Inclusive and Engaging Learning Experiences for the Hybrid Classroom with Webex Rooms

On By Sandeep Mehra4 Min Read

Hybrid Classroom with Webex Rooms

The official start of the new school year for teachers and students has arrived; however, this time around the classroom might be slightly different. I know it is for my own children! That’s because we are entering an era of hybrid learning, and it is crucial that modern education facilitates learning that is inclusive, engaging and secure – regardless of whether the teacher or student is in the classroom, at home, or, really, anywhere.

Think about it – educators and students alike are accustomed to in-person engagement. Teachers have eye contact and the ability to gauge effectiveness through body language.  Students have the security and accountability of an instructor being physically present. So, how do remote students and teachers feel like they’re still a part of the physical classroom? Everyone deserves access to high-quality learning experiences, and in this new normal, we need to provide the same intuitive learning experience for all students, both at home and in school. With online learning, you need to reimagine class delivery in order to perform well in a hybrid environment and keeping the class engaged. Learning Management Systems can help create and orchestrate classes, but in order to deliver an engaging, interactive class in this hybrid environment, you need a Cisco Webex Rooms device.

A picture containing indoor, window, person, table

Technology for Virtual Classrooms

Technology should simulate a rich, lifelike experience; not get in the way. By employing Webex Rooms devices with high-fidelity audio and video, the teacher can livestream their classes through the Webex platform and deliver synchronous learning that gives the remote student the same level of trust as in-person. Do you enjoy walking around while you teach? I remember my teachers walking the classroom to connect with me and my classmates. Today, that may feel challenging with a mixed environment of in-person and remote students. Cisco’s PresenterTrack solves for this –   our camera technology ensures that you are always in view to the remote participants. As you walk the room, PresenterTrack follows you maintaining a life-like impression for your remote students and giving the sense of being in the room with you. So, whether virtual or in the physical class, students have the same experience.

One of the key obstacles with virtual meetings has been the lack of simplicity when joining your class.. Wouldn’t it be easier to simply press a big green button or better yet, use your voice to start a meeting? That’s right! With our Hybrid Calendar integrations we’ve made all of this a breeze!

I eat, sleep and breathe remote collaboration, so it’s easy to take activities such as virtual whiteboarding and brainstorming that facilitate teamwork and learning for granted. But this is a new experience for many in the education space. How can we best emulate in-person interaction? When students can participate in real-time, they are able to be immersed in the learning experience, regardless of whether it is a physical or virtual classroom. By deploying a Webex Board in the classroom, students can simply connect to their Webex Teams client from their laptop, and participate in whiteboarding and brainstorming sessions with their classmates and their teachers whether remote or in-person. They can even annotate on shared content together! These features are essential not only for the teacher to teach and the student to learn, but also to foster a sense of community and comradery. The social aspect of education cannot be ignored, and with Webex Rooms students can meet face-to-face – from wherever they are.

That’s Not All

Webex Rooms provide video conferencing devices for any size classroom or auditorium, all suited to your individual budget needs. Already have a Promethean Board? Not a problem, we’re inclusive. Pair your Promethean board with one of our all-in-one intelligent video devices (for example, the Webex Rooms Series) for a natural learning experience. And don’t forget about the  Webex Board paired with a Webex Room Series device. We call this companion mode – a game-changing feature that allows your separate devices to work together as if they were one, combined system. More screen real estate for your whiteboarding and video lends to a more comfortable and life-like experience.

Furthermore, with Webex Board Touch-Redirect you can connect a laptop to a Webex Board and interact with the laptop’s applications through the board’s touch interface. Teachers can then show their students applications that traditionally have only been available to view on laptops or computers. This allows for a richer, more dynamic learning experience for the students, and teachers will no longer have to manually switch between a board and a laptop, so they can focus on what’s really important – the teaching.

Man using Webex Board Touch-Redirect board through the board's touch interface

 

What’s Next?

There is no denying that we all are adjusting to a new normal. Teachers are eager to drive engagement, and students want to be excited about learning. We can truly embrace this paradigm shift in education and not only deliver the types of experiences we’re used to in the traditional classroom but 10x the experience as we rethink delivery in a hybrid classroom. Luckily, Cisco Webex Rooms are here to help you with providing magical and seamless instruction.

See how you can build a bridge to highly secure distance learning

with virtual classrooms and administrative collaboration

in Webex Rooms

Learn More

https://blogs.cisco.com/collaboration/how-to-ensure-a-safe-return-back-to-the-office-with-cisco-webex-rooms-and-appspace

https://blogs.cisco.com/collaboration/magical-moments-for-webex-rooms-at-ise-2020

https://blogs.cisco.com/collaboration/the-rise-of-webex-rooms

 

 

About The Author

Sandeep Mehra
Sandeep Mehra Vice President & General Manager Cisco
Sandeep Mehra is Vice President & General Manager of Webex Rooms and Telepresence at Cisco.
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