How to Record a College Lecture the Right Way
The manner in which college instruction is delivered has changed dramatically over the past several years. More and more classes are delivered either entirely online or in a mixture of face-to-face and remote sessions.
More than ever, students are finding it beneficial to record college lectures. Professors may record the same lecture for students to listen to at their convenience, or they may record a classroom lecture for the benefit of those students who may be under quarantine. They might even record a classroom lecture for use in multiple classes.
Students are also recording lectures to supplement their note-taking in complicated classes. Information can occasionally be presented at such a pace that it can be difficult to capture with pen and paper. Most of us have a smartphone, and there are a variety of free or inexpensive lecture recording apps we can download, while most laptop computers today include recording capabilities. There are also inexpensive digital recorders on the market that can store 100 hours or more of lecture recordings. There are even online services where, for a small fee, students can upload their lecture recordings and have them automatically converted to text.
So with all the ways classroom instruction is being presented, and all the technology we have at our fingertips, what’s the best way to audio record lectures?
Best way to audio record lectures as a student
When it comes to students figuring out how to record class lectures, one should probably first address a key question: Are you allowed to record lectures? Some professors and/or universities have policies in place concerning the recording of lectures. Whatever the policy, asking permission and explaining why you want to record lectures is simply common courtesy.
If you’re participating in an online class and the professor doesn’t record lectures, seek out one of the many free or low-cost recording programs. Some record audio only, while others record what’s displayed on the screen as well. Spend some time researching how to screen-record lectures to ensure you capture all the information you need.
If it’s a face-to-face class, place your recording device as close to the professor as possible, making sure you have enough recording space and battery life to capture the entire lecture. If the professor is using a microphone system, make note of where the system’s speakers are located and place your device near them.
You may have to do a few test runs to find the best way to capture the lecture effectively. If you’re attempting to record lectures using your laptop, you may want to invest in an external microphone.
However you choose to record a lecture, take care to do so in a way that doesn’t distract from the class.
How to record your lectures as a professor
If you’re teaching a class and want to record lectures for students, many of the same tips apply. If you plan to purchase a digital voice recorder, make sure it comes with a USB cable for connection to a computer. Additionally, make sure it saves recordings in MP3 format. It’s rare, but some recorders save audio files in a proprietary format that can be difficult or impossible for those without specific software to play.
If you use a PowerPoint presentation or other supplementary material in class, post those to your classroom page along with the recordings.
And if you’re delivering lectures online via video conferencing software, all popular packages include the ability to record the presentation. Recording a Zoom lecture, for example, is as easy as selecting “automatically record meeting” under the Options dropdown menu. Recordings can be saved either to the local computer or the cloud. If it’s saved to the cloud, you can provide students with a link to access the recording, or you can download the file itself for posting to the class page.
For the university
Classroom instruction is being delivered via a variety of channels, and those delivery methods are likely to be with us for the long term. As a result, universities are beginning to take into account how to record lectures when it comes to instructional technology and classroom design.
Even if the goal isn’t to directly facilitate lecture recording, the importance of classroom audio is taking a prominent place on the lecture hall stage. There’s no question that good audio helps students learn.
So when planning to outfit a classroom or lecture hall with audio equipment, consider the solutions offered by Yamaha Unified Communications. These include ceiling-mounted microphone arrays featuring dynamic beam tracking technology that utilizes four beams to automatically track voices within the room, and wireless microphone systems designed to provide exceptional audio quality in the most demanding environments.
Ensure your lecture recording can be heard by using a quality microphone
Whatever method you use to record a lecture, a quality microphone can make the task easier.
The Revolabs HD Single, Dual & Venue and ADECIA wireless microphone systems from Yamaha UC, for example, are optimized for spaces ranging from conference rooms to boardrooms. And for interactive online learning, the EDU Kit Wireless Microphone Systems are the perfect solution for education. They’re ideal for remote lecture capture whether in the classroom or at home, and they feature plug-and-play capabilities for web conferencing software including Zoom, Teams, WebEx, and more.
So whether it’s recording classroom lectures or improving student attention in a face-to-face setting, a classroom audio system can help increase classroom participation, improve classroom management, and lay the groundwork for academic success.
Audio Solutions for College Educators
With the right equipment, classroom audio doesn’t need to be a mystery. For additional advice on the best solution for your needs,
reach out to the experts at Yamaha UC!