Ways of Engaging Students Through Zoom and Avoiding Zoom Fatigue

Abstract

Medical and dental education during the COVID-19 pandemic has transitioned from face-to-face classroom learning into an online environment. While this transition has many learning opportunities, it has its fair share of drawbacks. Most universities worldwide have adopted Zoom^TM, a video conferencing platform for teaching students in an online environment. The silver lining of online learning is that most of what was taught physically could be taught effectively online. However, a frequent complaint by faculty and teachers using zoom is a lack of interaction with students. Twenty practical tips have been proposed that will make teaching and learning through Zoom a conducive learning environment. Most of the course content in medical and dental education can be effectively delivered through the zoom platform. The key to success is interaction through breakout rooms and the use of pre-test, post-test, and polling that will not only engage students but will result in worthwhile learning.