Theme 3: to be or not to be (present)?
SAID, COLD
The students highlighted the impact of the lecturer’s physical presence (or absence) on their learning experiences. Consequently, we generated the theme: ‘To Be or Not To Be (Present)? In the synchronous group, the students experienced the physical presence of the lecturer positively. They felt it was an advantage as having a person in front of them was perceived as stimulating.“…having a person in front of you is also more stimulating because you are aware of the direct contact, even if it is online. The fact that you know another person is talking to you in real-time, in my opinion, adds something extra compared to just listening to a recording”. (P21, woman, 22y, Synchronous Group)Moreover, the lecturer’s presence during the synchronous experience allowed the students to feel secure as they felt they had a person to rely on when needed, someone they could interact with in real-time.“Well, they [the lecturers] are certainly a reference point”. (P19, woman, 22y, Synchronous Group)In the asynchronous group, the students lacked physical contact with the lecturer. They said that having someone physically in front of them (even if online) makes the experience more “familiar” and less cold and aseptic.“The disadvantage is that maybe when you have a person in front of you, it’s a little more familiar, let’s say less cold, as an impact…” (P2, woman, 22y, Asynchronous Group).However, acknowledging this limit, they reported that they did not perceive discomfort in not having the lecturer present during the asynchronous course, conveying a sense of tranquillity.“I didn’t have any problems. I felt comfortable.” (P7, woman, 37y, Asynchronous Group).Furthermore, a positive aspect of not having the lecturer physically present was that students felt more at ease, as they were not required to engage in an academic performance that typically involved preparing and being conscious of their physical appearance.“I am happy with asynchronous because I can stay at home, and I don’t have the social pressure to attend a lesson physically”. (P8, woman, 22y, Asynchronous Group)