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Audio

6 Features to Factor: Voice Amplification Systems

The right voice amplification system can produce a better learning environment for both teachers and students in K-12 classrooms.

June 9, 2015 Chrissy Winske Leave a Comment

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Emergency alert capabilities (Extron VoiceLift)

You might consider purchasing a voice amplification system that includes a life safety feature that can be activated in the event of an emergency. These features are often located on the system’s microphone.

“There are features out there such as panic buttons or instant alert. If there is an emergency in the classroom, I press a button on the mic and that button will notify someone that there is something happening in my room,” says Anthony Cortes, director of Sales & Marketing, K-12 Systems, Extron. With Extron’s VoiceLift microphone, users simply press and hold volume buttons to activate Instant Alert. Triggering an alert from the microphone allows the teacher to discreetly request assistance in case of an emergency.

Paging override (SMART Audio)

If an emergency alert or important announcement is made via the school’s PA system, you want to make sure it overrides your classroom audio. Some voice amplification systems come with a built-in feature that allows for automatic paging override capability.

Comfort (AMX SchoolView ResQ)

Teachers are always moving around the classroom so you want to make sure you purchase a system that allows instructors to be mobile comfortably. A microphone unit that can be worn around the neck as a pendant frees up the teacher’s hands and allows them to forget about the mic and concentrate on teaching. Here you can the ResQ pendant microphone in addition to the handheld mic.

Durability (Lightspeed Technologies Flexcat)

If students are going to be using the amplification system for group work, you want to make sure to buy a product designed for the wear and tear of the classroom. K-12 students, especially in the younger grades, are likely to drop the microphone or speaker units and you don’t want to have to replace them every time there is an accident.

Low battery indicator (Califone PA10A)

Teachers have limited classroom time as it is so minimizing service interruptions is key for any edtech professional. A simple battery indicator provides you or a teacher with fair warning when the microphone or speaker battery needs to be replaced in a mobile unit, meaning class time won’t be spent trying to figure out why the voice amplification system isn’t working.

Integration with classroom AV (FrontRow Juno Connect)

Most K-12 classrooms have multiple pieces of AV equipment like a projector or an interactive whiteboard. If you pick a voice amplification system that easily integrates with your existing technology, than you can use that system to produce better audio from your other AV systems. In the case of Juno Connect, you can even add voice control for classroom technologies.

Most K-12 technology managers understand the value of having a projector or a computer in the classroom, but the importance of sound quality may not be so obvious. If audio is not adequately distributed and amplified within the classroom space, students in the back of the room will not have the same learning experience as those in the front of the classroom, causing those children to miss part of a lesson. Purchasing a voice amplification system for your classrooms can eliminate inequities due to audio.

“Children who hear better, learn more,” says David Solomon, executive vice president for Sales and Marketing, Lightspeed Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of classroom audio systems. “You don’t want a PA system. You want a low-volume solution that increases intelligibility and evenly distributes the teacher’s voice. If you can do that, you can significantly increase the learning capacity in that classroom.”

Studies have shown that in classrooms with a voice amplification system, students typically see improvement in test scores and a decrease in special education referral rates. Teachers have also reported better classroom management and fewer sick days due to throat/voice issues.

Click for Features Worth Considering

“It’s an investment in the engagement of the students,” says James Pearcy, director of Technology for Harlingen CISD, of the decision to purchase a voice amplification system. His school district recently invested in voice amplification and his teachers have reported an increase in student engagement for longer periods of time.

The trick to purchasing this technology is to figure out how your teachers will be using the system. Is it for whole group instruction? Or, will you need a system that is meant for differentiated small group instruction? Do want an installed system or a mobile one? Your purchasing needs may change depending upon the answers to those questions.

“You have to consider if you want purely passive audio for the children to listen to or if they will be interacting via Skype or Google Hangout or VoIP,” says Tim Ridgway, vice president of Marketing at Califone International Inc., a provider of supplemental audio visual technologies for the classroom. Most of the jackboxes used for small group instruction are made for passive listening. If you want interactive capability and you’re using a mobile voice amplification system then you’ll need to purchase a jackbox designed for two-way audio.

Once you figure out how your teachers will be using a voice amplification system and whether you want it to be a permanently installed solution or mobile one, the above slideshow has some additional features to consider.

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Tagged With: Acoustics, K12

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