Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

 check WhaT’s behind you 
When you are on camera during tutorials, seminars, or other 
video conference calls, it is worthwhile remembering that peo-
ple can see behind you. During the Covid pandemic, when many 

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126 Studying online 
experts were interviewed via Skype or Zoom on television news 
programmes, there was the “battle of the bookcases”. Every inter-
viewee seemed to have an array of books behind them. Tis led to 
several social media memes about displaying books behind you 
on Zoom calls. 
You do not need a bookcase behind you. However, you do need to 
ensure that the background is not distracting. Recently, I was run-
ning a tutorial where one student was sitting at a desk in her bed-
room. Apart from the fact that the bed we could see behind her 
had not been made, it was covered with fufy toy creatures. Tat 
might not have been the look that she wanted her fellow students 
to see. Also, it could be distracting to fellow students. Instead of 
listening to the discussion in the tutorial, they may have start-
ed wondering why their fellow student seemed to have a child-
ish streak. Or they may have thought about the untidiness of her 
room. Either way, they would not be thinking about the content of 
the tutorial. So, if there were a set of rules about backgrounds, the 
frst one would be to make the area behind you at least tidy ...! 
QUICK TIP: Before you appear on any video conference call, 
make sure your room is tidy and presentable. 
It is also worthwhile remembering that online video conference 
calls may be recorded. Terefore whatever is in your background 
could be permanently available for others to see. A pinboard on 
the wall behind you with a sticky note showing your computer 
password is not a good idea. Yes, that has been seen as well. Make 
sure you are happy for that whatever is in your background to be 
seen by others and potentially made public online. For instance, 
some sessions may be uploaded to websites such as YouTube. Ob-
viously, you would need to give permission for this and would be 
asked to grant it. However, are you sure you want to share the 
things that are in the background? Many students who are on hy-
brid learning courses may be sharing a house or fat with fellow 

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