Task: Teaching remotely from home or the office can sometimes certainly be a struggle. With the right tools however, it can become less of a challenge. This article will provide some direction on some of the additional computer hardware that can be added to your remote teaching toolbox.
Instructions:
Second Monitor
A second monitor is highly recommended. This can allow you to have all your teaching tools and content open on one and keep the other solely for having your Zoom session open and visible. There are many manufacturer choices when shopping for a monitor but just make sure that it can connect to your existing computer hardware.
Microphone/Speaker
When teaching remotely, quality audio is of the utmost importance. Most often, the microphone built into your laptop or one that came with your desktop computer is of marginal quality. Additionally, the speakers on your computer are most likely only adequate. We recommend purchasing a dedicated microphone/speaker such as the Jabra conference speakerphone. This will allow you to maintain high quality audio both going out and returning.
Webcam
Again, the built in webcam that came with your computer can be significantly upgraded. Especially on older computers, the webcam can be dark, blurry and laggy. We recommend a quality webcam such as the Logitech C920 or C930. Many of us in IT use these webcams regularly and can vouch for their excellent video reproduction.
Do not put a bright window or light behind you, it will washout the camera and you will appear very dark
Writing Tablet
If you aren’t already teaching with a tablet computer, it may be beneficial to add an external writing tablet to your toolbox. These allow you to perform handwriting as you might have on the whiteboard in the classroom but right from the comfort of your home or office setup. We can recommend the Wacom Intuos or Wacom Bamboo as two fairly inexpensive quality devices.
Need additional help?
Please fill out the myCourses webform or contact the Technology Help Desk on your local campus.