You may think you know all there is to know about Zoom, but we have a few Salon rules and suggestions that you may find useful. We ask all participants to respect each other and to remember that even when the group is on a break you may be heard by others or recorded.
1. A headset can really help to shut out background noise, focusing the voices.
2. The facilitator will normally open the meeting a few minutes before the start – come on in! If you are late joining and the group is already in discussion, enter the meeting and the facilitator will help you catch you up as soon as there is a suitable gap in the discussion.
3. Use the chat facility (find it on the menu at the bottom or the screen), this is a useful space to jot down thoughts or questions as they occur to you while others are talking.
4. Do what you need to be comfortable, but please try to not move around too much as it is distracting for others in the group.
5. We are often not aware of how much we use eye contact to engage and support each other in discussions, particularly when someone is working through a difficult or complex idea. This can make the virtual space feel challenging, but please trust that we are all listening with a high level of attentiveness.
6 There is a gap between your speaking and our hearing, which means that people may interrupt each other more frequently. Don’t be put off: signal (wave your hand, use ‘reactions’ on the menu bar or a note in chat) that you are waiting to speak.
8. On the other hand, the rigidity of the platform can sometimes encourage pontification, try to be self-aware and don’t be put off if the facilitator redirects the group. If you have more to add, do use the chat!
9. If you use earphones with a microphone attached, try to avoid the microphone catching on your clothing while you are reading as this can create unwanted noise.
10. If you experience technical problems the facilitator will try to help, but ultimately their responsibility is to the group as a whole and it may be necessary to follow up after the session.
