Ever since the pandemic starting in Spring of 2020 I have been teaching at least 1 class as a live online physics class.
For those that don’t know what that is here you go. It is where the students have to log into a live class using Webex (Like zoom or google chat) and we hold class there. I treat it very much like a regular classroom. I talk to my students, I have them do group work, we do examples, and we watch videos (sometimes).
This has worked pretty well over the years. The class has served my college well I think because I tend to get some students from around the state. Every semester I have students that wouldn’t be in the class otherwise because of the online nature of it, and the live nature has gone well because it creates more accountability and connectedness.
Over the years I have had many students tell me that the live online nature of the class has been really good for them since they wanted the interaction with a teacher and others. They weren’t getting that in on your own time online classes, and for one reason or another they weren’t going to take the class in person.
But the last couple semesters have been so hard.
The students are becoming less and less engaging. They don’t want to talk. They don’t want to turn on cameras. They don’t want to engage at all. And I am getting so sick of it. This semester there are times when there is utter silence for minutes if I allow it to happen. I will ask a question and NO ONE will say anything. They won’t even type anything in the chat. When class has been ending recently I leave so disheartened and tired. I am not excited to go into the class either. I am only part way through the class and I am ready for it to be over.
This makes me sad in so many ways. I think that live online is better than on your own time, but clearly students don’t want the live online aspect of engagement.
So, I am somewhat glad that I am shifting to an on your own time class next fall. I am going to try and engage with those students to some degree, but I know it won’t be the same at all. But considering how little these students right now want to engage, maybe there won’t be much difference.
It is the end of a time for me. I have been doing it for 4 years now and it has its ups and downs but these recent downs have really taken it out of me.
Time for something new. Bring it on – OYOT class!