Support resources for classroom technologies used in the classroom

As we prepare to resume more typical campus operations, including offering primarily in-person instruction, the university continues to follow COVID-19 public health guidelines and recommendations. We are committed to providing safe, effective, and engaged instruction and learning. The following documents were developed to provide a quick introduction and concrete solutions for dealing with specific challenges related to instruction in the case that the masking policy is extended into the Spring 2022 semester. The guides address the following issues:

1. The wearing of masks by students (particularly in large lecture halls) may make it difficult for students to hear one another when they are asked to speak. All classrooms that are large enough to normally require a microphone already have a microphone system with a communal clip-on pickup element. Further information about the availability of additional clip-on or headset microphone elements will be coming soon. Instructors who have a documented accommodation and/or who have a student in their class with a documented accommodation that requires a microphone, will automatically be contacted and provided with the necessary equipment. View the instructions and short videos below to assist with the use of the microphones and the portable systems:
   • Using the PGA31 Headset Microphone with an AV Presentation System
   • Using the Bietrun Wireless Headset Microphone (or an alternative brand) with the ION Arena Portable Speaker
   • Using the Giecy Portable Voice Amplifier (alternative)
2. If you need additional microphone equipment:
   • Determine what equipment, if any, already exists in the room(s) you are teaching in by visiting the room(s) in person or contacting the department that controls the space. You can also consult this list of General Assignment classrooms and compatible equipment to determine if you already have access to compatible equipment or not.
   • If a room you are teaching in does not have the necessary microphone equipment and/or you do not have access to compatible equipment for a room, contact your department to request additional equipment.

Safety Concerns

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transmission from surfaces contaminated with the virus that causes COVID-19 is not a substantial source of infection. The virus is primarily spread through exposure to respiratory fluids containing the virus, typically through inhalation of small droplets and aerosols; contact between exhaled droplets/particles and mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyes); or by directly touching contaminated hands or objects to mucous membranes.

Because instructors using microphones in classroom settings will be required to wear masks, direct contact between the surface and the mucous membranes of users should not occur. Campus public health experts recommend practicing ample hand hygiene (wash and sanitize hands) before and after using shared equipment as a way to further reduce the limited potential for spread. Users may also gently clean the microphone with a disinfectant wipe provided in each classroom.