Why You Should Invest in a Quality Headset for Online Learning

A headset is an excellent tool for learning for the following reasons:

• A headset will help your child concentrate because it reduces noise from the environment like a rooster crowing, a passing motorbike, or the neighbor singing out of tune karaoke.

• Headsets have built-in mics, so their voice will be heard loud and clear by the teacher and his/her classmates. A clear voice means they are easier to understand, which is advantageous during oral recitations or when asking questions.

• A headset is more ergonomic than earbuds with a mic because earbuds require you to lift and hold the mic near your mouth to be clearly heard, while a headset has the mic always positioned near your mouth.

• Headsets also improve posture and reduce muscle fatigue. The built-in speakers and mics of most laptops and tablets are usually of poor quality, so the students are forced to hunch towards the computer mic or speakers whenever they need to say something clearly or listen to the teacher, which causes muscle fatigue. Headsets help them avoid that.

• Headsets give your child freedom of movement and improvement in productivity because it frees up their hands to do other things. They can comfortably talk and listen while they type, interact with the on-screen activities, or answer the textbooks. It gives them the freedom to move and sit in any comfortable way.
  

A good headset helps in online

learning

Improve concentration, better comfort, better posture, & more ease in learning.

However, when purchasing a headset, we recommend avoiding cheap headsets because:

• Cheap headsets usually are fragile, less reliable, and tend to break easily.

• Cheap headsets usually have poor mic and speaker quality. Making it more difficult for the child to hear the lecture or be understood by their teachers and classmates.

• Cheap headsets are usually uncomfortable to use. Some can cause your child fatigue or even pain when worn for long periods.

Instead of buying a cheap 500 pesos headset, we suggest purchasing a good quality headset for around the 2,000 pesos price range. We will show you our recommended models at the end of this article. However, before that, here are the reasons why a quality headset for your child is an excellent investment for online learning : 

• Most quality headset speakers do a better job blocking out external noise than cheaper headsets. The more sound you block out, the better your child can concentrate and hear the lessons clearly.

• Higher quality headsets have better sound quality, making it easier for your child to understand the teacher's lecture, distinguish word pronunciations, enjoy the music and sound effects of the online lessons.

• Better quality headsets have higher quality mics that make your child's voice clearer and easier to understand. Some quality headset mics have noise cancelation that reduces background noise like wind from the electric fan or the dog barking.

• Quality headsets usually have better ergonomics and more comfortable, especially after many hours of use. We recommend avoiding purchasing big headsets, like the gaming headsets, because they tend to be heavy and can tire the child for long online seasons. Instead, consider buying light headphones designed for call-center agents because these are made for long hours of use. Popular brands used by call centers are Jabra and Plantronics/Poly. Our teachers use Jabra.

• Quality headphones maybe costly but they last longer and more reliable. There is an old adage, "Buy the best and cry only once."

From our experience in online teaching, we recommend the following quality headphones.

Best value for your money:

Jabra Evolve 20 (Website)

• Average price of Php 1,800 at Lazada or Shoppee. It can go as low as Php 1,650 during a sale. 

• Wired USB headset with a handy external puck for quick and convenient access to mute (with red indicator light) and volume.

• Great sound isolation, the speakers does an excellent job reducing background noise.

• Good passive noise-canceling mic.

• Sturdy construction and reasonably light.

• This model is what most of our teachers use.

Check out a great video review of the Jabra Evolve 20 by Teacher Karen:

Jabra Biz 1100 (Website)

•  Average price of Php 1,800 at Lazada or Shoppee. It can go as low as Php 1,700 during a sale. 

• Lighter than the Jabra Evolve 20, more comfortable to use for long hours, especially for younger students.

• Wired USB headset with handy external control for mute (no indicator light) and volume.

• Good sound isolation for the speakers.

• Good passive noise-canceling mic.

Check out the video review of the Jabra Biz 1100 by Teacher Jha

What are the main differences between the Jabra Evolve 20 and Jabra Biz 1100?

• the Jabra Evolve 20 does a better job blocking external sound because its speakers are beefier and cover the whole ear of the child.

• The Jabra Biz 1100, on the other hand, weighs lighter and more comfortable to use for long hours of online classes. Better for smaller and younger students.

• Both headsets perform similarly in sound and voice quality.

Higher End Recommendation

 Jabra Biz DUO 2300 (Website)

• (Average Price Php 3,600-4,000 at Lazada or Shoppee).

• The best of both worlds. It is even lighter then the Jabra Biz 1100 with better in noise isolation then the Jabra Evolve 20.

