It's a good idea to determine the maximum range of the microphone in your setting before starting to use TeachScribe.

To do so, first think some common locations where the iPad might be placed during the day, and where you might be recording an observation from. The range of the microphones should be more than adequate when both the microphone and the iPad are indoors, or both the microphone and iPad are outdoors. However, the range will be most affected when travelling through walls so it's important to test the range of the microphone when going from indoors to outdoors. Then, pick the pair of locations that are furthest away from each other. For example, the corner of the classroom and the corner of the playground.

Once you've done that, plug the microphone reciever in to the iPad and clip the microphone on to yourself / your lanyard (make sure you turn it on first!). Then, open up the "Voice Memos" app on your iPad.

Next, place the iPad in the corner of the classroom (or another place you've decided to start the test from) and start recording.

You're now going to want to walk away from the iPad towards the furthest point you'd be recording an observation from, stopping every few meters to describe your location by holding the push to talk button down and speaking in to the microphone e.g i'm about 3 meters from the ipad, i'm about 6 meters from the ipad, i'm about to walk out of the door, i'm by the bench in the playground etc until you get to your final location. Now do the same thing on the way back.

Once you get back to the iPad listen back to the recording back. The point at which you no longer hear your location descriptions, or they become unintelligible is the point at which the max range has been reached. The location descriptions will become intelligible again when you come back in to range

If the max range is reached before you reach the furthest location you will want to consider making sure that the iPad is placed more centrally in the room whilst recording observations so repeat the test at a more central location to confirm that the central location is more appropriate.

As the iPad's range is most affected by walls, if range when travelling from inside to outside is poor, it may make most sense to position the iPad next to a window, or bring it outside with you when making observations outside. In our experience, the biggest decreases to range when travelling from inside to outside occur in prefab / mobile classrooms.

If you do have any issues with the range of the microphone in your classroom, please get in touch at [email protected] or through the live chat that should be visible from this article and we'll get back to you ASAP.