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Introduction to Data Science

4 Tips for Online Communication

Since our primary mode of group communication will be Zoom, it’s worth thinking about how to do this well Below are some points-of-interest that experience shows me need to be explicitly mentioned:

4.1 Basics

  • Please make sure your online name matches your real name, or however you’d like to be addressed during the class. You can change this permanently in your profile instead of ever session.
  • Please arrive on time to the class! Unexpected circumstances notwithstanding, we will begin promptly.
  • Please ensure that your internet connect is fast enough to handle video conferencing. Your home connection is probably good enough. Hotels and some public spaces typically have very slow connections.
  • Please sit in a comfortable chair with an appropriate desk and have something to drink nearby prepared before the call. Balancing your laptop on your literal lap just makes typing more uncomfortable.
  • Turn off your phone, put it on “do not disturb,” or put it on silent and leave it in another room. Reducing distractions will mostly help you stay focused on our lessons.

4.2 Video

  • Please join using video! Present yourself however feels professional and comfortable to you. Being able to see each other will aid greatly in building the classroom experience.
  • If you have an external webcam, please use it. They typically have better quality than built-in cameras.
  • As far as possible for your living condition, please find a quiet and private place where you can have the calls. Having people in the background walking around is distracting (both visually and audibly). If you are in the presence of colleagues they often feel that they can interrupt you, which detracts from your learning experience. Thus, avoid open office spaces.
  • Let your family members and colleagues know that you are on a call and that you’s like to not be disturbed. It’s alright if it happens occasionally, but they should know that you’re trying to focus and learn.
  • Please choose your background carefully. A plain wall if perfectly fine. It should be at the very least non-distracting.
  • If you are worried about privacy, please choose a non-distracting static-image background.
  • Lighting → Avoid positioning yourself between a window and your webcam (we’ll just see a silhouette). If you have a desktop lamp and are sitting facing a wall, I find that pointing your light to the wall produces a nice soft reflective light.
  • Camera position → Your head should be completely visible and, if possible, some part of your upper body.
    • If your computer is sitting on your desk, the camera angle typically offers an unflattering perspective looking up your nose. Using a simple computer stand with an external keyboard and mouse, or an external monitor with a camera can greatly help here. Position your camera at eye level. (I realize these solutions involve purchases and are not ideal).

4.3 Audio

  • Good audio quality is even more important that good video quality!
  • Keep your microphone on mute unless you are talking.
  • When you want to speak, you can:
    • Use the “raise hand” icon which will tell the trainer that you have something to say, or
    • Press and hole the space bar to temporarily unmute yourself and just start talking.
  • If you have an external microphone please use it, their audio quality will also likely be much better than your built-in microphone.
  • Please install Krisp, a noise-cancelling software and link it to zoom. Make sure that your audio input and output are directed via Krisp.

4.4 Hardware

  • Do not join a Zoom call using only your phone or tablet! Screen sharing, video and audio are all substandard on mobile devices. Note that Zoom can be quite resource intensive and sometimes your computer’s performance may be reduced during our video call.
  • Turning off video may help.
  • Close any oper applications that you don’t need for the call, including unnecessary open taps in your web browser.
  • Use the resource manager, provided by your operating system, to detect which applications are using the most system resources. Close any that are not necessary.