Utilizing Zoom for Tutoring
Zoom is an excellent platform to use for tutoring, as you can share your screen, create a virtual whiteboard, and record the entire session to watch later. For a quick start guide on how to use Zoom, follow this link. To learn how to use the meeting controls in Zoom to create the best environment for tutoring, watch the video below.
Canvas Collaborations Tools
You can use Canvas Collaborations to:
- Copy and paste notes that everyone can access.
- Share bullet-point lists or agendas for upcoming synchronous class or group time or meetings.
- Create a text-based whiteboard that everyone in the classroom can see and refer to later.
- Assign student groups a collaborative assignment as a graded assignment (instructor feature).

All Canvas courses support Google Docs as the default collaborations tool. Collaborations that leverage Google Docs requires that all participating learners have created and linked their Google account to their personal Settings.
Google Docs allows you to add up to 50 users per collaboration, and all users can view and edit a document at the same time. However, Google collaborations do have a limit as to the number of users who can access a collaboration at any time. For a full overview, watch this video guide.
Utilizing Google Hangouts Meet for Tutoring
Google Hangouts Meet offers Screen Sharing. This can be an extremely helpful tool when using your desktop to display various learning components. Google Hangouts Meet does not natively offer a whiteboard function, but it can be added by following this link. Follow the directions below for using Screen Sharing in Google Hangouts Meet once you are in a meeting.
- To share your screen start by pressing the Present now button in the lower right-hand side of the screen.
- Two Present options will appear.
- Your entire screen: this mode shares everything that is on your screen. Click the gray share button (located in the bottom right of the pop-up window.
- If you have multiple screens connected to the computer, you will be given the option to pick what screen you wish to share.
- Generally, you will only have one screen available to share.
- A window: this mode shares a single application window from anything that is open on your computer (PowerPoint, Chrome browser, Word document, etc).
- You would find the screen you want to present and then Click the gray share button (located in the bottom right of the pop-up window).
- After you have selected which component you wish to share, Google Hangouts Meet will change your screen to a blank screen that reads: You're presenting to everyone.
- You can stop presenting by clicking the STOP PRESENTING button in the middle of the screen.