{"id":121657,"date":"2021-01-18T08:52:50","date_gmt":"2021-01-18T07:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=121657"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:20","slug":"the-most-annoying-thing-is-when-the-technology-doesnt-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/01\/18\/the-most-annoying-thing-is-when-the-technology-doesnt-work\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The most annoying thing is when the technology doesn\u2019t work\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since last May, Sandra van Thiel has been professor of Public management at Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences. She had worked at EUR before, but it was still strange to return to her old workplace during the pandemic. She is very appreciative of the ICT support given to staff and is also happy to try out new things herself.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI left EUR in 2012 to go to Radboud University in Nijmegen and returned in May 2020. It was funny to see that some of my own texts are still in the teaching material, but a lot has changed too. The ICT support here is brilliant, much better than in other places.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like trying out new things in education. One of the teaching methods I use is the studio, where students give lessons themselves on Zoom. They prepare the material and arrange the programme. It gives me interesting insight into what material they enjoy working with. And actually being part of the lectures makes the students more involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used this form offline too, but it works really well online too. I\u2019m obviously there myself during the lecture so that I can intervene or explain something if necessary. I don\u2019t experience online teaching as more work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robotic voice<\/h2>
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\u201cThe most annoying thing is when the technology doesn\u2019t work. One of the first times I used Zoom, there was something wrong with my voice. I was only working on my laptop at the time and I tried everything, but the sound was very tinny. And then all you\u2019re worried about is: \u2018Is it better now?\u2019 No not yet. \u2018And now?\u2019 No.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I got my husband involved, and he has an unusual sense of humour. He asked the students \u2013 luckily there weren\u2019t many \u2013 what was wrong. \u2018Well, your wife sounds a bit robotic,\u2019 the students told him. To which my husband replied in a robotic voice, waving his finger over his lips: \u2018T-h-a-t-s h-o-w s-h-e a-l-w-a-y-s s-o-u-n-d-s\u2019. But he couldn\u2019t solve the problem either. Anyway, after restarting Zoom, everything sounded normal again. I then bought lots of new equipment, like a good camera and microphone and a large monitor. I do like new gadgets.<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018To which my husband replied in a robotic voice: \u2018T-h-a-t-s h-o-w s-h-e a-l-w-a-y-s s-o-u-n-d-s\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

\u201cYou know, all those cameras going on and off during a lecture don\u2019t bother me too much. Even when you give a lecture in a hall to 250 students, there will always be some on their phone or sitting backwards or asleep. I\u2019m so used to it that I just continue as normal. Or I say something like: it\u2019s nice to see everyone and could you turn your cameras on? Two thirds of them will do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blame game<\/h2>

\u201cI have the luxury of having my own study, and I now work completely from home because my husband is vulnerable due to illness. It\u2019s nice to be able to work from home, but I\u2019m looking forward to September when we can hopefully return to campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo keep work a bit more fun, I organise social talks<\/em> with my PhD students, where we spend an hour chatting about all kinds of things. I do the same with collegues, but you need to plan that kind of thing. The motivation has to come from you, but fortunately I enjoy my work. It\u2019s hard for new colleagues starting in their first jobs at this time. And I don\u2019t think it\u2019s fair to blame students for being super spreaders. Imagine sitting around at home all day, even during an internship. That\u2019s not easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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