• The JB 2300 is one of the lightest wired USB headsets on the market. It feels like wearing a feather but also uses kevlar material for durability. Unlike most headsets, you can wear them all day, and you will not notice them.

• Outstanding speaker sound quality and a very clear mic with great noise cancelation. Noticeably better speaker and mic quality than the Jabra Evolve 20 and the Jabra Biz 1100.

• This headphone is a popular choice in higher-end call centers because of its features.

• If you consider this model, we suggest waiting for a sale; sometimes, we see it marked down at Lazada or Shoppee for Php 3,600.

• There are two versions of this head set, the MONO and the DUO. The Mono is the version with only one speaker, while the duo has two. We suggest buying the Duo.

• This is what Teacher Mario uses because he is rich, discerning, and very handsome.

How about wireless headsets?

There are many great wireless headsets on the market. Wireless headsets give your child more freedom of movement, especially during activities requiring more movement like PE. The only issue with wireless headsets is that they can get costly, as quality ones range from 6k to 30k. The higher-end models even have a much higher sound quality and active noise cancellation, which is even more effective than the passive noise cancellation on the cheaper models.

 We won't be covering these wireless headsets in this article, but from our research, here are some of the highly recommended models according to our research online:

• Jabra Evolve 65

• Jabra Evolve 75

• Plantronics/Poly Voyager Focus

Learn English with Teacher Francis and the Grade 2 Students!

Here is a recording of one of our Language/English Class with the grade 2 students taught by the charming Teacher Frances Peralta. This is to give everyone a sample of how our online classes work at St. Francis Cainta.

Learning Grade 6 Geometry with Teacher Christine!

Here is a recording of an actual Math/Geometry online class with the Grade 6 students. The class is taught by our Mathematics Teacher Christine Bapor.

The Dangers of Dishonesty in Online Learning

In this age of online classes, many parents and guardians are doing their best to help their children cope online. This is good because teaching your child is an excellent opportunity to bond and spend time with them. Unfortunately, a few guardians or parents take it too far and end up doing two things that may harm their children's learning and character.

First, teachers have observed that some parents or guardians spoon-feed their children answers behind the scene during online class discussions. Teachers have reported that they can hear an adult's whispers telling the student answers during their class recitations. Sometimes they see adult hands visibly typing the answers for them.

Another concern among teachers is that there is a discrepancy between the homework and online class performance among some students. There are students always get perfect marks on their homework. However, during online classes, the teacher finds out that they haven't mastered the lesson yet. This begs the question, did the student really answer the homework themselves?

When this happens it has several harmful effects on the child’s academic and moral character such as:

• It teaches dishonesty.

• Dishonesty and cheating is usually not a one time thing. It can become a habit that may spread to other areas of the child's life and cause them to disregard others and face trouble in the future.

• When the child makes dishonesty a habit, it may bring trouble in their adult lives. For example, you can fail the course and eventually expelled if you are caught cheating in many schools and universities. Dishonesty in the workplace can easily get you fired.

• Dishonesty hampers progress and leads to failure. How can the child learn when someone else is answering the assignment for them? It is a waste of everyone’s time.

• It makes it more difficult for the teacher to properly assess the child's abilities, making progress difficult and slower.

• It robs children of the satisfaction of doing a job well done.

• It damages you children's self-confidence. When someone else answers the assignment, it is subconsciously telling the child that "You are not good enough to do it. That is why I will do it instead!"

• It causes embarrassment and kills trust. Any teacher can quickly tell if someone else has answered their students' homework because they know their own students' abilities.

• If classmates see parents help their child cheat, your child will lose the respect and trust of their classmates.
  

We strongly discourage all forms of dishonesty. News everywhere shows us that we do not progress as a nation because of the dishonest people in power. We cannot change our country's direction if we raise a generation of dishonest men and women. As educators, parents, and guardians, our sacred duty to the Lord Jesus Christ and our children is to emphasize the importance of honesty and integrity to our children in every part of our lives. 

10 Simple Tips to Improve Your Wifi Internet connection for Online Classes

10 Simple Tips to Improve Your Internet connection for Online Classes

1. Try to place your wireless Wifi internet router at the center of the room if possible to maximize coverage.

2. Make sure your child’s computer is in the same room as your Wifi router. Do not go too far. Sometimes just moving closer to the router will improve your signal.

3. Place your router as elevated as possible. Do not put it on the floor.

4. Place your Wifi router in an open space, do not put it in a closet or near walls. Wifi signals have problems penetrating brick, stone, and concrete walls.

