Better Practice Blog- How to Pick a Video Conferencing Service for Remote Lessons
How to Pick a Video Conferencing Service for Remote Lessons
There are many video conferencing service options out there, and something you may want to do to avoid frustration in the long run is to test these options and see what works best for you. Below is a list of things you should consider when picking a service and features you should look for.
1. Good echo cancellation.
This is important. Without it, you are guaranteed to go crazy and the platform will be unusable. Keep in mind that this problem will be multiplied for groups. You can test different services by picking the same source & destination and test-calling yourself.
2. Minimal delay.
Latency will exist, but you want one that minimizes this as much as possible. Of course, much of it will be dependent on you and your student’s connection, but you can still test if one service works better than the other.
3. Meeting service (not webinar).
You want a meeting service, not just a webinar service. Most provide both.
4. Good audio quality.
Can you hear what is being played? Is your device microphone good enough, or do you need a mic? Can your student hear and understand you?
5. Good video quality.
Can you clearly see what you need to to evaluate (fingering, which notes, etc.)? Can your student see your instruction well enough?
6. Support for multiple devices from same account.
This is important for piano setups with one camera pointing at the keys and one at your face.
7. Mute.
At times you may want students to mute to turn off background noise as some households can be loud.
8. Permanent Room ID.
This makes it easy to have a standing meeting link to join that doesn’t change. This way you don’t have to contact each student before each lesson with your new ID.