Students’ Motivation towards “Turning Camera On Policy” in a Web-

Conferencing Application during Synchronous Learning

An Action Research Proposal

Presented to

College of Education

Bacolod City

Members:

Osorio, Marlo C.

Tapio, Jeissa

Tasic, Jessica

Soteo, Shemry Mari Therese

January, 2022
 I. Context and Rationale

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education

systems in human history, affecting approximately 1.6 billion learners in more

than 200 countries. Closures of schools, institutions, and other learning

spaces have impacted more than 94% of the world’s student population

(Pokhrel & Chhetri, 2021). This has led to the implementation of online

learning or E-learning which is “the acquisition of knowledge which takes place

through electronic technologies and media. In simple language, e-learning is

defined as “learning that is enabled electronically”. Typically, e-learning is

conducted on the Internet, where students can access their learning materials

online at any place and time. E-Learning most often takes place in the form of

online courses, online degrees, or online programs (Tamm, 2020),” specifically

on synchronous learning or learning at the same time, pace, and share the

same materials through a lecture; using videoconferencing platforms (e.g.,

Microsoft Teams) to maintain safety protocols on the prevention of infection.

Many educators now find themselves teaching remotely for the first time and

facing a new set of challenges (e.g., Reich et al., 2020). One such challenge in

the world of remote instruction is not being able to see students during

synchronous class meetings held via videoconferencing software, because

students do not have their video cameras turned on.

Turning the camera on during synchronous class has been a problem

that is prevalent in SBE students of STI West Negros University, S.Y. 2021-
2022. In the previously mentioned university, it is required that the students

turn their camera on so teachers can see them virtually. However, the students

do not stay exposed for long and eventually turn their camera off halfway

during discussion.

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting the

students’ motivation towards “turning-camera-on policy” in a web-conferencing

application during synchronous learning.

II. Action Research Question

This study seeks to determine the factors affecting the students’

motivation towards "turning camera on policy" in a web-conferencing

application during synchronous learning of SBE students at STI West Negros

University, S.Y. 2021–2022.

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following variables:

a. age;

b. sex;

c. grade level;

2. What is the level of extent of the factors affecting the motivation towards

“turning camera on policy” of SBE students when grouped according to

the aforementioned variables?

3. Is there a significant difference in students’ motivation towards the

"turning camera on policy" of SBE students when grouped and compared

according to the aforementioned variables?

III. Proposed Innovation, Intervention, Strategy – Shemry

It is safe to assume that students who turn off their cameras the most

have personal or psychological reasons why they are not confident in turning

their camera on consistently during synchronous classes. Moses (2020), a

researcher on behavior and the brain, has found evidence that suggests that

online instruction can pose a range of challenges for students if they are

required to keep their cameras on during class. She enumerated it through the

following:

Increased anxiety and stress. Online, students are often expected by

their teachers to look at the screen for the entire class and stay focused on the

video feeds of their classmates. This can result in feelings of prolonged eye

contact, which can feel threatening and uncomfortable. Feeling as though

everyone is watching can be distracting as students focus on how they may

appear to others.

This discomfort is enhanced by the fact that the faces on the screen are

often large and appear very close. This can trigger the body’s “flight or fight”

response, leaving students feeling on edge and impairing their concentration.

“Zoom Fatigue”. While “Zoom fatigue” may sound no different than

regular fatigue, science suggests that it is different and that constant video

engagement may exacerbate the problem.

 Most of us learn much from nonverbal cues. The face-only format of

online video still results in missing many nonverbal cues such as hand

gestures, and requires people to work harder to interpret the ones they can see.

The face-only format also leads people to focus more on verbal cues,

which can be tiring. When there are many faces on the screen, most people try

to pay attention to all of them – a type of multitasking called continuous partial

attention.

People have trouble doing this. Switching quickly between tasks can

impair memory and decrease the ability to perform tasks. The multitasking

required for engaging in a class with multiple active video chats is no different.

These problems result in participants being less engaged and feeling drained.

