Here we discuss what comes with having one's camera on or off. In a virtual setting we are prone to comfort, and not wanting to be judged, but does turning the camera-off hurt the learning experience?
We will explore the effects of the decision on quality of education and what comes with doing one or the other. One thing is certain. There is a burden associated with keeping the camera on. People feel they are judged through the lens of their video. It sometimes comes off as easier to just stay muted and keep the camera off.
Why do one or the other?
Con...
You may be wondering whether doing one or the other is more beneficial? Well, professors from Cornell argue, there are "equity issues" involved. Students may may not feel "comfortable" turning on their cameras due to their setting in their household.
Some families do not have the luxury to have spaces designated for all children in order for the learning to go undisturbed. There are however ways to go about this issue, such as using designated places which have access to wifi outside of the home. Such as at a public library. The issue is again not all libraries are functioning at this point which is important to recognize.
Moreover studies have found that there is increased "college student anxiety and depression" associated with camera usage. The realm of cameras is definitely different than in person, and students are subjugated to isolation. This alongside with overburdened work to the students can result in a sharp hurt on mental health to students.
Pro..
“The social context of living classrooms—the often-invisible human connection that reinforces learning—was missing for students, who insisted 'that being able to hear and see each other in real time helped construct a ‘more complete picture’ of their peers.' "
There is a common issue with the lack of cameras though. The "human connection" which comes with in person learning sometimes cannot be achieved in the virtual setting and even more so when students are keeping their cameras off. This lack of "engagement" can be detrimental to a learning setting as students and professors really are limited in their scope of what can be done to aid learning. Students can quite literally be doing something else during the learning environment.
One way to alleviate this issue to have check ins with the students to make sure they are picking up on what is being dropped to them in terms of content. Having these check ins to see where students are can help them stay engaged and actual benefit from the course.
A note on the reality
Students and professors are being tasked with a different challenge in the virtual setting. To navigate this setting it is crucial both the instructor and students help each other and communicate. Communication is essential and we must be understanding with the type of resources we can provide for students in order to make sure their mental and physical health stays in tact as they go about this time period of tribulation.
What is the best way to navigate this?
““Focus on trust, both teacher to student and student to student”
Trust goes along way at the end of the day. Students and professors must work in tandem and unity. We mentioned communication, the next part of this is trust. Understanding each person's unique circumstances is essential. If these things are kept in mind, hopefully students will themselves be more open to turning on their cameras for the better. And those who cannot will be okay with not doing so. One word of advice is definitely make sure people are comfortable with whatever decision is made.