As schools adjusted to the rigors of enforced remote learning in 2020, their go-to tool was video conferencing technology. Now that the pandemic is slowing and students are moving back into the classroom, more school districts are creating hybrid learning situations. In hybrid learning, students spend time in a mix of learning environments, from remote learning to in-class instruction. In fact, 60% of classes are being live streamed to students at home, whether due to illness or participation in online learning. To meet these needs, technology around video conferencing for education has evolved to allow teachers to create an enriching and valuable learning experience that is also safe and secure.
How Video Conferencing for Education Can Add Value to Students’ Learning Experience
Video conferencing can benefit students and instructors alike by adding significant value to the learning experience. Video is interactive, engaging, and attention-capturing, the perfect mix of characteristics for a supercharged learning environment. Here are some of the benefits of video conferencing for education:
1. A Sense of Connection
Remote learning can lead to a sense of isolation, which in turn causes students to struggle. Video conferencing offers an easy way to bring classmates together and facilitates the kind of interaction that is critical for strong mental health and improved learning outcomes.
2. A Forum for Content Sharing
Students and teachers can share content in real-time in an online classroom forum through video conferencing. Sharing via video conferencing can improve the quality of communication as well as the degree of understanding — both important factors for amplified learning and material retention.
3. A Tool for Collaboration and Group Learning
When students work together as a group using video conferencing, they can improve their collaboration and communication skills. Chat features can help students keep the conversation going while documents are being screen-shared and also allow for private conversations to take place during group discussions.
4. Enriched Learning
Today’s video conferencing tools have many built-in features that amplify the learning experience. Tools such as whiteboarding, transcription, translation, and even closed captioning can facilitate learning and interaction. With a host of online editing and sharing tools, students experience lessons in real-time, with the ability to see, hear, and participate fully in the learning experience.
5. A Safe Space
With the advent of “zoombombing,” more educational organizations are opting for custom-tailored video conferencing solutions that offer increased privacy and safety. With hackers still targeting free video conferencing software, moving to a bespoke solution becomes important for schools looking to protect their data — and their students and staff — from unwanted and embarrassing breaches.
Alongside these five benefits, video conferencing brings a multifaceted host of advantages to the virtual educational classroom. Students can participate on field trips, communicate with students at sister schools around the globe, and gain public speaking confidence through collaborative exercises. As a cost-effective adjunct for learning, the benefits of video conferencing for education are nearly limitless.
CDS Has Powerful Video Conferencing Solutions for Your School
While many industries, including education, have only recently begun to focus on the advantages of video conferencing, we at CDS have been pioneering video conferencing solutions for years. Over time, we have curated the best, most cost-effective solutions to help you reach your online student body in a way that gets real results.
Streamlining communications while providing a high level of interaction compounds learning and increases comprehension and retention of learning materials. A video conferencing solution that is custom-tailored to the need and challenges of your particular organization is a critical element of strong online learning curricula.
At CDS, our team of video experts can help you connect your students, teachers, and administrators in a safe, secure, and private online environment. Video conferencing can amplify and enrich learning, lower staff and student frustration, and help your school thrive — even when students cannot physically be in the classroom.
We also offer leading-edge technologies such as Sharp’s AQUOS Interactive Whiteboard that can bring added value to online lectures, presentations, trainings, and more.
Amplify your hybrid or remote learning environment. Contact a CDS representative today to learn how a custom-tailored video conferencing solution can help you expand and enrich learning and material comprehension at your school.