Competing obligations. While it would be ideal for all students to sit at

home in a quiet room free of distractions during online classes, this won’t

always be the case. Students across all stages of education may be responsible

for taking care of other family members or even their own children.

Access to child care is even more limited than usual during the

pandemic. This may mean that some students multitask by caring for their

kids or siblings while attending an online class. These responsibilities may be

distracting for others and embarrassing to the students involved. It is worth

noting that these competing obligations are not specific to students. Many

teachers also have to deal with these same concerns.

 Right to privacy. At school, students are not required to disclose details

about their personal lives to their peers, but some of this privacy is lost in

video-based classrooms. To turn on video means allowing others into their

home.

Many of these online platforms are not secure - as evidenced by the

“Zoombombers” who have infiltrated classes, often disrupting instruction and

sharing participants’ personal information. The information provided by

students could be accessed by others and the content of the video could expose

the location of the student’s home and with whom they live.

This concern is about more than just discomfort at others learning

personal details. For some students, exposing this information can endanger

their lives or their families. For example, 1 in 15 children are exposed to

intimate partner violence each year and some may be fleeing abusive

situations.

Additionally, there are an estimated 3.2 million undocumented children

and young adults in the U.S., and many more children who live with

undocumented relatives. Online video risks exposing this information to

authorities.

With the development of sophisticated facial recognition software, these

concerns are amplified, especially when branches of law enforcement may have

access to this technology.

 Financial means and other kinds of access. Requiring students to use

video during class makes assumptions about the ability or students or their

families to pay for the requisite technology. Approximately 1 in 5 students live

below the federal poverty line and lack access to the technology needed for

online classes – from computers or tablets to Wi-Fi.

While some public school districts have made efforts to distribute tablets

and laptops to students, there are other financial burdens that need to be

considered. At the start of the pandemic, about 14% of students did not have

internet access.

Although internet service providers made efforts to increase access many

households may not have the bandwidth required for video streaming.

Furthermore, more than 1.5 million students attending public schools or

going to college experience homelessness in a given year. Students may not

want to share information about their living situation with their classmates,

but a requirement to use video may force them to do so since their peers might

realize what’s going on when students have to connect to class from their cars

or local establishments.

Additionally, Costa (2020), proposed some more details on why teachers

should not require students to turn on their cameras and some alternative

approaches to engaging learners in live, online sessions.

Trauma-Aware Teaching. Prior to the onset of this pandemic, it was a

safe bet that about two-thirds of the students in your courses had a trauma
history. While the myriad of impacts of trauma on the bodies, brains, and

minds are beyond the scope of this piece, the short version is that trauma

redirects the brains’ resources away from many of the skills needed to succeed

in higher education: focus, concentration, decision-making, time management,

self-regulation, and various higher-order thinking skills.

The Many Mirrors of Zoom. Forcing students to appear on-camera is no

different than forcing them to stand in front of a mirror. Mirrors are present

unique challenges for trauma survivors and for folks with mental illness.

Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s leading experts on trauma, writes in his

book, The Body Keeps the Score, about people living with trauma who have lost

the ability to recognize themselves in mirrors, an extreme form of

disassociation. Imagine for a moment how terrifying it would be to stand in

front of a mirror (or your webcam) and not see yourself.

To motivate students to turn on their cameras, Terada (2021), proposed

strategies that are teacher-tested. As much as they want to respect the

students’ privacy, professors look at the importance of camera use. “Instructors

benefit from receiving nonverbal cues from their students such as smiles,

frowns, head nods, looks of confusion, and looks of boredom, so that they can

evaluate their teaching in real time and adjust accordingly to improve student

learning,” Castelli and Sarvary write—emphasizing the value that comes from

being able to read students’ faces.

 For Liz Byron Loya, a visual arts teacher in Boston, encouraging

students to turn their cameras on has its roots in building a positive

community, not in expecting compliance from students.

“Focus on trust, both teacher to student and student to student,” writes Byron

Loya. “Students who know they are safe and cared for by their community will

be more comfortable having their cameras on.”

