The Zoom video calling platform has announced news for the return to classes in this context of pandemic (in which many teachers and students will continue with online learning to avoid contact and possible Covid infections). The announced novelty is the distraction-free mode.
Teachers or educators they can activate this function through the settings within the meeting. The “Focus Mode” or Focus Mode allows teachers to view their students’ videos, and students see their teachers without seeing other participants in the class.
Prevent students from becoming distracted or self-conscious
With this function, it is expected that, on the one hand, teachers can supervise their class and that, at the same time, the students do not feel self-conscious when turning on their own camera since they know that only their teacher can see them.
The student will see his video call as in the previous image: himself and the educator. Will know which of your classmates are online thanks to the fact that the black box will appear for each student and with their name.
How to activate Focus Mode
This new feature is already available in Zoom with Windows versions: 5.7.3 or more and with macOS: 5.7.3 or more. You have to log in and access the navigation panel and click on Account Management and then in Account Settings. Click on “In the meeting Advanced”. There you can see several of the characteristics of Zoom to customize your meeting according to your needs.
If you press you will see Focus Mode and you can activate it on a tab that hyay to the right. If you want this configuration to be mandatory for all users of this account, you must click on the lock icon and then on Lock to confirm the configuration.
Other existing functions thinking about online classes
In addition to this new mode that the teacher can activate to avoid distractions, there are other functions created by Zoom and thinking about interactions within online classes. One of them (also necessary in any other meeting) is to raise your hand.
On the other hand, Zoom has its own annotation tools that allow students to write the new information that the teacher provides directly inside the platform. These note-taking tools can be for private use or done in shared screen mode.
On the other hand, and in a very different way from the functions presented today, Zoom has the immersive view that makes all the participants of an online meeting or an Internet class can be reflected virtually as if they are in the same room to show closeness to each other. This is the so-called “immersive view”.