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I am an advocate of using a green screen for online teaching, because 1) you can superimpose your face over your slides, 2) you worry less about your working space and 3) helps students worry less about their space. Below is my guide to easy and cheap green screening: 1/8
First, you need a green sheet. The technical term is a "chroma key" but basically a consistent color that the computer can replace with background visuals. This one is cheap, quality, and already has a sleeve for hanging it: https://amzn.to/3igQSDx
Once that arrives, you need to iron it or make it as wrinkle free as possible. Hand steamers work, or irons, or hanging in the steamy bathroom. Whatever you can do. Mine isn't perfect but it is better than when it arrived in the mail.
Next, you need to hang it behind you. I personally use a curtain rod and the handy clamps that come along with the screen (see picture). Others hang it from the ceiling. Most important is that you get it fairly taut so the color is as consistent (i.e. no shadows) as possible.
After that, you need to think about shadows on the screen. Again, inconsistent color is the enemy, so you want to illuminate it evenly. I use 2 Ikea desk lamps I found in my closet.
Once you have all that set up, adjust your camera or setup so the entire background is green...like this.
Go into your Zoom settings and click on "virtual background." Then, click the option that says "I have a green screen."
Then, set your virtual background. Voila, you have a green screen and WAY better virtual background performance than the built in software. It is a few more steps to superimpose your head on Powerpoint slides, but happy to show that if anyone is interested.
If you use a slightly different green background (i.e. @WeedenKim's poker table), you might need to adjust the color using this little tool in Zoom.
Lastly, if you want a fairly inexpensive, all-in-one solution to hanging the green screen, you can get this rig for less than $50. Curtain rods and books do the same thing for me, but took some adjusting. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MTF6ZVC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you are reading this thread and want to learn how to superimpose yourself on your slides or other backgrounds, here it is: https://twitter.com/AndrewRumbach/status/1291197242754424845?s=20
