Recommendations and Guidelines
Webcamera Usage During Synchronous Classes
Webcamera usage during synchronous classes and why it should not be required:
Although it seems odd to teach to a screen of blank or still pictures, we respect students have reasons and rationales for not turning their cameras on. Issues such as internet connectivity impacted by camera use, the level of privacy of intrusion into their homes and the general amount of ongoing video fatigue can all impact camera usage. We can trust these adult learners to use methods that will support their individual learning.
Teaching practices such as lecture pre-recording and recorded demonstrations of key topics provide flexibility for students to engage with material/concepts, while synchronous class time is best used for discussions, problem sets or case studies.
Additional Reading:
Recording Lectures:
Some faculty will be offering synchronous lectures (e.g., scheduled lectures at a specific time), asynchronous lectures (e.g., lectures recorded in advance), or some blend of both of these methods. Faculty are recommended to record lectures but there are many reasons why they may choose not to.
Closed Captioning: