Imagine you are a teacher standing in front of a class, behind a podium, and watching a group of students doing the following actions: a student lurking behind a screen watching you but you can’t see what they are doing behind the screen, a student with his/her mask covering almost the entire face, showing only the forehead, a student constantly getting out of his/her seat to move around the classroom, a student who is having a full meal, a student and another student mouthing something to each other silently and you cannot make out what they are saying, and a student with his/her head down and constantly checking his/her cellphone... This image paints a bleak picture of an educational setting, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, this is what is actually happening in a zoom classroom.

With the proliferation of online classes, we were literally “pushed” into online platforms to conduct our classes without much training or practice. Consequently, teachers and students could not avoid various types of trial and error during the process of adapting a new learning environment. Some minor behavioral issues that occur due to unfamiliarity are inevitable; however, there are those that can be prevented if we follow some general rules of etiquette. I have a number of students who do not turn on their cameras, not because of technical problems, but of personal preference. Furthermore, there are those who have their cameras turned on but are facing the wall or the ceiling instead of on their faces. When I cannot see their faces, it causes the same eerie effect as the student lurking behind the screen as described earlier. Getting out of the seats and eating are also types of behavior that are considered impolite during class. And this view is the same online as it is offline. It is twice as hard for class dynamic to achieve educational effectiveness online compared to offline and minor disruptions of the learning flow can cause a negative ripple effect that can result in lowering the quality of education.

What, then, should we consider when we are having class via zoom in order to ensure that we can all benefit from using an online platform for teaching and learning? Simple. Do as you would in an offline class and avoid doing things that you normally would not do in a classroom. Do you sit hidden behind a binder so that your teacher cannot see you? If you don’t, then don’t turn off your camera or face it somewhere other than on you. Do you get out of your seat in the middle of the lecture to get a glass of water or simply to chat with your classmate? If you don’t, then don’t pause the video in the middle of the lecture or simply get up and leave while the professor is lecturing. Do you multitask during the lecture? If you don’t, then don’t check the internet, send text messages, or work on assignments for another class during the lecture. Even though I cannot see what you are doing on your computer monitor, it is very obvious that you are not paying attention to the class just by observing your eye movement.

Online learning has become the new normal and we have no choice but to embrace it as our learning platform. In order to go on with our lives in the midst of COVID-19, we need to utilize this platform to the fullest. Our first step should be to behave in ways that do not interfere with the learning process. It is hard enough for us to adapt to a whole new platform; we do not need to create obstacles that we can actually prevent in the first place. The comfort you feel attending class in your room and in comfortable clothes can make you act in ways that do not conform to the norms of the classroom. So the next time you log on to a zoom class, keep in mind that you are sharing an online space with your peers just as you would in an offline classroom in which learning is the primary goal. Refrain from acting in ways that can disrupt the class so that we can all make the best of this situation which we have no choice but to embrace.