How to Encourage Students to Turn Their Cameras On
How can you get your students to turn their cameras on?
It is the question we all have been asking, right? At least if you are teaching students virtually this year, getting students, especially middle school students, to turn on their cameras can be a challenge. Here, I wanted to share one strategy for getting students to turn on cameras that has had some success. When I began thinking about what motivate students to keep their cameras on during class, I decided that a little competition and prizes might do the trick! Here is how the competition works.
Each week, I have a “Camera On Challenge.” Basically, I encourage students throughout the week to turn their cameras on if they want to be entered into the Camera On Challenge. It is important to mention this daily, so students remember. I just leave it on my daily announcements.
Every Friday, I send out a short Google form survey to all students. It basically asks for their name, class period, did they have their camera on at some point that week, and I have them rate themselves from 1-10 on how often they had it on. I decided that as long as they had their camera on at some point, they get entered.
Any students who had their camera on get their name entered once into a prize drawing at the end of each month. If a student has their camera on all four weeks of a month, they can get their name entered four times! At the end of the month, put all of the names on a random name wheel, and see who wins!
For prizes, use whatever will motivate your students! I actually give a choice of a lunch with the class, my son, and me, picking the next review game, sending a small candy bar or pack of gum, or any other option they can think of that I approve!
What were the results? So far from what I have seen, the challenge does a good job of adding that little extra incentive for students who are on the border and considering turning on their cameras in class. Especially at the middle school level, it can be a challenge to encourage students to turn cameras on. Of course, there will still be some students who just don’t feel comfortable or don’t want their camera on for a wide range or reasons. However, middle schoolers do love incentives, and this has been one fun way to motivate students to turn cameras on!
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