While in quarantine, people are looking for ways to bring a sense of normalcy to their lives.
Students are no different.
To recreate the feeling of an in-person classroom, professors should allow at least five minutes of “student time” before their Zoom classes.
This would help create a more realistic learning environment, because during regular classes students often take the passing period and beginning of class time to casually chat.
Professors also use this time to prepare their lectures and answer students’ questions.
Student time would give an opportunity to catch up with classmates and de-stress before class officially starts. They may also participate in class more because they have already spoken and been engaged in the meeting.
Some students who are not used to taking online classes may view every online session as daunting. Student time could help ease their anxiety by giving a soft start to their classes.
Student time would not detract from classes because it would only last five minutes, and professors would be able to monitor it to prevent Zoombombing.
Some professors are already doing this, so it wouldn’t be hard to implement across all classes.
One simple change could help students connect with their classmates and feel like they’re back in the classroom.
