KSD Help Desk

The USB webcam can provide more flexible placement options than your laptop's built-in camera, particularly for giving remote students a better view of your in-person students. The webcam also contains a microphone which can be used on its own in Zoom, even when you aren't using the camera functionality.

Webcam Setup Demonstration

Here is a 6 minute video demonstrating how to use the USB webcam with Zoom, both as the microphone and as the camera.

Setting up the Webcam with Your Laptop

 The webcam has a standard USB connector which you can plug into the USB port on either side of your laptop. There is no additional software required; your laptop will recognize the webcam automatically when you plug it in.

The base of the webcam folds out to create an adjustable stand. 

You can also hook the unfolded base over the top edge of your laptop screen or your classroom display:

Using the Webcam with Zoom

You can choose the webcam as your camera and/or microphone in Zoom using the microphone and camera controls in the bottom-left corner of your Zoom window during a Zoom meeting.

To choose the webcam as your camera in Zoom, click the small up-arrow next to the Start/Stop Video button, then choose your webcam from the list (the camera should have either "eMeet" or "Aukey" in its name). You will know the webcam is selected when there is a checkmark by its name.

Choosing the webcam as your microphone works the same way: click the small up-arrow next to the Mute/Unmute button, then choose your webcam from the list at the top, under Select a Microphone.

Webcam Placement Ideas

One suggestion is to place the webcam on top of your classroom display. If you also use AirPlay to show your Zoom meeting on the classroom display, this will allow you to treat the display as a sort of portal bridging the in-person and remote students.

Another possibility is to place the camera on a table or stand to one side of the room; this way, when in-person students need to speak during a class discussion, they can walk up to the camera and speak directly to the remote students. This may be particularly helpful if your remote students are having difficulty hearing the in-person students when they speak.

You might even place the camera on a student desk facing toward the front of the room, to give remote students the same view of your classroom as in-person students. However, please be careful when presenting material this way; the video quality of these webcams is not great, and your remote students are likely viewing the video on a small screen. They will likely struggle even to make out content written on the whiteboard this way.