Six Ways for Students to Use Automatic Transcription

This September, going remote doesn't need to equate to going out of your mind. In some cases there are tools that can make students' transition to fully online classes even more beneficial than in-person learning.

One of these tools is automatic transcription software.

Today we'll provide students with six beneficial ways to use machine transcribed audio in order to dive into their upcoming remote semester with ease.

1. Create Effortless Transcripts

If you're a student who needs to conduct interviews or discuss research, automated transcriptions are for you! We all know the struggle of speaking with someone while furiously trying to scribble down what they're saying. Multitasking increases the risk of forgetting information they have shared when the interaction is over, or just completely missing it in the first place. Recording your interactions with professors, specialists, and other professionals is a great way to get the most out of your conversations. By automatically transcribing the audio recorded during these interactions, you're saving space in your brain and time in your day to focus on the prep and followup of your field research.

2. Support Other Students

While students are not yet back to school, we've already learned so much this year. One of the biggest takeaways from the last eight months is that we're all in a similar place right now in terms of relying on communities and our peers to get by. By automatically transcribing audio, you're creating digital documents that are easy to edit, organize, search within, and share. Whether you're a student with a lot going on outside of class or someone who is pretty comfortable despite our current socio-economic troubles, there is always room for give and take between yourself and other students. Use the time you save with automated transcriptions to support fellow students, because if there was ever a time to lend a helping hand to your classmates, it's now.

3. Automate your Lecture Notes

If you've ever found yourself falling asleep in class, automated transcription software may be the wakeup call you need. Using machine transcribed audio to create transcripts of your lectures means that paying attention won't be such a difficult feat. Save the time you would be using to take notes and instead you can make yourself a second cup of coffee to stay awake through a particularly challenging lecture.

4. Get the Most out of Tutoring

If you're looking for additional help with a topic or concept that you're already struggling to understand, you don't want to spend the entirety of a tutoring session scribbling down notes and trying to remember everything that was said. If you're able to record these sessions, automated transcription will allow you to create a clean transcript of everything you learned with your tutor so you can go back at any time and review the information. This allows you to be more present with your tutor while you have them on the line and spend your time together actively learning rather than panicking while trying to do three things at once.

5. Spend Time Enjoying Learning

To quote a cliché, time does fly when you're having fun. When you use automation to transcribe things you would otherwise need to spend time manually typing out, you have a lot more freedom in those leftover hours. Use this time to turn studying into a fun game, create social groups where you can learn from others, and try new ways to learn that allow you to actually enjoy the subject matter. By finding fun in your studies, you're more likely to enjoy rather than dread it, and we all need a morale booster in times like these.

6. Maximize your Study Time

Finally, by using all the methods listed above, machine transcribed audio is increasing the time you have at the end of the day to study for tests, quizzes, and (ultimately) exams. This provides the short term benefit of keeping your grade up until you're faced with your mid- and and-of-term tests, for which you will have had ample time to prepare.

Students this September may be a little resentful that back to school season isn't back to bed season. These are stressful times, and education systems going fully remote isn't an easy challenge to take on. However, with the right tools on your side, you'll be ready to tackle the fall semester and achieve academic success all from the comfort of your own couch.