Is there anybody out there? Educator perception of student social presence and engagement in the zoomosphere

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since COVID-19 lockdowns in many countries shifted face-to-face teaching to online delivery, online student engagement has been centre stage in educational research. However, the educators’ perception of student engagement in synchronous online classes has received less attention. This study explored the transition to synchronous online teaching experienced by educators in an enabling (access) course in an Australian university a year after the shift to online learning. The study gathered the participants’ perceptions of student social presence and engagement and their impact on teaching and self-confidence. Data were drawn from two focus groups with enabling educators who had been teaching via Zoom since March 2020. The findings offer accounts of the participants’ experiences in transitioning their teaching online and identifying student engagement in online classes. While the functionality of the Zoom platform enabled successful teaching, it also allowed students to manage their online presence by turning off their video cameras and microphones. In the absence of verbal and non-verbal cues, the participants found it challenging to gauge student engagement and ascertain the effectiveness of their teaching, which impacted their confidence. The findings suggest a need to reconceptualise student engagement in synchronous online learning, which may involve reassessing the typical reliance on student social presence.