  The outbreak of COVID-19 forced schools to swiftly transition from in-person
classes to online or remote offerings, making educators and learners alike rely
on online videoconferencing platforms. Platforms like Zoom offer audio-visual
channels of communication and include features that are designed to approximate
the classroom experience. However, it is not clear how students' learning
experiences are affected by affordances of the videoconferencing platforms or
what underlying factors explain the differential effects of these affordances
on class experiences of engagement, interaction, and satisfaction. In order to
find out, we conducted two online survey studies: Study 1 (N = 176)
investigated the effects of three types of videoconferencing affordances (i.e.,
modality, interactivity, and agency affordances) on class experience during the
first two months after the transition to online learning. Results showed that
usage of the three kinds of affordances was positively correlated with
students' class engagement, interaction, and satisfaction. Perceived anonymity,
nonverbal cues, and comfort level were found to be the key mediators. In
addition, students' usage of video cameras in class was influenced by their
classmates. Study 2 (N = 256) tested the proposed relationships at a later
stage of the pandemic and found similar results, thus serving as a constructive
replication. This paper focuses on reporting the results of Study 1 since it
captures the timely reactions from students when they first went online, and
the second study plays a supplementary role in verifying Study 1 and thereby
extending its external validity. Together, the two studies provide insights for
instructors on how to leverage different videoconferencing affordances to
enhance the virtual learning experience. Design implications for digital tools
in online education are also discussed.
