Zoom Memojilikeclark Theverge – With so many schools moving to online learning, Zoom has become a household name. The company has now announced a new Focus mode which it says will help keep students from getting distracted while in a virtual classroom. Focus mode will make it so that participants in a meeting can’t see each other’s videos or screen shares, while the host can still see everyone’s webcams. This provides some of the control found in Webinar mode, without the complexity & lack of flexibility that comes with it. For instance, a teacher could turn on Focus mode while presenting, and then turn it off when it is time for a class discussion. And, while hosting a Webinar costs money, Focus mode appears to be available to free accounts.
Zoom believes that having a picture of a giraffe in your box can help with making video meetings less tiring. This is because it is easier to look at than your real face.
Zoom has said that they believe having a picture of a giraffe in your box can help with making video meetings less tiring. This is because it is easier to look at than your real face.
How Zoom Focus Mode Works
When you enable Focus mode in a Zoom meeting, all participants will have their video feeds hidden from view & they will only be able to see a blank screen. Additionally, they will not be able to see any screen shares that have been shared in the meeting. The host, however, will still be able to see everyone’s video feeds & screen shares. This is similar to how Webinar mode works, but without all of the bells & whistles.
Focus mode is designed to help keep students’ attention focused on the lesson, while still allowing the teacher to see what everyone is doing. This can be helpful in situations where there is a lot of chatter or side conversations going on. It also eliminates the need for the teacher to constantly be asking students to un-mute themselves.
To enable Focus mode, the host will need to go to the “Meeting” tab in the Zoom interface & click on the “Focus” toggle. Once Focus mode has been enabled, all participants will see a banner at the top of their screen letting them know that the feature is enabled. Focus mode can be disabled at any time by the host.
It’s unclear how important Zoom Avatars will be in reducing social anxiety or exhaustion – not because they are terrible, but rather because of others’ ability to tolerate Zoom energy. Soon enough, my coworkers are going to be at no point actually going to see my face if this feature ends up working great, but there are definitely places where you would get scolded for showing up as an animal (either by the judge in your legal case saying it’s not appropriate to have a channel on or by a friend nudging you by saying you look like a furry). Ideally, though, as video conferencing remains a part of our lives, we all get a chance to be a little less serious – something that Avatars could definitely help with.
Conclusion
Zoom’s new Focus mode is a welcome addition for those who are using the platform for online learning. It provides a way for teachers to keep students’ attention focused on the lesson, while still being able to see what everyone is doing. And, best of all, it is available to free accounts.
