Kids using Zoom for school? There’s a new way to keep them focused

As Zoom remains a key part of many students’ experience this fall, the video conferencing tool introduced a new feature to keep them from getting distracted in class.

In a blog post, Zoom revealed a new mode called “Focus,” aimed specifically for teaching environments such as classes.

During a class run through Zoom using “Focus,” teachers will be able to see every student in class, but students will only see the teacher. On a student’s view, pupils will only see the names of students in available windows, but not their peers’ nonverbal feedback or hear other students when unmuted.

“Focus mode is designed with the digital learning environment in mind, allowing students to stay attentive or work on their tasks while under supervision, without being distracted by others and their tasks,” reads a support page on Zoom’s website detailing the feature.

“Focus” mode works the same when teachers enable screen sharing and will allow an instructor to share a student’s screen when appropriate during class.

Zoom has taken several steps to shore up its videoconferencing platform as Americans grew reliant on tools to navigate remote work and schooling. Last month, Zoom introduced Apps, merging popular productivity and entertainment services including games directly into the Zoom experience.

The platform also launched an Events tool to host hybrid meetings or conferences directly within Zoom.

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