While STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and its evolution to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) are relatively newer terms in the education space, the concepts are not new. For as long as education has been around, there has always been a drive to equip students with the skills necessary for an ever-growing society. The challenge is often that educators today are endeavoring to prepare students for STEM/STEAM-type careers that don’t even exist yet. 

 

Additionally, during the COVID shutdown, the majority of students across America found themselves with only their technology as the means to engage with teachers, lessons, and their peers. School-issued computers, assignments as well as famous YouTube-type influencers drove many students into learning the art of media production. From creating engaging video content to hosting their own podcasts, students turned their homes into media production studios, whether for grade or just for fun.

 

However, once they returned to the classroom after the shutdown restrictions were lifted there were many students looking to continue the skills they had been learning, leaving schools ill-equipped with the right media equipment to help them. Seeking to best equip the equippers, we’ve compiled a complete checklist for any school looking to provide students with a complete media production program.

 

  • Lighting

Too much lighting and the visuals are washed out. Too little lighting and you have shadows and it’s too dark. Lighting helps give the visual art value. You’ll want to make sure you have lights that are common for today’s production values while also being basic enough for students to set-up and use.

Pro Tip: The goal of lighting for video is not to get rid of shadows. No shadows means no depth. Flat images are unappealing. Lighting is used to create appropriate and controlled shadows, which in turn creates compelling and interesting images. The goal is controlling light, not eliminating shadows. 

  • Cameras

From photography to students creating video announcements and everything in between there can be a variety of camera needs for a production. The right cameras will be versatile enough and durable enough to give students the best hands-on experience.

 

  • Mics 

Nothing is worse than getting to the point of recording only to find out the mics you have for students are such a poor quality that they impair the final output. Wired mics, wireless mics and podcast mics all have different purposes. Mics that help students create podcasts, broadcasts or cinema production means needing to have your production room fitted with the right kind of mics for the job.

 

  • Interfaces and sound mixing equipment

Creating the content is only as good as the additional equipment needed to assist, edit or mix what’s being created. This also gives students the opportunity to become skilled on both sides of the mic or camera. 

 

  • Sound isolation and acoustic products 

Classrooms come in all shapes and sizes, so making sure the space(s) that will be most used are outfitted for optimal acoustics ensures high production values. Podcast areas have different needs than a larger performance area, so it important to make sure you never skip step #6. 

 

  • The right audio-visual designer 

The right audio-visual team will be able to assess the space(s) of any school and budget to make sure students have what they need to create content that takes them beyond the walls of their school. 

 

Conclusion

While audio visual equipment is nothing new to schools, how students are using it is changing and opening up new education and career options for students like never before. STEAM career options for students aren’t going away, giving educators a unique position to equip their space with everything needed to spark the interest into a future production professional. While this can be daunting, Audio Acoustics is ready to outfit any school with the right audio-visual package for any media production they are ready to offer students.

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