Bret Devereaux

I remain deeply confused by reports of professors demanding that students have their cameras on during zoom classes, especially zoom lectures. What's the purpose of making the demand for all of the students? Seems likely to create issues and in some cases rather petty?

Now, I asked my students, if they felt comfortable, to turn their cameras on during lectures, specifically because it helps me if I can see even just a few faces to gauge if there is understanding or confusion. I made clear that there would be no grade or judgement for this.

And I've had enough students do it that I can get a little 9x9 grid of faces, which works. Not as well as in-person, but it works. And that's all its for (well, that and for the occasional student-pet cameo). But 'requiring' it from everyone is just never going to work...

...just obviously, some students might not have a camera; some students might be working - since they're home now - in a space where it's not a good idea (crowded, distracting - a power outage sent at least one of my students to attend from a Starbucks, for instance).

It's just not a difficult accommodation. Now I know some folks on this birdsite argued for much looser expectations for this semester. That's not me. My assessments haven't changed (except to fit online - more essay, less recall); students have largely risen to the challenge.

But when it comes to flexibility and accommodations, my goal is maximum learning. And aiming for the best outcomes (in terms of things learned, to be clear) is almost always the path of flexibility (within reason, mind you).

I wonder how much the inflexibility that some instructors exhibit is conditioned by the elevated strains of academia, the ever-more-difficult (and thus ever-less-forgiving) job market, professional hazing in graduate school, etc.? Seems bad, from an org. culture point of view.