Conversations: Student Engagement SIG
Does Engagement = Camera On?
I’m a camera-on person. Whether I’m learning, teaching, or just meeting, I always keep my camera on. Do you?
I’m camera-on because I think the experience is better for me, and for others. When students have their cameras on, I believe I am a more collaborative and responsive educator. I know it’s not accurate, but I instinctively measure the engagement in my classes by counting cameras-on, and dis-engagement by the number that turn off. Are you the same?
In February 2021, Youki Terada wrote this opinion piece about the camera on/camera off dilemma. In it, Terada comments on research conducted by Cornell professors Frank Castelli and Mark Sarvary. This research notes the positive impact of camera-on for the learning environment and identifies the unexpected reasons students were likely to turn their cameras off: concerns about their appearance, self-consciousness created by perceptions of being watched, equity issues, and weak internet. Positively, Terada also includes some techniques for encouraging students to turn their cameras on.
Dr Marthy Watson, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy – Primary Education
In this post, I’d like to celebrate one of our own, Dr Marthy Watson, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy – Primary Education. Marthy has an excellent, simple, yet highly effective strategy for encouraging students to turn their cameras on. Each week, Marthy provides a theme for students’ Zoom backgrounds such as ‘the place you were born’ or ‘favourite artwork’. These themes link to who the student is, or the content of the course – such a brilliant idea!
As a consequence, students feel a sense of control over how they are represented on Zoom – potentially overcoming some of the barriers identified by Castelli and Sarvary. Students are able to share a little of who they are through their choices, generating a sense of community and belonging – both of which are frequently identified as keys to student engagement. Importantly, Marthy reports the strategy has shown sustained effectiveness. Cameras stay on, as students enjoy the selection of images and the discussions that subsequently ensue.
Why not give it a try? Alternatively, if you have an idea to keep cameras on, tell us about it.
Katrina Cutcliffe
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What's New
Next meeting
When: TBC
Where:https://usq.engageli.com/usq/current/?R=TechDem%20SIGs&end
About: Our next SIG meeting will feature a student panel who share their experiences with online learning and answer our questions on engaement.
Great idea Marthy. A fantastic way of igniting some interest into the social aspect of your teaching.
Great strategy Marthy.
I seem to get more cameras on if I don’t record a session, but of course that is rarely the case. Does anyone know if Zoom has a secret feature I’m not aware of that only records the speaker’s pinned camera, while allowing me as the speaker to see students whose cameras are on? That would be ideal.
Great question, Katie. I don’t think Zoom has that feature, but Engageli does. USQ are piloting Engageli this semester. It is an online classroom. For more information, click here: https://create.usq.edu.au/edtech/initiatives/engageli/
I love this idea Marthy! Unfortunately Engageli doesn’t let you have a background just yet but will do soon!