Getting back on campus with unified communications
February 8th, 2021
In my last blog I discussed the benefits of using AV technology across the higher education space. In this post, we’ll look at how unified communications and other technologies can improve the learning experience for students and help campuses reopen when it’s safe to do so.
While it’s a very uncertain time for many universities and colleges up and down the country, there are a number of systems and processes that can be put in place to help both staff and students as they return to campus learning.
Unified communications to maximise engagement
Developing an engaging learning experience has never been more important. In a relatively short space of time, we’ve seen education institutions forced to move learning to a purely online environment. Making this jump isn’t easy but there are technologies which can ease the transition and sustain the learning experience for the long term. Choosing unified communications technologies that are familiar, easy to use, robust and well-built can foster real collaboration between educators and students. Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Webex all have the capabilities to facilitate virtual learning sessions. Through the installation of plugins, these solutions can integrate with virtual learning environments (VLEs) such as Blackboard and Moodle, allowing the student to move seamlessly from video collaboration to accessing education resources via their learning platform.
At Cinos we are well placed to provide onsite support for institutions and advise around on-going costs, both in terms of licencing and maintenance. This can help education institutions to budget effectively and choose the best option based on their needs.
Having tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams in place can help universities to promote seamless collaboration and minimise some of the disruption caused for students by these very uncertain times. While the etiquettes of conferencing calling won’t be unfamiliar to educators, they might very well be to students. Familiarising students with remote learning practices is really important to ensure sessions remain productive and engaging for all. Steps such as muting when not talking and preventing all attendees from talking at the same time, must be made clear from the start.
How A/V technology helps learning safely return to the campus
From social distancing to safely navigating the return to campus learning, higher education has had to overcome many challenges in 2020. AV technology has a part to play in helping bring confidence to universities as they go about creating processes that are safe for both staff and students. For those who are learning onsite, AV also has a role to play in helping implement social distancing guidelines. Desk booking systems can be deployed to ensure the correct social distancing measures are in place throughout lecture halls and learning spaces.
As education institutions enter 2021 and plan to reopen campuses, they need to ensure their spaces are flexible for new ways of working and educating. Adopting technology that can adapt to the changing demands is vital for the sector to thrive.
