Online seminars at the university

A little more than half of this unusual summer semester is already over. As we know from experience, digital teaching has certain advantages, but also disadvantages. The teachers decide for themselves how they want to organize their events. Some lecturers decide to record and upload videos in advance, which means that we as students can watch them flexibly. The second option is that the event takes place synchronously. What is the best way to prepare for an online seminar? Here are a few tips that I would like to recommend to you from my own experience:

-        Find a quiet place for the duration of the event: If you live in a shared apartment, it is best to avoid studying in the common areas. Suddenly a roommate can come in, so you can quickly be distracted from the content... and unfortunately there is no repetition in synchronous seminars!

-        Take notes on paper: This may sound a bit old school, but even if the event is taking place online, it is still helpful to note down the most important points about the topic. You are welcome to use a piece of paper for this so that you are not overwhelmed with too many open windows on the screen. In addition, working with paper can be seen as a bit of a distraction from constantly staring at the screen.

-        Mute microphone, turn on camera: It's best to mute your microphone so that any noises from your room are no longer transmitted. Instead, keep your camera on - not only is it nice for the lecturers to see some faces, but you also get at least a little closer to the feeling of community that you usually have at university - at least if other fellow students also use their cameras.

-        Use a headset instead of the built-in PC microphone: Of course, muting the microphone applies until the moment you want to say something. When speaking, I recommend using a headset or an external microphone. This solves the problem with the annoying echo that other participants can hear from your PC.

Dare to discuss: The success of this digital semester also largely depends on our commitment as students. Even if the atmosphere is different, feel free to discuss and ask questions. The lecturers are definitely looking forward to your active participation, which can even give you bonus points at the end of the semester. This may also make other students feel more motivated to take part, making the event more pleasant and productive for everyone. 

By Mariya Hristova