Loya also offers specific tips for encouraging students to turn their

cameras on:

 Survey students to identify barriers preventing them from participating.

 Remind students that they can use a virtual background if they don’t

want to show what’s happening behind them.

 Encourage students who have social capital to use their cameras.

 Enable the waiting room and greet students one by one as they enter

your virtual class.

 Use Zoom’s “Ask to Start Video” feature to invite students to turn their

cameras on.

 For students who are reluctant about giving a live presentation, provide

an option to submit a prerecorded video.

While teachers give importance to the benefits of students turning their

cameras on, they should still respect their preferences because forcing

students to do something they are uncomfortable of, will just result to negative

effects that will make teaching-learning process less effective.

IV. Action Research Methods - Marlo

a. Participating/Other Sources of Data

This study will be conducted on Grade 7 and Grade 9 SBE students

at STI West Negros University. The researchers sought to determine the level

and the factors affecting the students’ motivation towards "turning camera

on policy" in a web-conferencing application during synchronous learning.

Table 1. Study Variables, Categories and Indicators

Study Variables Categories Indicators

Age Length of time that a person alive 13 to 14,
15 and above
Sex Biological distinctions Male, Female
Grade Level Level of student’s educational Grade 7, Grade 9
attainment

b. Data Gathering Methods

The researchers formulated a set of questions to answer the objectives

of this study. In this case, a self-made survey questionnaire was used as an

instrument to collect data on the study about the factors affecting the

students’ motivation towards "turning camera on policy" in a web-

conferencing application during synchronous learning of SBE students at

STI West Negros University.

Furthermore, in the student’s questionnaire, the respondents had to

choose and tick an appropriate option from five options for each item or
question. For analysis, the researchers converted the responses into

mathematical figures.

Rating Response Verbal Interpretation

5 Always Very Great Level of Extent

4 Sometimes Great Level of Extent

3 Frequently Moderate Level of Extent

2 Seldom Some Level of Extent

1 Never Small Level of Extent

Research Design. The research design refers to the overall strategy that

you choose to integrate the different components of the study in a

coherent and logical way, thereby ensuring you will effectively address

the research problem; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection,

measurement, and analysis of data. (Labaree, R.V., 2009).

In this study, the researchers used the descriptive research design

to analyze and derive the result of the study.

Validity of the Research Instrument. The instrument must be

validated in order to obtain factual and reliable information from the

respondents of the study. In this case, the researchers sought approval

from the validators to validate the research questionnaire.

The validators were experts in the fields of psychology,

mathematics, linguistics, and psychometrics.

 Reliability. In this action research, a survey questionnaire was used as

an instrument because it obtained factual and quantifiable data from the

respondents. Moreover, it helped the researchers avoid biases, and the

responses were gathered objectively. The instrument consisted of

structured questions which were verified and underwent validation

processes by the experts.

In testing the reliability of our research instrument, the

researchers used the T-test and the mean in analyzing the data gathered.

c. Data Analysis Plan

The researchers first asked permission from teachers and students

through a letter to conduct the survey. It was made clear to the interviewees

that their identities would be kept confidential. The respondents will be the

Grade 7 and Grade 9 SBE students at STI West Negros University. The

survey will take about ten to fifteen minutes.

Analytical Scheme. The studies are applied in the process of

quantitative-descriptive analysis. The collected information is put into

groups of respondents and gathered in agreement with the questions

that act as the system points and to establish a certain pattern in all

answers. The summary of the collected information is made based on the

answers of the respondents.

Statistical Tools. The entire set of questions was individually analyzed

in order to take into account all of the variables and support them with
 descriptive analysis. Data analysis for the questionnaire is done by using

the common statistics, which are the following:

Frequency and Percentage. This will be used to get the total

number of each factor affecting the students’ motivation

towards "turning camera on policy" in a web-conferencing

application during synchronous learning of SBE students at STI

West Negros University.

Mean. The mean helps to describe a set of data by identifying

the central position within the set of data (Francisco et al.,

2016). In this study, it will be utilized to get the average of the

factors affecting the students’ motivation towards "turning

camera on policy" in a web-conferencing application during

synchronous learning of SBE students at STI West Negros

University.

