Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM)—Osteopathic Medicine Program 2024–2025 158 • Pay attention and show that you are doing so. Try taking notes during lectures and even discussions to help you retain knowledge and stay focused. The act of note-taking, especially by hand, focuses attention; students also pay attention better if they are actively involved—ask and answer questions, offer contributions. In short, speak up. • Have your camera turned on. Unless instructed by the instructor, it is KPCOM’s policy that students have their camera turned on and show themselves in the picture during Zoom sessions. Having the video on helps most students stay engaged and attentive. • Make eye contact. Position your Zoom window close to the webcam so that other viewers look at you directly. • Mute yourself when not speaking. Background noise is distracting for others, and even whispered conversations and rustling of papers are picked up easily by mics. • Put away your phone and close unnecessary applications and browser windows. The easiest way to resist temptation is to remove temptation. You can’t chat with friends and focus on class. In addition, fewer applications open will increase your connectivity. • Remember to sign out or leave the meeting when the session is finished. Don’t • Ghost/Hide behind your icon. Sometimes, students attend class, even contribute, and then disappear but remain logged on to Zoom. Not only does it hinder your learning, but when you are called on and the whole class must wait to discover whether you’re having trouble with the mute button or have ghosted everyone, it’s rude and a waste of everyone’s time. • Tune out. If in response to being called on you realize you do not know what the professor has asked and aren’t sure of what the class is discussing, you probably tuned out, and your instructor will suspect the same. If this happens more than once, you need to develop new strategies for paying attention (i.e., take handwritten notes, see above). • Attend class as a side activity. Do not attend class while driving, traveling, eating, socializing, texting, exercising, cooking, resting, etc. When you are in class, your focus should be only on classwork. Class comes first, even when you’d rather do something else. • Hide your face. The value of the webcam is in seeing your face. Position your webcam so that your face is illuminated, with no lights or windows behind you. Aiming the webcam at the ceiling or a wall is distracting for viewers. • Remain silent, unresponsive. Participate in class discussions with your classmates and with the professors. A silent classroom where the professor is only lecturing results in passive learning rather than active learning. Participating helps to keep everyone engaged. If you’re having trouble with your audio, please use the chat to share this information with your instructor. • Ignore problems you’re having with the class, your technology, or the modality. Problems need to be addressed in a timely manner. Go to your professor’s office during office hours, see your adviser, reach out to OIIT or the Department of Medical Education, or to where you can be directed to the best place for help.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDE4MDg=