5. Do not place it near metal objects. Metal tends to disrupt Wifi signals.

6. Avoid placing the Wifi router near other electronic devices like TVs or Microwaves. Other electronic devices that also emit radio waves can interfere with your Wifi signal. Avoid placing your Wifi router in places like the Kitchen.

7. Avoid placing the Wifi router near mirrors and fishtanks. The mirrors will reflect back the signals, and the water in the fishtanks will distort the signal.

8. If your internet slows down or stops, try to restart the router and modem by turning it off for a few seconds and on again. Most of the time, this resolves the issue. Restarting the computer may also help.

9. If you have the budget for it, we suggest investing in a second internet service as a backup. For example, some of our parents subscribe to both Converge ICT and Globe so that their child's online lesson cannot be interrupted by outages.

10. The best way to make your connection more reliable and stable is to connect directly to your wireless router through a LAN cable. Most wireless routers have ports labeled "LAN 1, LAN 2, LAN 3, and LAN 4, etc." You can purchase a CAT5 or CAT6 LAN network cable in most computer shops or hardware stores and connect your child's laptop directly to the router. This tip mostly applies to most notebook computers because they have built-in network ports or have adapters to connect to network cables.

11 Technology Rules and Responsibilities of a Franciscan

Technology such as tablets, laptops, and desktop computers are now essential tools in this age of online learning. They are also expensive and fragile, you need to know how to treat your devices properly. Here are the eleven technology rules and responsibilities of a Franciscan:

Technology Rule Number 1. Always Test Your Devices Before Classes

Do not wait until a few minutes before class. Always test at least an hour beforehand so that you will have enough time to fix any technical problems. There is nothing more frustrating than having technical difficulties during the class periods.

Here is the list of things you must test in advance

1. Test your internet connection

The most straightforward way to test your internet connection is to go to Youtube and play a few videos. Another way to test your connection is to go to your browser and type speedtest.net, an easy-to-use internet speed testing website. All you have to check your internet connection is tap or click on the big circle with "Go" and watch the test run.

2. Test your headset and webcam

The easiest way to test your headset and webcam is to log into your conferencing app and test it there. The conferencing apps like Zoom or Google meet have features that will test your camera, mic, and headphone.

3. Make sure your laptop or tablet's battery is fully charged

A laptop with an empty battery will run slower and lag even when it is plugged in. Running a laptop with an empty battery while charging will slow down your system. For a laptop to run at full power, it needs to use both its battery power and its power adaptor. So always make sure it always fully charged before online classes.

Rule Number 2. Always use a good headset with a mic

We require all students to use a headset because:

• A good headset will help the child hear the lecture clearly. Also thanks to the built-in mic, the recitations and questions of the student will be heard loud and clear by the teacher and classmates.

• A headset is more ergonomic than earbuds with a mic because earbuds require you to lift and hold the mic near your mouth to be able to speak clearly. In contrast, a headset's mic is always positioned near the mouth. 

• Headsets keep the students' hands on the keyboard and mouse so they can focus on their school work. Headsets promote good posture and proper blood circulation because it gives students the freedom to move and sit in any comfortable way.

Technology Rule Number 3. Do Not Eat or Drink Near your Computer

Like in a regular classroom, eating and drinking are not permitted during sessions. Eating during online classes makes it more difficult for you to focus on the lesson and it may distract your classmates, especially if you are eating something delicious. Your hands must always be free and ready to use the mouse or the keyboard whenever the teacher calls you to do an activity.

Also, having food and drinks near your computer can be harmful even dangerous. While eating, bits of food may fall into the keyboard or enter your laptop. The scraps could attract molds, small insects, and mice to try to get into your computer, making dirty and damage it.

Some drinks or sauces could spill over the keyboard or into your computer, damaging the hardware.

So you should always ensure your computer's cleanliness by protecting it against dirt, dust, and any other things that could damage it.

Here is a quick simple tip. So that you won't get hungry or thirsty during class, eat a hearty breakfast or lunch and drink some water or juice beforehand.

Technology Rule Number 4. Always carry your tablet or Laptop with Two hands.

Your parents have worked very hard to buy you an expensive device so that you can use it for study. The cheap tablet (and I air quote cheap) can cost more than 5000 pesos while a cheap laptop is 15,000 pesos or more. No matter how you look at it, that's a lot of money. Laptops and tablets are fragile, and one accident like a drop on the floor could totally destroy it. So if you break it, your parents might not be able to replace it.

So carry your computer or tablet firmly with two hands. When you bring it around with you, walk carefully, and when you put it down, set it down gently.

