Interact with whiteboards
- Jacqueline Kort Mascort (Deactivated)
Instructors can use Whiteboards in Zoom and Microsoft Teams sessions to present their ideas and compliment their lectures with text, drawings, shapes, notes, and more. Additionally, instructors can alter the settings of their Zoom or Teams session to permit students to edit and annotate as well, thus providing a way for students to express their ideas and collaborate as a class. Whiteboards can be subsequently saved by the instructor and students for further work, as a study aid, or even as a graded assessment.
For information on audiovisual equipment available in classrooms, including SMART Boards, please visit the IT Knowledge Base article Audiovisual equipment in classrooms (login with your McGill credentials is required to view this page).
In this article:
Zoom whiteboards
Zoom whiteboards allow instructors and students to use annotation tools when sharing or viewing a whiteboard.
Enable whiteboard and annotation settings on Zoom
Ensure that whiteboard and annotation settings are enabled in your Zoom web portal:
Upon enabling Annotation, you will be able to annotate the whiteboard and other shared screens on Zoom (e.g., a shared PowerPoint).
Log-in to mcgill.zoom.us with your McGill credentials.
In the navigation panel, select Settings.
Select the Meeting
Under In meeting (basic), verify that Annotation and Whiteboard are enabled.
If the setting is disabled, select the toggle to enable it.
(Optional) Select the check boxes to allow saving of whiteboard content and shared screens with annotations.
(Optional) Select the check box for Only the user who is sharing can annotate if you do not want students to have access to annotation tools.
(Optional) Select the check box for Auto save whiteboard content when sharing is stopped to automatically save the whiteboard as a PNG or PDF on your computer.
Share a whiteboard on Zoom
Select Share screen located in your Zoom toolbar.
Select Whiteboard.
Select Share.
After sharing your whiteboard, annotation controls will display automatically along the top of your screen. If you do not see the annotation tools, select the Whiteboard icon in the session controls to show and hide them.
Note: Upon viewing a shared whiteboard, your students click View options and then Annotate to access the annotation tools.
Use the page controls in the bottom-right corner of the whiteboard to create new pages and switch between them. Only the student or host that started sharing the whiteboard has access to create and switch pages.
When you are done, select Stop share.
Annotation Settings on Zoom
After sharing the whiteboard, select More in the session controls for these annotation settings:
Enable/disable annotation for others: Allow or prevent students from annotating on your shared screen or whiteboard.
Show/hide names of annotators: Show or hide student names when they are annotating. If set to show, the student's name will briefly display beside their annotation.
Annotation Tools on Zoom
Upon sharing the Whiteboard, you will see these annotation tools along the top of your screen. If they don’t appear automatically, select the Whiteboard icon in your session controls.
The Select, Spotlight, and Save options are only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard.
Mouse: Deactivate annotation tools and switch to your mouse pointer. This button is blue if annotation tools are deactivated.
Select: Select, move, or resize your annotations. To select several annotations at once, select and drag your mouse to display a selection area.
Text: Insert text.
Draw: Insert lines, arrows, and shapes.
Stamp: Insert predefined icons like a check mark or star.
Spotlight / Arrow / Vanishing pen: Turn your cursor into a spotlight or arrow.
Spotlight: Displays your mouse pointer to all students when your mouse is within the area being shared. Use this to point out parts of the screen to students.
Arrow: Displays a small arrow instead of your mouse pointer. Select to insert an arrow that displays your name. Each subsequent click will remove the previous arrow placed. You can use this feature to point out your annotations to students.
Vanishing pen (only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard): Allows the presenter to annotate on the whiteboard or shared screen without having to erase or undo their last addition, as the annotation will fade away within a couple of seconds.
Eraser: Select and drag to erase parts of your annotation.
Format: Change the formatting options of annotations tools like color, line width, and font.
Undo: Undo your latest annotation.
Redo: Redo your latest annotation that you undid.
Clear: Delete all annotations.
Save: Save shared screen / whiteboard and annotations as a PNG or PDF. The files are saved to the local recording location (typically a Zoom folder within your documents).
To change the file format, select the dropdown arrow next to Save and select one of these options:
PNG: Save as a PNG file. If there are multiple whiteboards, Zoom will save a PNG file for each whiteboard.
PDF: Save as a PDF. If there are multiple whiteboards, Zoom will save a single PDF containing all whiteboards.
This option is only available to viewers if the host has allowed others to save.
Multiple whiteboards in a Zoom session
If you have simultaneous screen sharing on, multiple students will be able to share a whiteboard at once. However, to see two whiteboards at once, or your own whiteboard and that of another student, you will need to have dual monitors enabled.
Microsoft Teams whiteboards
The whiteboard integration in Microsoft Teams sessions allows instructors to present a whiteboard to students. Whiteboards in Microsoft Teams are automatically enabled; however, they are only available for calls with three or more students (e.g., two or more students and the instructor).
Share a whiteboard on Microsoft Teams
Open the Microsoft Teams app on PC or iOS. If prompted, sign-in with your McGill credentials.
After joining a Teams session, select the Share tray icon.
Select Microsoft whiteboard.
A pop-up will appear that asks if you want to present or collaborate on the whiteboard. Choose Present whiteboard (students cannot edit) or Collaborate on whiteboard (students can edit).
(Optional) This setting can be changed during the meeting by clicking on the Settings icon in the upper-right corner. Toggle the “Other students can edit” setting on or off.
Annotation tools on Microsoft Teams
Annotation tools will appear along the top of your screen when you share your whiteboard.
Move board: Select and hold to pan around the whiteboard. Use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out of the screen.
Pens: Allow the instructor to annotate on the whiteboard. Double-click the pen icon to change the thickness and colour of the brush.
Highlighter: A semi-transparent highlighter that can be added over text and other annotations. Double-click the highlighter icon to change the thickness and colour of the brush.
Eraser: Select and drag to erase parts of your annotation.
Text: Insert text.
Add note: Insert notes and add text or annotations to them. Select the note to add change, change background colour, or delete.
Shape or line: Insert lines, arrows, and shapes.
Undo: Undo your latest annotation.
Redo: Redo your latest annotation that you undid.
Save and export Microsoft Teams Whiteboards
Microsoft Whiteboards are automatically saved to a specific Team. A Whiteboard tab will appear along the top of your Teams window, or one can be added by selecting the Add a tab icon (+). Instructors also have the option to export their whiteboard as a PNG image:
When viewing your whiteboard, select the Settings icon in the upper-right corner.
Select Export image (PNG).
Learn more:
Tech talk: Ice breakers using digital workspaces (TLS YouTube channel)
Zoom help center
Use whiteboard in Microsoft Teams (Microsoft support)