This year, Zoom has released many useful features to enhance a virtual learning experience and make it more inclusive. From collaboration tools to language interpretation—there are a lot of interesting improvements for teachers and students. Read on for an overview of the most exciting updates.
Automated Captions
Automated captions are one more accessibility feature for hard-of-hearing users. Recently, it has been enhanced with multi-language translation. At launch, English and ten more languages are available for captions and translation.
This feature is also crucial to language learners. It helps them process verbal messages and follow along with the speaker with ease. If you are still working on mastering your language skills, you can also get assistance with written communication and write my paper with best authors. Help with essays is also useful to students who struggle with time management or simply have other priorities at the moment.
Zoom Team Chat
The latest update to Zoom was Zoom Team Chat, which acquired a wide range of features alongside a new name. Although it is primarily viewed as a workplace tool, Zoom Team Chat has a huge potential in the classroom as well. With its help, students get much more powerful collaboration tools to enhance their group work.
So what does the update include? Zoom Team Chat is an ultimate collaboration hub where you can:
- Streamline communications from chat to a meeting or call;
- Use a whiteboard for brainstorming;
- Share voice and video messages;
- Keep projects on track;
- Share files;
- Integrate other apps;
- Set reminders.
Sign Language Interpretation
Another update that has been released this month is the ability to schedule a meeting with sign language interpretation. Participants can have a dedicated window that shows an interpreter through their own video channel. A student can resize and relocate the window in the most convenient place. This update allows hard-of-hearing or deaf people to get access to more learning opportunities.
Advanced Polling
The feature that appeared earlier this year enabled better polls. Now teachers don’t need third-party apps to assess student understanding, get feedback, and add more interaction to their classes. The new polling feature includes various question types like multiple choice, short answer, fill in the blank, and five more. Teachers can also add images and assign correct answers to check the accuracy of students’ responses.
Hand Gesture Recognition
Some students are too shy or lack the confidence to be active in class. The hand gesture recognition tool is designed for them to be more comfortable. It translates physical gestures into room gestures in Zoom, allowing these students to be heard and seen when they need anything and making it easier to participate. The feature is also customizable. Students can change the skin tone of emojis.
Focus Mode
It’s no secret that distractions are the primary enemy of effective learning. This is why Zoom developers came up with the Focus Mode feature. It is crucial for engagement as it reduces visual distractions. Instead of seeing the whole class, students see only their teacher. This makes them more comfortable and attentive.
Multi-Spotlight and Slide Control
Zoom has improved tools for online classroom presentations. Multi-spotlight serves to pin up to nine active participants for the whole class to see. This way, the presenters get the full attention of their teacher and classmates. This enhances focus and makes it easier to convey the message of a presentation.
Another practical setting is slide control. The person who is sharing the presentation can allow other presenters to control the slides. When every presenter can change the progression of slides, it helps the presentation to go much smoother and eliminates any interruptions to its flow.
Zoom Whiteboard
Zoom has updated its whiteboard to be a powerful collaborative tool. Now learners can draw in it, control the content with a comfortable context menu, and get more supported languages. It has also become easier to share your whiteboard with teachers and classmates.
The Bottom Line
Zoom doesn’t stop evolving and offering students powerful features to thrive in class. Many of its new tools focus on inclusivity and helping all students be equally engaged. It addresses various learning difficulties and helps all learners adapt to the online environment. So make sure you stay updated and give these new features a try!
