With 21+ years of experience in general management, sales and channel development in the UC industry, Ankur Goel has a proven track record in transforming business and leading teams to new levels of growth and profitability. In the past, Ankur has held Executive and Sales positions with several major organizations including Qlik and Cisco. He has been instrumental in building Poly India team and business over the past six years.
The education system in India has undergone a major haul over the last one year in terms of how it operates. Due to unfortunate circumstances of the pandemic, more than 35 crore students and 1.08 crore teachers across 15 lakh schools, 1,028 universities, 41,901 colleges and 10,726 standalone institutes in our country were unable to attend classes during the lockdown.
To address this challenge, traditional teaching methods had to be revamped and educators started using technology in innovative ways to make learning a lot more interactive.
In 2021, many are looking forward to the long-awaited return to the physical classroom. However, the pandemic has disrupted the education landscape in India forever thereby accelerating the adoption of e-learning or blended learning.
Universities are now evaluating how they can leverage technology to create classrooms of the future and educational institutions are under tremendous pressure to establish excellent standards for hybrid learning – with educators teaching students in both the classroom and at home.
This needs to support online learning alongside classroom-based teaching will remain now and into the future so schools need to deliver a consistent learning experience across a hybrid learning environment.
Importance of investing in the hybrid learning approach
The advantages of investing in a hybrid learning approach are many. From improved flexibility for students and teachers to increased access to learning for students in rural India, hybrid learning is helping to change the way we think of education and is removing many of the barriers that have traditionally existed.
One of the most important factors while implementing the hybrid learning approach is to ensure that the quality of the learning experience is the same as in class training.
The strategies and the technologies that universities and schools implement to make e-learning more immersive and constructive to the teacher and student community than what it is today is more important than ever.
Collaboration technology powering the hybrid education model
So far, many teachers and students have been getting by using integrated cameras and speakers found on their computers and laptops, but poor audio and video quality is distracting and can have a negative impact on a student’s ability to learn.
Collaboration technologies like HD videoconferencing solutions are key to overcoming these challenges and it plays a pivotal role to play in enhancing the experience for both educators and students.
Videoconferencing must be more than a software application through a laptop, however. Participants need to be able to enjoy live streaming without interruption, with high-definition images that bring the room to life for remote students and cameras that capture not only the speaker, but the context of the teaching environment.
For students who are joining a class from home or sharing a space with others while learning, noise distraction can become a big issue. In fact, experts predict that noise can affect complex cognitive and learning abilities, resulting in poorer motivation and higher levels of annoyance.
Providing students with the right headsets can be the ideal solution for those trying to learn in a potentially noisy environment. Noise-cancelling headsets for example will allow students to focus on listening and learning without being distracted from their surroundings.
Audio quality of videoconferencing devices in the classroom is also key, ensuring microphones pick up the speaker — whether that’s the teacher or a student asking a question — rather than the murmur of the classroom.
All education providers are striving to achieve the same goal, to engage their students effectively and are turning to technology to help them navigate through the new normal.
While learning at times of uncertainty and complexity can be a challenge, through the right collaboration tools like high quality audio and videoconferencing solutions — educational institutions can ensure that these new hybrid experiences are engaging and informative for all participants, no matter where they are located, now and in the longer term.