Are you distance learning this semester? Well, in this video I’ll have my top 5 remote
learning tips for better communication. Coming up!
Hi, I’m Dr. Derek - audiologist, audio engineer, and musician with Pro Fit Hearing.com bringing
you the best insight into today’s latest hearing aids and audio technology to improve
your life. If you have concerns about your hearing, always consult with your local physician
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Today, I’m talking about my top 5 distance learning tips so that you can communicate
more effectively with your students. First of all, how was last semester’s distance
learning experience? What did you find to be the most challenging aspect of remote learning?
Let me know in the comments below.
Tip #1 Prepare your environment
You first need to optimize your environment. You are going to spend a significant amount
of time sitting in front of your computer, so do what you can to be comfortable.
Arrange yourself so that you are not easily distracted. Facing out toward a common living
area with activity and interruptions should be avoided. Also, try to keep your back
to a wall or use a background that will not distract others.
Make sure to use an environment that has good lighting
so that your webcam can easily see your face.
This can be as easy as facing a window for natural lighting.
Tip #2
Reduce background noise
You want to set up your computer in a quiet room, if possible. This will minimize any background
noise that's sent out to the virtual classroom. Also, mute yourself any time you're not speaking.
This can apply to teachers and students. Any unnecessary noise that's introduced into
the classroom will make communication more difficult. So remind all your students to mute
themselves until called upon or mute them manually.
Tip #3 Face the Webcam
Adjust your webcam for the best possible image quality. Zoom in or sit close enough so
that your face is clearly visible. This will give all listeners access to visual cues
for better communication.
Get your student’s attention first by calling their name and speaking clearly. If there's
any confusion on what’s being said, try rephrasing it rather than simply repeating
yourself.
Tip #4 Check your Tech
I highly recommend that teachers and students use a headset during distance learning.
Headsets are headphones with an attached microphone.
They should provide a seal around your ears
to minimize any noise around you, and the microphone should be placed near your mouth
but not too close to avoid distortion.
Headsets use an audio plug that has three lines on it. It’s called a TRRS
audio plug. This allows for stereo sound in the headphones and also a
microphone input. PC laptops and Chromebooks often support this kind of audio
plug but newer macbooks do not and require an adapter.
Once you plug in the headset, check the audio settings on your computer to make sure the
headphones and audio input jack are active. On laptops, make sure the internal, built-in
microphone is disabled to avoid picking up any background noise
like typing noise or mouse clicks.
Instead, use the microphone on your headset to provide
better sound quality with less background noise.
If you are having difficulty getting your headset connected to your computer, there's
two options.
One is to use a headphone/mic splitter. This is for people who have a separate headphone
and microphone jack on their computer.
Option two is to use a USB to 3.5mm TRRS audio adapter.
A USB adapter works for computers with no
other audio input access.
See the links in the description below for some recommended headsets and audio adapters.
I’ll also leave a link in the suggested videos above for my upcoming headset review
as soon as it’s available.
Tip #5 Use additional supports
Some students may also benefit from closed captioning which is automatically available
in Google Meet. Zoom also supports this, but it requires a third party transcription service.
You can also have someone manually type out the closed captions.
Don’t forget to check your internet or WIFI connection to make sure you have a strong, fast
connection so that you can avoid any interruption in your audio/video stream.
Provide written guides, outlines of material, and notes if possible. Providing written materials
can be used to supplement live instruction.
Also, don’t forget to take frequent breaks to reduce fatigue.
So for today’s question, which of these tips will you implement today? What has
worked well for you during distance learning? Also, please let me know if you have any other topics
you’d like to see. Let’s connect in the comments.
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If you or someone you know is interested in hearing aids,
click on the link in description below for my FREE
ebook, “How To Buy Hearing Aids”. Know what to ask your audiologist or hearing aid
dispenser so that your hearing aids are easy to use and have all the features you’re
looking for.
Remember, Pro Fit Hearing brings you the best insight into today’s latest hearing aids
and audio technology to improve your life. If you have concerns about your hearing, always
consult with your local physician or audiologist. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you in
the next video.