Online Learning Help for Students

Recitations, office hours, and some lectures may happen over Zoom.

• (Recommended) Download Zoom https://zoom.us/download
  • Zoom Client for Meetings (Apple, Windows, Linux)
  • Zoom app (iOS, Android)
• (Recommended) Sign into https://mit.zoom.us with your kerberos before joining a meeting. (This will make sure you have all the Zoom features and often simplifies connecting audio and video to your meeting.)
• Join a Zoom meeting (video and text)
  • Planning for and connecting to class (PDF)
  • Getting help and asking questions from a BreakOut room
    • The chat feature in a breakout room is local to your own room
    • Use the Ask For Help button that appears to send a chat to your host
    • Some classes may use a third party app to communicate (Piazza, Slack, etc.). Ask your professor!
• Tips and tricks:
  • Keep yourself muted unless you are speaking. (Zoom will warn you that you are muted if you start speaking while muted.)
  • If your internet connection is unstable, turn off the video of yourself.
  • Open the Participants window and the Chat window. If you have a question
    • Raise your hand from the participant window, or
    • Enter your question into the chat window
  • Join with the name you wish people to call you so that your professor/instructor/TA can call on you if you raise your hand!

Assignments will be collected electronically. It will be useful to scan your handwritten work. You can use a scanner, or an app that turns cell phone photos into much smaller pdf documents.

• Scan handwritten documents to pdf from a phone camera. Some options are listed below:
  • The Dropbox app has scanning built in, and it will automatically upload files to your Dropbox account.
  • Use Genius Scan for Apple and Android
  • Use Adobe Scan App for Apple and Android
• Your instructors/TAs will explain which method they are using for collecting homework
  • Uploading assignments to Stellar (Instructions)
  • Uploading assignments to Gradescope (video, detailed pdf)

Your instructors/TAs will explain how exams will be taken and graded.

Be sure to check email regularly as classes will be relying on electronic forms of communication

Many, but not all, classes will have a discussion forum. This forum might use Piazza, a Stellar or Canvas Forum, or Slack or Discord to keep in contact.