Students are learning in an uncommon manner this year, so let's practice some normalcy. How can we do that? Turn on your camera during class.
Turning on your camera for Zoom class is just one of many ways traditional learning experiences can be applied in the middle of an unconventional school experience.
Your professors love seeing your face
Your professors are human, too! They enjoy knowing that their students are actually listening to them and connecting with the material that they’re teaching. It will also help you build a relationship with your professor so you’re less nervous in the future to go to them for help of any sort. Also, it will help your professor read their students’ body language to gauge who is either clicking with the information or having trouble catching.
You will stay focused on the content of the class
Having your camera on will prevent you from multi-tasking or anything distracting you from class (like checking out TikToks during class… I’m guilty of it, too.) Cameras on will also hold you accountable to do your homework before class rather than cramming to complete it during the lecture. After all, we are here to learn. Let’s do it to the best of our abilities!
You will be more engaged and likely to ask questions
Your professors love it when you ask questions! And when they ask questions, it is easy to ignore them when your camera is off. But when your camera is turned on, it becomes increasingly harder to sit there, starring blankly, and ignore their questions. Asking questions is one of the best ways to help you retain facts and help you understand the information in a way that makes sense to you.
It will help you get used to in-person class when that time comes
Zoom meetings do have their benefits, like being able to hop in class at a desk five feet away from your bed or showing up in the same sweatpants that you slept in. There will be a time, though, when we all get to regularly be see each other’s faces again. Turning on your camera will make that transition into in-person learning easier. Allowing your professors and classmates to see your face and hear your voice, and you will be more comfortable showing up to class ready to learn.
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Once your camera is on, others will be more comfortable to do as well
Your confidence has more of an effect on your peers than you think. If your classmates see you asking questions and discussing content with your teacher and other peers, that will make them more comfortable to do so, too! Being a leader in the classroom has its benefits is something all of us can do. Simply putting on your camera can influence your classmates to turn on theirs, too.
See you in class!
— Ellesyn Fritcha ('24) is a student writer majoring in biomedical science. Questions or concerns related to this article may be directed to news@cuaa.edu.
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