Bret Devereaux

Teaching this semester, I was glad that I had the opportunity to go fully online/synchronous. It's hard to connect to students via zoom, but at least if they're all on zoom I can see some faces and see if they're understanding - put a grid of student faces on the second monitor.

earnestly: why are faces required? I took many digital classes as a disabled student by communicating via text with other students and my teachers via forums or instant messaging, and found doing so enabled me to speak up when social anxiety would prevent me otherwise.

I don't require it! I know some students may not like it, or not have cameras, or not be in a situation where they can. I asked nicely for those who could to do so, 'cause seeing faces lets me 'read the room.' I can *see* when a lecture point hasn't landed, or when it has.

Now even in an in-person lecture with a larger class, you're not reading everyone - that's why you ask for questions, have office hours etc. Same thing with zoom. But having even a grid of 6 or 9 students in the corner, I can still see if they are following.

Things like, "Did the key point get a bunch of them to scribble down a note" or "did their faces scrunch up with confusion at an unfamiliar term?" And even sometimes "did my joke land?" because a little humor fosters better attention produces better learning.