You click the zoom link a minute or so before class. A waiting game of small talk, maybe about pets, the weather, etc. Some classmates wait till the last minute to click in (guilty as charged). Few show themselves, most voices you come to know remain faceless.
While the class seems quiet, comments rapidly accumulate in the chat box. Every now and then there’s a student who asks questions signaling they haven’t read the course syllabus. In person maybe this student would’ve turned to a peer for clarifications.
Breakout rooms are where class really gets disjointed. Saving time for these collaborative stunts often features a tutorial being rushed. I’ve found that TA’s have to choose between answering questions or prioritizing the slides, while hoping there is time towards the end of class for proper discussion.
The discussions within the actual breakout rooms often seem to take over five minutes to truly get into flow. People need clarifications, the actual discussion contains hesitance, as one hopes not to talk over another. Then suddenly the countdown to rejoin class leaves the group feeling unprepared for sharing, even if your discussion went well. The real kicker is the inability for TA’s to truly roam a classroom, in which they can clearly see who needs clarifications. Now the TA can only proceed to each breakout room in order, to hopefully catch those who may need the help.
Collaboration in breakout rooms is an interesting phenomenon.
In first year classes, I find the decision on whether to turn my camera on to be a daunting one.
With the camera off, there is the possibility to create a controlled and crafted persona through voice, in that sense there’s a similarity to social media.
With the camera on however, I feel there is a kind of overcoming of this structured voice. There’s honesty in showing yourself. Yet in my experience I have found that having the camera on can be draining. In person, I usually observe and adjust how much personality I may show based on the vibe I pick up from others. This tendency to gauge how people receive me seems so much harder, and triggers unnecessary anxiety.
Quite honestly I much rather keep the privacy of having my camera off. Everything feels so fleeting in this virtual world. Classes seem intangible, and after leaving, It feels as though I had conversed with ghosts. Individuals I may never see or hear again.