Even after the coronavirus pandemic fades from our memories, remote learning will be here to stay. A large number of students in both K-12 and higher education settings are thriving in the virtual classroom and are uncomfortable to return to traditional teaching methods.
This trend, coupled with parent and student demands for continued access to remote learning, means that online classes will restructure the landscape of education in the coming years.
With more schools electing to offer online options to students, educational organizations and teachers must perfect the way they deliver virtual lessons.
Fortunately, there are a wide variety of available tech tools for creating the perfect virtual classroom — that is, one that encourages engagement and amplifies the learning experience for the student audience.
Educational organizations must undergo a digital transformation to fully deliver the kind of learning experience that boosts student success.
In general, a remote learning program must:
All these tasks can be met using a strong communication program that centers around video conferencing for education.
Exciting new tools such as interactive whiteboards can amplify results by offering closed captioning, transcription, translation, screen sharing and a host of other features.
What schools need most is a communication solution that helps educators combine feature-rich technology with targeted lesson plans to deliver a high-quality virtual learning experience.
Video conferencing for education must hit several touchpoints to be truly effective in the virtual classroom, including:
Applications that are Specific to Education
Zoom, GoToMeeting, and other video conferencing solutions are ill-suited for educational purposes. They are easy to hack, clumsy to manage, and do not allow for full-scale sharing.
Interactive whiteboards such as Promethean’s ActivPanel Elements Series are purpose-built for the educational industry, coupling manageability and ease-of-use with reliable security that focuses on privacy and data protection.
Feature-Rich Options
Today’s video conferencing tools provide a host of features aimed at improving the virtual classroom experience. At a minimum, you should look for solutions that provide:
With these tools at your fingertips, it becomes much simpler to create the kind of rich, immersive experience that promotes student success.
Support for Collaboration
Your chosen video conferencing solutions should also allow for collaboration among students and other classes, where possible.
The Promethean’s ActivInspire software allows for teachers to “call” several students to the “front of the class” to interact with one another in real time. Their companion software, Classflow, offers collaboration through student accounts so students can collaborate after class on online homework, projects, and more.
Today’s educational organizations have a lot on their plates as they adjust to the continuing demands for virtual learning. Not only must they engage an increasingly remote student body, but they must do so while keeping student data and other sensitive information safe from theft or loss.
At Virginia Business Systems (VBS) we have a full spectrum of tools to help you serve your student and teacher population better while offering a high level of security and compliance.
Our communications solutions range from cost-effective voice over internet protocol (VoIP) connectivity to interactive whiteboard solutions that are custom created to meet the needs of education professionals involved in remote learning.
Our team of industry experts can help you assess your needs, target and achieve specific goals, and develop the tools and skills you need to offer safe, effective, and exciting virtual learning experiences to your student population.
Take your virtual classroom to the next level this year. Contact an VBS representative now and discover our wide selection of video conferencing and communication tools made specifically for educators.