdBlocker in Chrome: AdBlocker extensions in Chrome must be turned off – they have been known to interfere with lecture recordings.

• Slow or halted video playback: Some students have encountered buffering messages or slow/halted video playback. IT is investigating these issues and believes they are related to the size/resolution and quality of certain recordings, as well as the region where the students are located. We will update this announcement with further details as they become available.

• Missing recordings/recordings not playing at all: For any other issues accessing recordings, submit a report to IT via the myCourses issue page.

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Known issues with Zoom

The following table outlines the known issues that may occur with Zoom. For issues not covered by this table, visit the McGill IT support portal and submit a ticket.

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