Abstract:

Communication Theory and Semiotics are subjects that make students particularly aware that effective and meaningful interaction implies a set of important conditions that are better accomplished when sharing a physical environment. Last academic year was a very demanding but also rich learning experience to first year students, as they started their faculty life attending a traditional face-to-face classroom environment and unexpectedly pioneered a disruptive change to a fully virtual learning environment. Synchronicity became a primary element in their learning and it promoted an unforeseen opportunity to deepen self and mutual observation concerning verbal and nonverbal communication as well as productivity. With this study, we aim at analysing the concepts of physical and virtual presence in classroom interaction, by presenting and discussing the perceptions of a group of first year students attending Semiotics. How did they feel in a Zoom atmosphere comparing to their experience in face-to-face classes (in terms of paralinguistic elements of speech, facial and body decoding)? Did they perceive any possible benefit of interpersonal communication in a virtual classroom environment? How did they assess their ability to become more productive and autonomous?

Keywords:

Remote learning, face-to-face learning, interpersonal communication, presence, autonomy.