Live online class in session
There’s a specific feeling students describe when a live online class isn’t working: it feels like watching a webinar, not attending a class. The tools aren’t usually the problem — Zoom and Teams both work fine technically. The problem is almost always structural, and it’s fixable without new software.
The camera-on debate is a distraction from the real issue
Plenty of advice fixates on whether students should keep cameras on, as if that’s the core engagement problem. It isn’t. A class with every camera on but no actual interaction still feels like a webinar; a class with cameras off but genuine back-and-forth doesn’t. The structure of the session matters more than the visual layout of the call.
Screen sharing that shows work, not slides
The single biggest shift from “webinar feeling” to “class feeling” is what’s actually on screen. A slide deck read aloud is a webinar regardless of the platform. Live problem-solving, annotation on a shared document, or working through something in real time on screen — with students able to see the process, not just a finished slide — is what makes a session feel like teaching rather than presenting.
Breakout rooms only work with a specific task attached
Breakout rooms get blamed for being awkward, but the actual problem is usually that students are dropped into a room with no specific task — “discuss this” is vague enough that groups sit in silence. A concrete, time-boxed task (solve this specific problem, then one person reports back) removes the awkwardness that gets blamed on the feature itself.
Recording the session changes how people behave in it — plan for that
If you’re recording the live class (common for students who miss it live), know that recording changes participation — some students are more hesitant to unmute or ask questions on camera when they know it’s being saved. Being upfront about what happens to the recording, and considering a separate, unrecorded space for questions, addresses this directly rather than treating quieter participation as a mystery.
What actually needs a tool upgrade, and what doesn’t
Genuine technical limitations — unreliable screen share, poor audio quality, breakout rooms that don’t function properly — are worth switching platforms over. A class that feels like a webinar despite working technology isn’t a tools problem, and switching platforms won’t fix a structural issue with how the session is run.
Frequently asked questions
Should students keep their cameras on during a live online class?
It’s a secondary factor. Actual interactive structure matters far more than whether cameras are on — a class with cameras on but no interaction still feels passive.
Why do breakout rooms feel awkward?
Usually because the task given is too vague. A specific, time-boxed task with a clear expected outcome removes most of the awkwardness.
Does recording a live class affect participation?
Yes, for some students — being aware a session is recorded can make people more hesitant to speak up. Being transparent about the recording’s purpose helps.
Related reading: The full online teaching toolkit · Screen recording for educators · How to choose between Skype vs. Teams