Must have tools for Efficient Online Teaching (2021)

Must have tools for Efficient Online Teaching

(List of Free Software and Cost Effective Hardware Tools) 

 

There is a sudden increase in the need for teaching through online mode due to COVID19 Pandemic. It can be seen from Google Search trend also. We need various hardware and software tools for efficient online teaching-learning process. Let's learn what are they....

A. Hardware

1. Writing Pad (Manufacturer Website, Wacom)

• Writing Pad has two components

• A pressure sensitive screen less slate and
• A pressure sensitive pen.

 

Use

• Whatever will be written on the writing pad, will appear on the computer/ laptop screen.

• You can write on the PDF, WORD, POWER POINT during online teaching.

• You can also sketch, draw, paint or edit photos.

• You can save the file with handwritten notes (Annotations) and circulate amongst the students. It is a cheap but very useful device. All online teachers should have this device.

• Once you have this device, no need to use black or white board. 

• Take a blank powerpoint slide and teach efficiently.

• No need to focus any camera or light to black or white board.

• A simple and efficient replacement for multiple devices.
  

Installation

• The device can be connected through USB and needs driver software. Download link
  

• Works in Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 perfectly as designed.

Product Description Video

Product description from Amazon

 

Purchase link

Amazon

2. Diffused Light Setup

• By using writing pad, teachers do not require black/ white board and hence no light for board 

• Light is required for the speaker

• Direct focusing light on the face is not a good idea. Intense bright light does not provide good teaching experience for the speaker. Due to lack of contrast issues it is won't be a pleasant experience for the students. 

• Diffused lights are a good option. 

• Buy a Generic Universal Cloth Flash Bounce Diffuser from online shop. 

• Buy a LED bulb with more than 20 W. Make connections from local electrical shops. Insert it into the ‘Generic Universal Cloth Flash Bounce Diffuser’. 

• Keep it facing the speaker and start teaching.

 

 

 

Purchase link:

Amazon

20 Watt White LED Bulb

Purchase link:

Amazon

3. Audio (with Mic)

• Audio is the most essential requirement after video.

• Buy this cheap but cost effective wired headphone. 

• Avoid bluetooth headphones to avoid occasional loss of signal.

• Use headphone which has noise cancellation.

 

Purchase link:

Amazon

4. Laptop (for Video, control device)

• Any standard company laptop, HP, Lenevo, Dell, Asus etc or standard desktop

• Minimum 2GB RAM, 

• 512 GB Hard disk, 

• Should have inbuilt camera, 

• Wi-Fi internet connectivity options, 

• Operating System Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 with 

• Latest microsoft office, 

• with atleast 2 USB connections/ports, 

• Processor Intel Core i3 or above with latest generation, 

• Minimum screen size 14’. 

Purchase link (Laptop under Rs 25,000):

Amazon

Flipkart 

 

5. Internet

• Minimum bandwidth should be preferably 100Mbps for buffering free experience.

• Bandwidth and download speeds are different but connected with each other. Higher bandwidth indicates higher width of the road. 

• If we have to download a 100MB audio/ video file while online teaching with 10Mbps bandwidth, it will take 10s, whereas with 100Mbps bandwidth it needs just 1s. So less buffering with 100Mbps bandwidth internet. 

• For easy understanding we can say that 100Mbps bandwidth internet provides 10 lanes for data download/upload compared to just 1 lane for 10Mbps bandwidth internet. So there are multiple parallel lines (100Mbps bandwidth) of download/ upload against just a single line (10Mbps bandwidth). So speed is more for 100Mbps bandwidth than 10Mbps bandwidth internet. 

 Purchase link:

BSNL

Airtel

B. Software

1. PDF xchange viewer or Adobe pdf reader

 

 

• Open the PDF copy of study material (book/ notes) in PDF reader.

• Share your screen for online presentation (Zoom/ Google Play/ Webex/ Team/ etc).

• Touch the writing pad with its pen.

• Start annotating/ highlighting/ writing and teaching.

Download link

PDF xchange viewer

Adobe pdf reader

2. Microsoft PowerPoint/ Word

• You can use already prepared PowerPoint presentation/ Word document.

• You can also use a blank PowerPoint / Word document.

• Touch the writing pad with its pen. 

• Start annotating/ highlighting/ writing and teaching.

3. Platform

• You can use any one of the below mentioned platforms  

• Google Meet, 

• Zoom,

• Cisco Webex,

• Microsoft Team,

• Skype,

• Whatsapp Video Call,

• JioMeet

• Finally, the choice of the right platform depends upon the internet speed available at your place, it varies depending upon the time of the day. 

• Usually internet speed is slow in the evening. 

• You can read useful comparison between video conferencing platforms [1-2].

• Review about Made in India video conferencing app can be found in [3]. 

   

Enjoy Efficient Online Teaching. Thank you for reading.  

 

Reference

[1] https://gadgetstouse.com/blog/2021/02/12/data-consumed-by-zoom-google-meet-skype-microsoft-teams-slack-and-hangouts/ 

[2] https://www.troopmessenger.com/blogs/google-meet-vs-webex-vs-zoom 

[3] https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/video-conferencing-chatting-apps-made-in-india-2020/article32266494.ece

Disclaimer: The post is purely for the academic interest/ awareness.

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About the Author

Dr Debasish Saha has done his Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences from Homi Bhabha National Institute, India. Presently he is working as a Scientist in a Premier National Lab of India. His main area of work is in the field of Nuclear Medicine for Cancer and its associated fields. For more update please follow his Linkedin Profile.