Abstract:

This academic year, with the return to brick-and-mortar classes, interesting and unexpected challenges are emerging. For some students, being off-campus and inhabiting a virtual reality became, after some time, a positive experience. Hiding behind a screen was not that bad. Some students report they got used to the virtual atmosphere and they now suffer some form of social anxiety, and a feeling of unease and discomfort because interpersonal communication, during a face-to-face to class, is often very demanding. Some of them also believe that in physical classes they are in a more vulnerable and exposed position if, for instance, if they wish to make a question. With the present 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 third year students attending Revising and Editing classes. After Zoom classes, how do they feel in a room atmosphere comparing to their experience in virtual classes (in terms of paralinguistic elements of speech, facial and body decoding)? Do they perceive possible benefits of interpersonal communication in a physical classroom environment? Are they comfortable with the return to an embodied learning experience? What kinds of noise do they feel that are interfering with the learning communication process?

Keywords:

Face-to-face learning, digital education, interpersonal communication, physical presence, autonomy.