Can universities force students to have cameras on for online sessions?

[catlovingdoctor]

Lecturers delivering tutorials and seminars are being quite forceful about us having our cameras on for MS Teams teaching. What are the legal grounds for it? Can a student be accused of not engaging because they don't have their camera on?

Both of my kids are doing uni remotely and cameras on (most of the time) are required. I think they can require what they want to require. I doubt that there's a law that specifically addresses this question.

I would understand the reasoning behind.
What is your issue? You can alter your background if you want.

When uni was in person they could require students to show up for classes. I think the same logic applies here.

In fairness, I understand the tutor's perspectives that they dislike feeling like they are talking at a blank screen where they can't see student's faces.

I personally don't mind turning mine on, but would on balance probably prefer not to.

I just find it quite invasive. I am on my computer in my room in my home, I think it is beyond a university's remit to try and dictate whether I have my camera on..

Yes they can, and in fact most workplaces I know of demand cameras on at all times.

It’s attendance, because it shows you’re engaged and listening, and makes it obvious if you’ve really got the meeting on mute and watching telly instead. It’s the only way attendance can be regulated. For reference me and 3 of my siblings are in 3 different unis in different countries. All request attendance on zoom to be camera on or you’re not counted as attending.

Your university should have a page on their website for their "University regulations and policy" usually on the same page as the code of conduct.
Just type " regulation and policy" on the search box of your University. There you will find a section called "E-learning: Policy and guidance of flexible and distance learning" or similar wording.

If attendance is required for a face to face class, the same will apply for a virtual class.

We’ve been told not to insist because not all students will have good internet access. So many of our students say hello and then turn their cameras off.

I’d hate to teach to a sea of blank boxes.

Also a student and although cameras are fairly optional except in group work, the tutors are teaching quite small groups of around 12, and make sure every student comments either verbally or via the chat function, I see the lecturer ticking off names as they speak so presumably it's to make sure we are engaged and actively listening.

We can't enforce it, but it's about the overall experience for you as well as the tutor. God, it's hard trying to engage in a discussion with a blank screen

My daughter’s college insisted on it after a student recorded the screen with a mobile phone and uploaded the lecture it to social media with disparaging comments.

We also don't insist, because of varying quality of internet access. We also have quite a lot of international students, including ones from countries where internet infrastructure isn't as good as here.

Just put a background on, trying to have interaction with students when everyone hides is very in rewarding, you just need to have your camera on most of the time, it's not that hard. If you're not feeling up to it, but the tutors don't even know you're there if they can't see you!

*Isn't very rewarding.

My dd's uni class never have them on. I think they should.

We were told we don't have to but they recommend it. Sometimes they really push it. I'll talk on mic no problem but being on camera makes me so uncomfortable and always has.

You can put a background in or blur whatever is behind you, but otherwise you could log in and go to sleep! If it was an in person lecture or seminar you should be physically present. A friend of mine works at a top university, and to be fair teaching is only a small part of her role so she only teaches MSc and Phd students, but even with a very motivated group it is hard to get a good discussion going via remote learning, why on earth would it be ok to turn your camera off?

I work in HE. We've had students 'present' without their camera on and then when we ask them to go into their breakout rooms it becomes clear they're not really present at all

It's tricky though because if someone has low bandwidth turning off video helps. Our policy is 'evidence of engagement' which 'might include' being visible on camera, contributing to discussion, asking questions in the chat etc...

I was teaching 6th form online today. Having cameras on means I can see when they need me to pause while they're writing notes. I can also gauge a fair amount from facial expressions, even when they don't want to speak out loud - in terms of their understanding etc.

It's some of the non-verbal feedback that you would get in person.

Just talking at a wall of blank screens negates the benefit of a live lesson.

I'm not judging anyone face or home. We know the horrors of what poor video quality & lighting do to peoples faces, and I know what they look like in real life. And we know homes are where people live. No one lives in a show home. We know there'll be people & pets wandering around in the background. But I'm not looking at that, I'm looking to see that my students are accessing and understanding what I'm trying to teach.

Otherwise it's just an expensive waste of everyone's time.

Just put a background on, it's not difficult. It's tough enough at the moment delivering online, but delivering to a screen of nothing is soul destroying.

As others have said just change your background, no one needs to see anything other than your face.

For first years it’s difficult without faces as they don’t even know what people look like!