Make sure that anyone who shares your space knows when you will be in class. Request that you aren’t interrupted during those times, if possible.
Pay attention to what time zone you are in and what time your class is taking place. If you live in a time zone that makes it very challenging to attend class during its scheduled time, contact your professor as soon as possible.
Close all additional programs running on your computer to increase bandwidth to help Zoom function in the most optimal way.
Unless you are using your phone to Zoom into class, put your phone away and block notifications, so it does not make noise or distract you during class
Practicing Good Etiquette in the Zoom Classroom
Remember that your instructors and classmates can see you. Be conscious of the image you are projecting and be aware of your surroundings (especially if something is going on in your background)
Act as if you’re in a classroom. Don’t walk around or leave the room unless your instructor has said that it’s OK.
Has your instructor set any ground rules for their Zoom classroom? If so, be sure to read them. If not, be proactive in discussing ground rules. Some questions to ask: What are your expectations for class participation? Should I raise my hand digitally? Do you want us to use the chat function? Don’t assume you know the ground rules unless your professor has explicitly stated them.
If you know your environment may include unavoidable distractions (e.g., people walking around, children, noise), consider letting your professor know ahead of time. At minimum, stay muted whenever you are not talking. You might also ask if it would be helpful to have your camera turned off.
Managing Your Time While Learning Remotely
Create a daily schedule with consistent wake-up and sleep times.
Set goals for each week. What specific things do you want to achieve? How will you break your work down into manageable pieces?
Break your day into 30-minute or 1-hour increments, with a specific activity devoted to each one. We often think that we’ll be more productive working in big chunks of time, but research shows the opposite may be true. We tend to get more work done if we work in smaller, efficient bursts.
Act like you’re going to class. Shower, get dressed, eat, and use the time you’d spend walking to class to prepare mentally for lecture.
Don’t forget to schedule intentional breaks for eating, exercise, and socializing. Try to schedule these during low-energy times of the day. Research shows that sleep and exercise actually help you learn. Make time for them!