Reportedly, 46% of college students took classes exclusively online in
the Fall 2020 semester, with online courses being more popular with undergraduate
students. In fact, 75% of undergraduates took at least one course online,
versus 71% of graduate students. Higher education had to take a hard left
turn with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hindered the ability
to access traditional classrooms. Fully online colleges became increasingly
popular, with 422 being in operation in the year 2020, catering to individuals
who wanted a post-secondary education but could not attend in-person classes.
With more students and faculty members turning to online education, there
has also been an increased use of online platforms such as Blackboard,
Canvas, and more that host online course content. Professors are using
technology more often to hold their office hours, hold virtual class meetings,
and find new course materials. One of the most popular uses of online content
is posting video lectures. Video lectures are a simple tool that allows
faculty to record themselves lecturing on topics they want to teach their
students while providing students with the opportunity to re-watch the
lecture, pause it, and interact with it in the ways that feel most comfortable
for them. However, video lectures are only one learning tool. Transcribing
lectures is an important step that can help facilitate better learning.
Here are 5 reasons why transcribing lectures can be beneficial for students:
Greater Accessibility
Potentially the most important reason to consider transcribing lectures
is that it assists students that are hard of hearing.
Not all students are hearing students, which can make it difficult for
them to fully understand lectures. This is especially true if lectures
are only audio recordings and do not include video. It is also important
to cater to multi-sensory learning strategies, so including video and audio
in lectures, as many students learn by responding to multiple stimuli in
learning and need all of them to be on point to get the full scope of the
information.
Ensure Clarity
If the area you are recording in is not completely silent, your microphone
can pick up the background noise.
Or, perhaps, a loud ambulance rolls by your road while you are recording,
making what you were saying inaudible. Adding transcriptions online is
an easy way to ensure clarity despite minor background noise. A lecture’s
transcription can clear through the background noise and provide a written
record of what you are saying so that you do not have to stop the recording,
repeat, and edit old recordings. This ultimately saves time by only having
to record once as opposed to doing multiple takes to make sure everything
is said accurately and is audible.
Create More Meaningful Interactions with Students
Whether you're teaching high school, postsecondary education, or other
online classes, connections matter. Being intentional with your student
interactions is what makes a class memorable and meaningful for those students.
It is important to understand that not every student is not on the same
playing field, even if they are all in the same course. Some international
students may feel more comfortable learning in their language of origin,
so making lectures available with transcriptions or voiceover dubs in
their language of origin can make them feel more comfortable with the course
content. With transcription software like Maestra, it is easy to transcribe your
audio effectively. That means little hassle on your end for assisting students
and meeting them where they are at.
Boost Grades
One way to increase student grades is to provide video lectures with transcriptions.
Students are able to take more effective notes by following the transcription
and can recall information more easily by going back and reviewing the
transcription.
Repurposing the Content
Transcribing video lectures provides you with a permanent record of your
material, which can be reused over and over again. This is beneficial because
it allows the information to be accessible at any time. Having a permanent
record of your lectures can ensure that you always have access to the information
you need. One of the best things about transcribing your lectures is that
it can help you to get ahead of the game for future semesters, which cuts
down on time having to re-record anything. You can then focus more on grading,
responding to students, or catching up on other tasks just by transcribing
lectures.
Transcribe Your Lectures with Maestra
We at Maestra want to help you with all your needs for transcribing. Online
transcription is now easier than ever with our transcription service! All
you need to do is upload your audio file, transcribe your audio through
our transcription software, and then check it and export the file! Our
text editor is interactive so you can correct any errors you notice and
make sure everything is accurate before the final download. Want to learn
more about transcription or how Maestra can assist you with all your transcription
needs? Check out our transcription service site today!