T-test. The T-test helps compare whether two groups have

different or similar average values. In this study, it will be used

to determine if two population means are equal. 

V. Action Research Work Plan (Summarize Action Research Work Plan)

Goal: To decide whether the existing "Turning Camera On Policy" for SBE

students at STI West Negros University shall be continued or suspended.

Program Objective: To determine the factors affecting the students’

motivation towards “turning camera on policy” in a web-conferencing

application during synchronous learning of SBE students at STI West Negros

University.

Table 2. Action Research Plan and Timeline

Implementation Steps Responsibilities Resources Timeline

(who will do) (Funding/Time/ (By
People/Materials) when?/Date/
Month
1. Identifying the

problem of why January 21,

Researchers No need to fund
students don’t turn 2022

their cameras on.

2. Considering

alternative courses

of actions for

students’ January 24,

motivation towards 2020

“turning camera on Researchers No need to fund To

policy” in a web- January 28,

conferencing 2020

application during

synchronous

learning.

3. Conducting of Basic Education January 31,

Researchers
Survey. Researcher Fund 2020

4. Gathering Researchers No need to fund January 31,

 evaluation results. 2020

5. Analyzing the

gathered evaluation
Researchers No need to fund
results of the

students.

6. Implementing

strategies and

techniques to

motivate students Secondary

No need to fund
in turning on their Teachers

cameras during

synchronous

classes.

VI. Cost Estimate

To demonstrate that the funding required to conduct this action research

is reasonable and adheres to Basic Education Research Fund guidelines. The

detailed breakdown of items with their corresponding costs is presented in the

data below. All the estimated costs shown below will be carried by the

researchers’ expenses.
PARTICULARS QUANTITY UNIT UNIT TOTAL

PRICE COST

Supplies and Materials Expenses

Faber Castell 5 Pieces 15 75.00

0.5 mm

Copier Paper Hard Copy 1 Ream 200.00 200.00

70gsm, size: 8 ½” x 11”

Virtual Meeting Communication Expenses

INTERNET CONNECTION, 5 mobile 16 GB 99.00 990.00

DATA SUBSCRIPTION devices X 2

(Prepaid load) weeks

subscription

Printing and Publication Expenses

PRINTING, SURVEY 655.00

QUESTIONNAIRE, HARD

COPY.

BINDING 1050.00

Other Expenses

RESEARCHERS 2,000.00

PERSONAL EXPENSE IN

MAKING THE ACTION

RESEARCH (Fare, Food,

 etc.)

OTHER EXPENSES 1,000.00

RELATED TO RESEARCH,

(reproduction of hard

copy, editing and revising)

TOTAL EXPENSES 5, 970.00

VII. Plan for Dissemination and Utilization

The researchers aim to disseminate and utilize the conducted research

with the full support of the school administrators of STI West Negros University

for the following:

 The SBE principal, the dean of the College of Education, and the

teachers

 STI WNU’s Research Libraries: The study will serve as a reference

for other researchers.

 Teachers’ Orientation and Training: This would include

discussions on the result of this action research.

 Research Colloquiums and Conferences: They will be utilized to

further improve the university’s research development.

The study will be shared after few revisions and further conclusions to

the school administration.

VIII. References
Castelli, F, et. Al (2021). Why students do not turn on their video cameras

during online classes and an equitable and inclusive plan to encourage

them to do so Retrieved on January 02, 2022 from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.7123

Costa, K. (2020). Camera Can Be Damned. Retrieved on January 02, 2022

from

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cameras-damned-karen-costa/

Moses, T. (2020). 5 reasons to let students keep their cameras off during Zoom

classes. Retrieved on January 02, 2022 from

https://theconversation.com/5-reasons-to-let-students-keep-their-
cameras-off-during-zoom-classes-144111

Terada, Y. (2021). The Camera-On/Camera-Off Dilemma. Retrieved on January

02, 2022 from https://www.edutopia.org/article/camera-oncamera-

dilemma