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In AV, you probably hear the saying all the time: “You can have a meeting with no camera, but you can’t have a meeting with no audio.” We live and breathe this saying at this point. In education settings, while it may not be repeated as often, it’s the same story. In the age of hybrid or HyFlex learning, hearing and being heard are paramount for students to pay attention, learn and succeed.

This is harder than it looks, however. Classrooms are all different shapes, sizes and materials — all of which affect how sound travels and, therefore, how well students can hear and be heard, whether they’re in person or remote. In fact, studies show average classroom noise levels hover between 55 and 75 decibels — ranging from a casual conversation to the bustle of Times Square. With this kind of range, are there any best practices or considerations?

The answer is yes. By following some of these tips, you’ll be on your way to creating an accommodating and accessible classroom environment for instructors and students.

First of all, before you try to fix everything with technology, you need to study what you have. You may not be able to tear down classroom walls and start over, but you can learn how to work with what’s there. Establish a baseline by using a sound-level meter and taking readings when the room is empty. Note where ambient noise is coming from — traffic outside? HVAC? Projector hum?

Listen for reverberation as well. You can check this with software or the old-fashioned way — clapping once and listening. If you hear a slight echo or ringing, you have too much reverb in the room.

Now that you understand the room and its natural noises, you can use your technology to plan around it. The goal is even sound coverage. You can check this by using an SPL meter and playing pink noise through the classroom’s speakers. Take readings from seats around the room. For microphones, test them in a similar way — walk around and listen for consistent pickup. Check out the ANSI/ASA S12.60 standard for classroom acoustics as a solid baseline for performance criteria.

Now it’s time to pick the right gear. For our purposes here, let’s focus on microphones. When it comes to selecting one for a classroom, there are many types and options: lavalier microphones that attach to clothing, handheld mics, gooseneck microphones attached to a lectern or podium and ceiling-array microphones, among others. There’s no bad option — it just depends on the classroom type, instructor style and your institution’s needs.

For classrooms where it’s important to pick up the voice of every in-person student and make sure those voices are heard by remote participants, a ceiling-array microphone such as Audio-Technica’s ATND1061 is an option. Mark Donovan, director of commercial applications at Audio-Technica, says one of the biggest challenges in hybrid classrooms is maintaining a natural conversational flow between in-room and remote participants.

So now you’ve selected your microphones — where do you put them? The easiest answer is as close as possible to the sound source. If you’re using a ceiling-array microphone with defined pickup zones, note those carefully as you place them to ensure full coverage. Pay attention to any built-in amplification or “voice lift” technology that enhances speech at the edge of those pickup zones, such as Audio-Technica’s Voice Lift feature. Use these factors in your placement strategy.

The next thing to consider in a classroom setting is how well your chosen audio solutions integrate with your videoconferencing platform of choice. Does your institution use Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or Zoom? Does your technology integrate easily with that platform? Instructors expect to walk into a room where the technology just works — and that’s the mark of a well-designed system. With the right research and the right product for your needs, you can make sure it works efficiently and reliably.

No matter what you select for your classroom, taking the time to understand how audio behaves in the room will save you time and headaches in the long run. At the end of the day, students and instructors just want to hear and be heard. Providing that seamless experience takes planning, but understanding the space, the standards and the right tools makes all the difference.

These tips are just a jumping-off point. If you want to learn more about effective classroom audio, join us for EdTech Day of LAVNCH WEEK 12 — Oct. 29, 2025. Audio-Technica’s Mark Donovan will join Gary Kayye to discuss consistent classroom audio without a complicated setup. Register here.