Recording to the Cloud & Longterm Storage Options

Objective

Enable cloud recording and audio transcript

nimbus clouds and blue calm sky

What does "Record to cloud" mean?
When you record to the Cloud, it means that your meeting archive will be automatically uploaded to Zoom's web servers (in the cloud), as opposed to downloaded to your computer. Video archives are very big files and downloading them to your computer would quickly cause your computer's hard drive to fill. The size of a single video archive file can be large enough to put you over your Canvas file quota if you tried to upload the video .mp4 file directly into Canvas (do not upload your videos directly into Canvas). Processing a cloud recording generally take about 2 times the meeting duration to process, and sometimes longer when demand is high. When your cloud recording is done, you will receive an email that contains the link for you (your link will give you access to download your archive video) and a link to share with others (no download link).

Have you thought about storage? It's best to identify a storage location early on. Prioritize what you keep, what you don't keep. Videos with dates and specific info just for that class are not enduring. Generic information is best.

Storage Tips from CCC TechConnect:

Be aware that Zoom Cloud storage is temporary. Do not plan to use Zoom Cloud to store your recordings for more than a semester. The exact duration of the storage will vary based upon statewide (or local if your college has a sub-account) licensing. See below for long-term storage options.
Develop a plan for long-term storage. For long-term storage of essential recordings, consider TechConnect Cloud (3C Media Solutions) which enables archives to be embedded in Canvas; Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive (check with your college to determine which option is available to you); Canvas Studio (if available at your college), YouTube, or Vimeo.
- Be selective about what you save for the long term. Do you really need to save every recording? (We hope you answered "no" to that question!) Develop a logical workflow that allows you to minimize the amount of storage you use. It will make things easier for you in the long run when you need to do file clean up. For example, if you teach the same course at three different times, select the best recording to share with all groups and delete the others from your account. However, this is only an option if students are not visible in the recording. If students are identifiable and you share that recording with a different section, it is a FERPA (student privacy) violation. We'll cover that topic soon!
- Develop a file naming convention. Naming your archived videos in a way that helps you quickly identify the term/date/course/topic is key (example: Sp21-Ph130-The Kodak Revolution).
Tidy up regularly. If you have recordings in Zoom Cloud that are outdated, were used for testing purposes only, or that you don't need anymore, please delete them

Set Up Your Zoom Cloud Recordings and Audio Transcripts

Set up cloud recording
1. Cloud recording storage capacity

Share Recording

You will receive an email when a new Cloud Recording has been processed.
You can also access all your recordings at any time in the Recordings tab of your Zoom web portal. Review Cloud Recording Settings and Settings for Sharing

Captions, Transcripts, Live Transcripts, and Additional Video Storage Options

Objective

Edit your transcript

Audio transcription automatically transcribes the audio of a meeting or webinar that you record to the cloud. It's pretty great, but it is not perfect! After the transcript is processed, it also is stored with your video recording as a separate VTT file in the list of recorded meetings. A VTT file is a type of caption file that includes all the spoken words in your meeting and time stamps. You also have the option to display the transcript text within the video itself, or if you choose to upload the video to Canvas Studio (if your college has a license for it) or YouTube, the VTT file can also be uploaded to enable captions on the video.

Helpful Resources

Enabling Audio Transcription in Zoom
Displaying the Zoom transcript as closed-captions
Enabling Live Transcription (speech-to-text generated captions)
Assigning a Participant as Closed-Captioner
Upload Zoom recording to Canvas Studio (if your college has a license for Canvas Studio)
How do I generate captions in Canvas Studio?

When Would I Request a Live Captioner?

You may have enrolled students who require a live captioner. As the meeting host, you can set this up with your Disabled Students Programs and Services. Contact your DSP&S Office to arrange for a captioner to be an attendee. The meeting host assigns them as the captioner. Check with your DSP&S Office to see if you can have a standing request for each Zoom session.

Develop a "Plan B" for when you and/or students have tech issues

Anticipate potential challenges. Identify at least two sources for tech support
Describe what to do when service is down or operations are degraded

It's almost always Wifi connection issues!

If you are experiencing any issue(s) with latency, frozen screen, poor quality audio, or meeting getting disconnected while using a home or non-enterprise WiFi connection, try the following tips provided by Zoom .

Assign a student or TA as co-host so the discussion can continue while you work out connection issues. Pre-determine a time limit for "downtime" such as 15 minutes for troubleshooting, then the session is either postponed or canceled. Remember, you can always record later and post the recording in Canvas. Reassure your students watching the recording will not negatively affect their participation in the class.

Stanford. D. (2020, March 16). Videoconferencing alternatives: How low-bandwidth teaching will save us all

Pacansky-Brock, M. (2020, April 3, 2020). Guidance for Recording Class Sessions with Zoom

Photo by Pero Kalimero Unsplash on

Image: "Online Meeting" by Leanne Walker is in the Public Domain, CC0