Zoom – Changes to Default Recording Settings / Upcoming Change to Cloud Recording Retention

Two items for the latest on Zoom:

1. Changes to Default Recording Settings (Gallery v. Speaker View)

OCIO has made a change to default recordings settings in Zoom as of the end of October, 2020 – to see the change, log into carmenzoom.osu.edu, and navigate to Settings – Recording.  In the Cloud Recording settings section, note the checkbox indicated by a red arrow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With this adjustment, gallery view will not be automatically recorded in addition to the speaker view.

You can still get both recording versions by adjusting your own CarmenZoom profile; checking the box will ensure that both recordings are captured.  Note that the “Record active speaker…” checkbox applies by user, rather than to meetings (whether individual or recurring).

And note the options you have, once the checkbox is checked:

Zoom profile recording settings - options

 

 

 

2.  Upcoming Change to Cloud Recording Retention

**NOTE: [UPDATED, 12/9/2020] THE CHANGE IN RETENTION PERIOD FOR CLOUD RECORDINGS HAS BEEN DELAYED TO FEB. 5, 2021. The retention period will STILL be changed to 120 days, but it was decided to provide additional time for end-users to archive any recordings needed.  Still – go through your archive of cloud recordings, and ensure you have downloaded what you need, to longer-term storage.

For more information, see my latest post with more info and details.

At some point in November, the retention period for Zoom cloud recordings will be SHORTENED (less than 270 days); this change is to make best-practice use of back-end resources.  More info to come from OCIO, as the change date is formally announced.

(As a general best practice, it helps to every so often review your list of cloud recordings; the date on which each recording will be deleted is indicated for each entry. Download the file(s) if you need to archive.)

 

New Topic: MS Teams

I’ve launched some initial content relating to Microsoft Teams, and especially outlining the upcoming migration away from BuckeyeBox, that will happen before end of June, 2021.

More posts and pages will be forthcoming, as we learn more about the transition, but you can get started here.

OSU Libraries Research Commons – Computer Lab Access Now Available

Need a remote computer on which to do your research?  The University Libraries Research Commons remote computer lab could have exactly what you need!

Grad students, postdocs, faculty and staff can reserve a computer with specialized software for almost the entire day (10AM-5PM, Monday through Friday).

Check out the specs and specific software on offer, and submit your request for use by the end of the business day, before the day of your requested reservation. The “Scarlet” pod of computers is specc’ed and configured somewhat differently than the “Grey” pod, and some software is available on all lab computers.

Skype for Biz v. MS Teams v. Zoom – Which Tool Do I Use, When?

Confused on when to use MS Teams or Skype for Business or Zoom?  And what are the differences between these tools, anyway??

If you scratch your head sometimes on what to use when, you’re in good company around campus (and that confusion will get a bit deeper, as we transition away from Skype, eventually)!

I just found an excellent resource article from OCIO on the subject (7/13/2020), with a really good comparison chart; it also summarizes considerations you’ll want to think about for certain situations (e.g., “most of campus” versus MedCenter; restricted data issues, etc.).

Check it out…

 

MS Teams – New Features Available as of August 19, 2020

https://it.osu.edu/news/2020/08/12/new-teams-features-available-aug-19

Check out 2 new features to MSTeams that OCIO has made available to all:

 

“As we continue to work from home, members of the Ohio State community have been using Microsoft Teams (link is external). We’ve been working to add features to make Teams more agile and valuable to you as a collaboration tool.

On Wednesday, Aug. 19, we will enable PC-to-PC calling and dial in audio conferencing. Microsoft will notify users by email once these features are active.

  • PC to PC calls enable one-on-one or group calls with anyone in your organization directly from a chat without having to host a team meeting. It enables you to use audio and video delivered through your Internet connection. We have posted instructions in our knowledge base (link is external) so you can learn to use this feature. It is available for Ohio State faculty, staff, guests and students and for COTC accounts.
  • Audio Conferencing gives meeting attendees the ability to join a Teams meeting from a regular phone by dialing into a meeting phone number. This can be very useful for users who, for any reason, can’t attend a meeting using the Skype for Business or Microsoft Teams app on their laptops or mobile devices. Click here for more information about audio conferencing. (link is external) This feature is available for Ohio State faculty and staff and for COTC accounts.”

 

 

AU Instructor Workshops – Links to Recordings, Slides, etc.

Thanks to all who attended the AU Instructor Workshops so far… we’ve covered A LOT of ground, and I definitely want to go back and fill in on the wide variety of topics.  Thanks also for all the feedback, participation and questions – those will inform ongoing efforts.

Part I – August 7, 2020 –

Part II – August 14, 2020 – this session was much more of a walk-through on course shell setup, Carmen Key 4, Assignments, and discussion of ways to manage online teaching

Changes to CarmenCanvas for AU 2020

Check out ODEE’s article regarding the latest updates to the Canvas LMS for AU 2020…

One item you may want to test out/play with is that the new rich text editor (RTE) is available for your course(s).  The old RTE will be phased out later this year, but I think you’ll like the new one: no tools have been removed, but the rearrangement is nice, and more intuitive.

The ability to drag/drop media is a BIG advantage, IMHO… this applies to pix, videos, recordings that you’re adding.

If you want to see the difference visually, an earlier ODEE article lets you flip between old and new versions to take a look.

Zoom – Using a Second Webcam as a Document Camera

“I Need to Write on a Whiteboard/Blackboard During My Zoom Session – How Do I Do That?”

This may be the most frequent question I’ve received from PHY instructors, since we ramped up in SPR semester.  A similar situation is screen-sharing a document printout that the instructor will annotate during the session (e.g., an outline of a problem to be worked during a class meeting).

If you have an iPad (or other drawing tablet that can connect to an ink-enabled application), adding it is relatively simple.  But what if you don’t have a separate drawing-capable device?

Use a second camera (an independent webcam) as a document camera!

Basically, you’re using two cameras within your Zoom session; the primary camera (on a laptop, the “built-in” camera) stays focused on “you,” the presenter, but you’ll share your additional camera as what Zoom calls a “document camera”, and this becomes your whiteboard/blackboard/drawing area.

Note that your “whiteboard” doesn’t have to be vertically mounted; you can aim the webcam at your desktop, if you like – that’s probably an easier area to write on.  Do some testing on your setup before you use it “live”, and mount the second camera to “something” not only so you’re properly focused on your writing area, but to make it easier for you to write.

I’ve posted a tutorial vid on the Physics YouTube subchannel on how I set it up, but here are the general steps:

1. Start your Zoom meeting, and have both cameras connected to your computer (I’m assuming laptop, but desktop+ 2 webcams would work as well).

2.  Open up your video settings

Location of Zoom video settings

3.  Make sure the “Mirror my video” checkbox in Video settings is UNCHECKED.

Zoom video settings - "mirror my video" checkbox

4.  Share your screen – from the “Advanced” area, choosing your separate/second webcam.

Share Screen - Advanced

 

5.  The webcam is displayed to your meeting Participants.  (My image is blurry on this screenshot, because my webcam is completely handheld.)

Screenshot of webcam drawing area