The Importance of Audio Technology in Higher Education

3 min read

An updated version of this article has been published here.

With many schools and universities continuing to navigate in-person, virtual, or blended learning environments, the importance of technology adoption in higher education has never been clearer. The rapid transformation of the traditional classroom setting has heightened the need for technology that keeps faculty and students connected as they adjust to new ways of teaching and learning. While today’s classroom setups and teaching methods are evolving, classroom audio systems offer many benefits for educators and students.

When it comes to the classroom, audio is a critical element. The ability to communicate clearly with high-quality audio is essential to achieving educational experiences that enable students to learn and communicate effectively. For teachers, the use of audio technology can help enhance communication and support engaging learning experiences in physical and digital classrooms. Reliable and clear audio is not only crucial for comprehension in lectures, it also allows universities to embrace more advanced, innovative learning experiences.

Whether you’re learning from home or the classroom, investing in the right audio technology solutions is paramount for success. Here are a few factors to consider when selecting audio equipment for educational environments.

Clarity of Sound

From background noise to reverberation, even a well-designed classroom can have acoustic challenges. Having audio technology that is focused on optimizing sound quality for spoken word is key to meeting these challenges head-on. A wireless mic like the Panasonic WX-ST200 Digital Wireless Handheld Microphone is not only optimized for maximum speech intelligibility but also utilizes noise suppression technology to enhance the clarity of the speaker’s voice. A wireless system like this has the flexibility to deliver excellent sound quality in small or large spaces and is ideal for hybrid and fully virtual learning experiences.

Ease of Integration

Undoubtedly, today’s classrooms have a diverse set of technology to help facilitate learning, but ensuring that these technologies can communicate with each other helps to create more equitable learning environments. Whether you want to add to an existing setup or plan to switch in the future, finding an audio system that offers ease of integration with third-party control systems can allow for a more comprehensive and intuitive ecosystem in the classroom.

Through the integration of audio, sound from presentations or videos can be distributed both in-room and remote allowing instructors to adjust levels or view battery status from a central location. In the end, having an audio system that seamlessly fits into existing rooms and software offers institutions and lecturers flexibility to switch between systems with ease.

Wireless Range

As FCC regulations continue to reduce the UHF spectrum range available for wireless microphones, airwaves are becoming more crowded. But, DECT-based wireless systems offer a wideband frequency and noise suppression technology that can help prevent interference and interruptions. Systems like Panasonic’s 1.9GHz digital wireless microphone system offer an easy and intuitive solution as it continuously monitors channel usage and automatically switches channels to enable stable communication. Ultimately, the wireless frequency spectrum is always changing as new technologies emerge but staying up to date with a flexible wireless microphone solution can help to ensure your operations continue to work at optimal efficiency. 

While the modern-day classroom experience is evolving to adopt new ways of teaching and learning, having a reliable audio system can ensure that everyone in the classroom is engaged.   

To learn more about Panasonic’s Pro Audio Solutions, visit https://na.panasonic.com/us/audio-video-solutions/professional-audio/

Justine Hunter's image

Justine Hunter

Marketing Specialist