Comparison of Remote-Audiovisual Teaching and Face-to-Face Teaching on Factors Causing Teacher’s Voice Problems and Subjective Voice Evaluation

Abstract

Objectives: Due to the global pandemic caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19), many remote-audiovisual teaching methods have been introduced. Remote-audiovisual teaching may lead to changes in teacher’s voice usage patterns. Therefore, it is necessary to compare between remote-audiovisual teaching and traditional face-to-face teaching methods in regards to the factors that affect teacher’s voice problems and subjective voice evaluation. Methods: This study investigated whether there was significant difference between two teaching methods on the risk factors (environment, physical, vocal use, psychological) causing voice problems and subjective voice evaluations (vocal effort ratings, vocal tract discomfort scale). Seventy-nine teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools participated in this study. Results: Face-to-face teaching had significantly higher scores when compared with remote-audiovisual teaching for environmental and voice use factors. For psychological factors, remote-audiovisual teaching showed significantly higher scores than face-to-face teaching. There were no significant differences in physical factors between the two teaching methods. In subjective voice evaluation, face-to-face teaching showed significantly higher scores compared to remote-audiovisual teaching in vocal effort ratings and frequency and severity of vocal tract discomfort scale. Conclusion: This study shows that teachers not only require more vocal loading and vocal effort in face-to-face teaching compared to remote-audiovisual teaching, but also experience high vocal discomfort. Therefore, that the results of this study suggest that the remote-audiovisual teaching method allows teachers to use their voice more comfortably in comparison to face-to-face teaching.