Whether you are chatting online with relatives from Nebraska, brainstorming with colleagues, or meeting with your team, there is no question that webcams can add a welcome visual component. Experts tell us that over half of communication is non-verbal and seeing the person or persons with whom you are exchanging information can enhance the quality of the conversation.

However, does this also apply to training? If you are presenting important information that must be learned and remembered, do webcams make the same contribution?

Experienced online instructors have advanced persuasive arguments on both sides:

 

Webcam “Pros”

Having webcams on:

-Ensures that attendees are physically present.

-Helps ensure that attendees are paying attention; it is harder to multitask or drift when you are visible on camera.

-Allows the instructor to direct questions to, or otherwise assist, attendees who look disengaged or confused.

-Helps create a feeling of “connectedness” and being together with other people. Experts say this aids learning and contributes to participant satisfaction.

-Allows the instructor to perform demonstrations, observe student practice and provide feedback

 

Webcam “Cons”:

-Watching multiple people and backgrounds (including yours) can distract from the subject matter of the training.

-Seeing visual images of people and backgrounds introduces additional stimuli, leading to potential cognitive overload.

-Maintaining prolonged eye-contact with multiple people is intense and unnatural, leading to feelings of anxiety. This is sometimes referred to as “Zoom Fatigue.”

-Research says that viewing yourself on camera for long periods, similar to staring into a mirror, can be stressful. Most people tend to look at themselves very critically.

-Staying immobile within the camera’s limited field of view is not natural and can be fatiguing. Consider how much you move when having a phone-only conversation.

-Webcams use significant bandwidth and can introduce technical and connectivity issues.

 

Possible Solution:

Many online instructors are finding that webcam use is not an “all or nothing” proposition. If possible, they will instruct attendees to activate webcams at two points:

1. At the beginning of the session to help break the ice and create the feeling of interpersonal connectedness between attendees. This also serves to humanize the instructor and prevent that person from being simply a disembodied voice.

2. Periodically during the session and/or at the conclusion when discussing key points, brainstorming, Q & A, or when viewing a hands-on demonstration by the instructor or practices by the students.

On the other hand, the instructor will direct attendees to deactivate their webcams during the actual instruction. This is when the attendees need to be exclusively focused on the information appearing on their screens, along with the instructor’s explanation. There is no known instructional value in watching other people’s faces, or your own, while you are attempting to
learn and remember key learning points.

Webcam deactivation during instruction, however, does not imply that students should be passive observers of the event. Research is clear that learning and retention always require active mental processing on the part of the students. Using commonly available online engagement tools like hand-raising, polling, chat activities, screen annotation, and breakout rooms can add this required activity, as well as providing feedback to the instructor
that students are attentive and learning.

Webcams are yet another tool in your instructional toolbox. Used at the right time, for the right reason, they can add significant value to a live online instructional session.