How Video Conference Revolutionises Education Sector

Video Conference

Video conferencing is now cheaper and easier due to better and cheaper devices, WebRTC and faster internet connections. It is disrupting education in pretty much the same way the internet did not so long ago. In fact, video conferencing can do much more for education. Here are different ways in which video is proving revolutionary in the education sector.

Outreach

The internet makes it possible for education to reach out to students in remotest areas of Asia and Africa. However, video conference goes beyond in being able to present a near classroom experience. There is more interaction. A teacher can stand with a whiteboard behind him and learners in any part of the country or the world can join the classroom using their WebRTC enabled browsers on their mobile phones. The teacher conducting the session can explain a topic and write on the whiteboard beside presenting videos and animations. There is interaction. Students may “raise” hands and ask questions and interact. Students learn more with less effort in a near classroom-like atmosphere recreated online. Educational institutions can benefit by the use of open source video conference asterisk developed solutions.

Time-saving and cost saving

Students in cities must spend time in commuting to educational institutions. Those in rural areas spend even more time. This means they have less time to study. Video conferencing permits students to learn from the comfort of their home. They do not waste time. They expend less energy. They save on the costs of commuting. There is all round savings. Students can use the time, energy and money they save to learn more or for other purposes such as physical sports to keep fit. Then there are natural occurrences such as rains or floods that may prevent students from physically attending classes. This need not be the case when video conferencing is in use. If a video is good for students with a normal physique, it is even better for the physically challenged for whom travel is an obstacle.

Better learning

A classroom experience is fine. Unfortunately, not all students have the same grasping power. Some shy students may refrain from asking a teacher or lecturer for clarifications or explanations. However, if they have access to video conferencing, they can get in touch with a tutor as and when needed and their learning improves. Since video classrooms can be recorded, students can access such recordings and try to derive answers to questions. Teachers who are specialists in their topics can offer tuitions through video conferencing software solutions and earn more from the comfort of their home even as they help students on the learning path. There is still another way to empower better learning. Schools can invite specialist teachers to offer lectures as a guest lecturer through video conferencing. A panel of such specialists may offer sessions to students to get their queries resolved.  Another innovative application is to use conferencing software to take students on a field trip to museums or other sites.  Those who pursue medicines can be show surgical processes taking place with the help of video conferencing facility.

Institutions and teachers can earn more

A classroom is limiting. Teachers must attend school or college. They can only teach a fixed number of students. Revenue for institutions is limited by classroom capacity. Change the mode to video conference based education and the institution can broadcast the same session to off-campus students. Whereas a classroom may accommodate 50 to 70 students, a video conference classroom can serve thousands of students. Schools earn more. They can afford to pay more to their teachers. More students can benefit. Everyone in the chain gains benefits.  Then there is the matter of interaction between school administrators and teachers as well as with parents. Video conferencing simplifies such interactions.  Even admissions become easier to manage for prospective students and school management since video conference facility allows institutions to conduct interviews and even tests.

In fact, the video is such a disruptor that institutions may not even have to maintain classrooms. All their sessions could be through video conferencing conducted remotely and students may not even have to visit the institution. A process of attendance can be incorporated to make sure they attend each session.

It all depends on the video conferencing software. One can opt for a dedicated hardware-software implementation that is quite expensive as well as less flexible. On the other hand, video conferencing software development that includes WebRTC and open source technologies is far more flexible, simple to operate, works under varying bandwidth conditions and permits anyone with a mobile to join in without having to download software. Educational institutions will find it to their benefit to opt for video conference asterisk open source platform leveraged by expert developers to deliver a tailored solution for various aspects of education.