Zoom (Canvas Integration) - Overview
This document outlines resources for instructors on how to get started with the Canvas-Zoom integration at UW-Madison.
Zoom is an enterprise cloud platform for video, voice, online meetings, screen sharing, chat, and webinars. This enterprise web conferencing and distance learning application runs across mobile devices, desktops, telephones, and room systems. This document focuses on Zoom and its integration with the Canvas Learning Management System. For information on how to access Zoom outside of Canvas, see UW-Madison Zoom - Getting started
For a comparison of your web conferencing options on campus, including Zoom, please see Help Desk - Which video conferencing or webinar tool should I use? Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Google Hangouts Meet, Cisco Webex , Microsoft Teams, Zoom.
Zoom and Canvas
Adding Zoom to Canvas
You can add Zoom to the Navigation Bar in your Canvas Course, whether it is a for-credit course, non-credit course or sandbox Canvas course. For more information see Zoom - Adding Zoom to Your Canvas Navigation Bar
Adding Zoom to the navbar allows instructors to create Zoom sessions specifically for that course. The Canvas-Zoom integration allows Zoom to recognize the participants and loosely maps their roles in Canvas to the Zoom session (Instructor = Moderator, Student = Participant). Any recordings made using a Zoom Room associated with your Canvas Course will also show up in the integration for instructors and students.
Once an instructor has added Zoom to their course’s Navbar, instructors and students can both access it the same way.
Breakout Groups
Zoom offers several options for breakout rooms. For more information, please see Using Breakout Groups To Increase Student Engagement.
If using the pre-assigned breakout group option, see Zoom - Known Issue - Preloading Breakout Groups in the Zoom/Canvas Integration.
Support and training
Although the Learn@UW-Madison team does not provide training on Zoom at this time, there are a variety of self help resources available. Zoom frequently provides webinar trainings, including some focused specifically on teaching and learning. For a list of these resources, please go here.
If you have any technical questions or problems with Zoom or its integration with Canvas, please contact the DoIT Help Desk.
System requirements and supported browsers
Web Client
Prerequisites
- Internet Explorer 10 or higher
- Chromium Edge 80 or higher
- Google Chrome 53.0.2785 or higher
- Safari 10.0.602.1.50 or higher
- Firefox 76 or higher
Note: Mobile web browsers are not supported.
Desktop Client
Mobile Client
Additional resources
Client feature comparison
Launching Zoom from a web browser
System requirements for Windows, macOS, and Linux