(1/8)I am not comfortable forcing students to turn their zoom videos on. Even in a small group. When I bring this up I am usually outvoted. Which is okay. I listen and I learn. What I am learning is that educators often feel like they know what students need better than them.

(2/8) Also learning that educators often don’t trust their students. “How will we know they are engaged?” Me: “Why do we think that they aren’t engaged?”
I have not always but I have learned to trust people. Why do we seek out the worst in others?

(3/8) I do not have to be in charge. I do not have to make rules to make *me* feel comfortable.
Announcing which students will not have their video on is “outing” them. There is no need for this IMO

(4/8) These are adults working in teams. Let them debrief. May come up as part of team/group/dynamics. I do think folks should state their name when they speak. Or they have their name on the account. I don’t think of people as ‘suspect’ because they aren’t doing what I do

(5/8)What I hear/heard is that if we don’t FORCE them to have their videos on then they will take advantage of the option NOT to have the video on. Wha???
Aren’t we promoting self-reflection and self-awareness in professional identity formation?

(6/8)“How will I know they are okay?” I agree that nonverbal cues are important. I still don’t think video off means they are not okay. Have they contributed to the conversation? How do they sound? I would reach out to someone privately who didn’t speak for an entire session.

(7/8) I would *also* do that if it was in-person. Let’s stop forcing conformity or an idea of “professional” and trust each other.
Do you know how many times I’m on a zoom and someone has asked me to give them a tour of my house? Or wants to discuss my wall art?

(8/8) Setting the tone for inclusivity, respect and safety is MUCH more important than forcing zoom videos on. The lack of those things is probably *why* the video isn’t on.