Increasingly, video conferencing is not just being installed in businesses, but is making inroads into education. Educators in schools, colleges and universities are making use of video conferencing to achieve their goals and objectives.
A white paper by Lifesize, discusses the various ways in which video conferencing can help educators. Video conferencing helps educators with the solutions they need to adapt in an ever-changing world. Video conferencing also improves the quality and scope of education that teachers worldwide provide to their students. So, let’s begin talking about it…
1) Encourage virtual field trips to enhance the standard curriculum: Video conferencing can help students visit museums, conferences and more. Now, students do not need to physically travel. Also, with schools and colleges having tieups with various learning institutions, such as museums, students can simply visit them virtually.
2) Encourage experts to visit the classroom, virtually: Video conferencing eliminates the time and hassle of travel, thereby making it easy to beam subject-matter experts directly into the classroom from anywhere in the world. These experts bring meaning to a lesson. Also, more of them are willing to give their time due to video conferencing, as they do not have to interrupt their busy schedules for a physical classroom session.
3) Reach out to students in rural communities: Many students in rural areas often miss out on many of the opportunities that their urban and suburban peers take for granted. When you connect these rural students through video conferencing, this allows them to attend school from home. It also gives them access to field trips and experts, which they would otherwise never have the opportunity to experience. This can dramatically improve the quality of their learning experience.
4) Connect classrooms globally: With video conferencing, students can connect with their counterparts around the world, thereby greatly expanding their worldview. This lets students have a greater appreciation for the world around them. It also prepares students to be global citizens and stewards of the more open, more tolerant and more interconnected world of tomorrow.
5) Record sessions for future playback: Video recording and feedback makes it easy for students to stay on track, even as it reinforces knowledge transfer. The recording of sessions helps students who are absent, or who just want to go over the content during their study time. Also, district staff meetings can be held over video and can be recorded for anyone unable to participate live.
6) Conduct parent/teacher conferences remotely: You can avoid scheduling conflicts for parent/teacher meetings, by meeting with parents remotely. Parents just need an Internet connection and a webcam in order to dial in to a parent/teacher conference. Video conferencing makes it easier for both parent and teacher schedules.
With video conferencing fast becoming ubiquitous in education, teachers, students and parents can avail of this technology to enhance learning and participation. So, do consider introducing video conferencing in schools, colleges and universities. Here’s to a rewarding and power-packed learning session, using video conferencing!
For more information on how you can set up video conferencing for your classroom, auditorium or lecture hall, contact Actis at 022-30808080 or at contact@actis.co.in.
(Content courtesy: www.lifesize.com and Images courtesy: www.metn.k12.mn.us)