Technology Rule Number 5. Handle your device gently. 

Like we said before, your device is fragile and expensive, so handle it gently. Use only your fingers and hands to touch your device. Keyboards and touch screens are sensitive, so lightly tap the keys or screen when doing your work. Being gentle with your device keeps it working well and in good condition for a long time.

Unlike laptops, tablets are prone to be dropped more. So it's always a good idea to invest in a thick protective tablet case and tempered glass screen protector to protect your tablet.

Technology Rule Number 6. Wash your hands before using your device.

Let's just say that our hands and fingers tend to go to a lot of dirty places. A study by CBT Nugget, an IT-training company, suggests that many devices we use every day have more bacteria and germs than even our toilet! In fact, they found out that the keyboards of most offices has exactly 20,589 times more bacteria than your average toilet seat. Gross! 

When you touch things such as food, parts of your body, or if you come from outside, you might be bringing in dirt and germs that might settle in your laptop or tablet, so wash your hands before touching your device. In this age of the pandemic, you can never be too careful.

Technology Rule Number 7. Always keep your device clean. 

As we said before, our devices are dirt and germ magnets because we touch it a lot. So after using your device, always keep it clean by wiping it down with a soft cloth. We suggest adding a little 70% isopropyl alcohol to a soft cloth and wipe it down to disinfect your device.

To wet your cleaning cloth properly, just put a little alcohol, just enough to soak the fabric so that it can lightly spread and disinfect the surface. Don't put too much because the liquid might drip inside your gadget and damage it. 

The whole body of a tablet and laptops could be wiped down with isopropyl alcohol safely.

Technology Rule Number 8. Limit your screen time

When doing distance learning, you will be spending a lot of time looking at the screen of your computer. Spending too much time in front of a monitor can cause side effects like eye strain and headaches, and you may find it difficult to sleep. For every hour of screen time, we suggest you give your eyes a break for 15 minutes. 

In our class schedules, we provide each student with a 15-minute break for every hour of class. During those breaks, we suggest you stand up, walk around, stretch, and relax your eyes by closing them for a few minutes.

When you are done with all your online classes and schoolwork, avoid playing video games, chatting, checking social media, or watching TV. Instead, unwind by spending time with your family, cook and eat some delicious food, talk with your friends on the phone, help your parents with the household chores, play some sports or indoor games,  and give your eyes some much-needed rest by taking a nap. 

Technology Rule Number 9. When You're Done, Keep Your Laptop or Tablet in a Safe Place

When you are done with your online studies, make sure to place your laptop, tablet, headsets, and other devices in a safe, clean, and dry place. Keep your devices where it won't get damaged like a cool and dry drawer, bookcase, or cupboard, or in a box with the rest of your gadgets.  Keep your devices away from your younger siblings, walking paths, near pets, in hot or wet areas like the cooking area of your kitchen. Also, as we said in Rule number 1, always keep your device fully charged before putting it away for the day.

Technology Rule Number 10: Don't make your passwords easy to guess and Keep it a Secret!

Your passwords are very important! You need your password to log in to your accounts and apps! Don't make your password easy to guess and the first thing you need to do when you receive your account is to change your password to something more difficult to guess. use a long password with at least 8 letters and mix them with words, numbers, and special characters. Most accounts are hacked because the victim used very easy to guess passwords like their birthday, their name, or simple numbers like "12345." In fact the most common password according to Wikipedia is "password."

Wikipedia: List of Most Common Passwords

The most effective way to not lose your password is to write them down in a notebook! Trust me just do it! You can also add your passwords to your cell phone or computer but what happens if your device breaks? So to be extra safe, make sure to write it down in a notebook. Parents if you are listening. I highly suggest that you also keep a list of your children's passwords just in case!

 You can share your password with your family but do not share them with your friends and especially do not share them with strangers! If you give your password away to a stranger, that person can hack your account and cause a lot of trouble! We suggest you apply these principles not only to your SFAMSC Accounts but also to all your social media and other online accounts. 

Technology Rule Number 11: Master Your Technology

Learning how to use your devices and apps is very important for online learning. You must always practice your technology to become digitally literate. How to turn your computer on and off, how to drag and drop with your mouse, and how to use your apps. If you master your digital tool  you can become independent,  learn faster, and enjoy your study more.

Final Word

And there you have it, the 11 technology rules and responsibilities of a Franciscan. If you are mindful of these rules and practice your responsibilities diligently,  you will become an effective online student and an upstanding digital citizen that everybody can trust and respect. Good luck, and God bless!