Losing Potential Student Engagement With Remote Learning Essay Sample

The Camera policy for POLS 110: Political Science remote learning class at Rio Hondo College is ineffective. The policy states that cameras are completely optional for students during the class. Not requiring students to use cameras during remote class allows for a less engaging class. In “Lights, Cameras (on), Action! Camera Usage During Zoom Classes Facilitates Student Engagement Without Increasing Fatigue,” Kushlev* Ph.D. and Epstein-Shuman explain that the vast majority of people would agree that remote learning classes are less engaging than in-person classes. When students attend college, they should have engaging classes and other students to interact with. Instead, students who join their Zoom meetings refuse to engage with the class and turn on their cameras. Although cameras are not required, most students would benefit from turning on cameras in class. Some research shows that students who could see themselves and others averaged the highest quiz scores. (Austin, et al.). By forcing the use of cameras, students must become more accountable thus increasing attention and improving total class participation. Small class discussions are better suited to have students engaged in the class rather than taking illegible notes (Daniels). One strategy that teachers can implement is to allow for more student discussion using either Breakout rooms or even playing devil’s advocate after asking students questions. For example, ask students a thought-provoking question on the course material and have them discuss it amongst themselves. This one strategy will improve overall student engagement as well as give them a chance to think critically. “... students learn best by engaging in frequent and even heated debate, not by scribbling down a professor’s often unsatisfactory summary of complicated issues” (Daniels). Teachers should be focusing on getting students to engage with the course material over getting through lectures as quickly as possible. Students should be taught specific skills like participating in real-world problems while thinking critically. If schools and teachers were to require cameras and actively had students engage in a discussion we would see an improvement in how students engage with the course material during online learning. POLS 110: Political Science currently meets on Thursdays from 7:00 pm to 10:10 pm. Role call is done instantly as class starts. Unless stated otherwise by our professor, our camera's usage always remains optional. The class consists of twenty-one students including me.  As each class begins, the exact first words the professor utters is “Good evening everyone today is (current date) I hope everyone’s doing well, If I could request again, not required that you turn on your cameras if you can.” My classroom is set up in my bedroom. My station includes my desk, my personal computer, my monitors, and my snug chair. This is the same setup I use for every class. I am almost always distraction-free except when my three-spirited dogs are speaking loudly. Even with little distractions, I chose to keep my camera off during this class, for the reason that only two other students ever turn on their cameras. During the seventh week of class, we covered chapter eight and went over past session notes to review for our midterm. Class started, the professor took the role and spoke his predictable opening class intro. Next, he proceeds to give his lecture on chapter eight. The lecture was extremely uneventful. I took notes of course but since I turned my camera off during that specific class I felt even less engaged than I normally am. So, I’m sure that all the other students with no cameras were also not that engaged in the lecture. After the lecture, we proceeded to review questions that would most likely be on our midterm. At the end of each question that the professor would ask we would wait for a few seconds in silence to see if anyone would answer the question. Other than when I answered the questions it would be completely quiet for a majority of the time. The only other people who answered are the same two people who normally have their cameras on. During the entirety of the class, there was little to no discussion other than me and the other two good students. The student learning objectives were not successfully met. Students did not successfully explain the importance when given an example, did not describe and assess the impact of the various institutions which exist in the American Governmental system. Students who don’t normally participate didn’t participate. This midterm review allowed the class to review and practice everything we have “Learned” so far, sadly eighty-six percent of the students did not participate. Most of the class is likely ill-prepared for the midterm. The three of us who were mildly invested in the class seized the great studying opportunity, as for the rest of the class who knew what they were doing. This class was a perfect example of how students that don’t have their cameras on are less engaged in class and less likely to communicate their ideas in discussion. Having the option to not have cameras on in remote learning is extremely ineffective, and lowers the overall engagement of the class. Students would drastically improve upon their skill and engagement if only their cameras were on furthermore, this is why cameras being optional in remote learning is ineffective.