Educators often advise students to sit in the front row if they want the best learning experience. This makes it easier for them to see, hear, and engage with the instructor. With many college students now joining classes remotely, how can educators provide them with a front-row learning experience?
The right technology enables remote students to have higher education experiences that rival—or even beat—the in-class experience. Read on to learn how schools are making remote learning more engaging and equitable.
Create a ‘Better than Front-Row’ Experience
Can institutions improve on the classroom educational experience? Erica Whittle, Product Marketing Manager of Global Partners and Alliances at Sennheiser, said it’s definitely possible.
“With the right tools and presentation approaches, we have the potential to give remote students a ‘better than front-row’ experience. Consider modern large-group teaching; the expectation is for active, multi-way engagement between the class and teacher. This means that the focus shifts between the front of the class, around the room, and beyond as students interact and contribute their ideas. In fact, the advantage of a ‘front-row’ seat diminishes as group interactions increase.”
The quality of hybrid learning grows more important as many schools now offer on-campus, hybrid, and virtual courses that include synchronous and asynchronous learning–meaning some online courses are live and some are pre-recorded for self-paced learning. All of these types of learning require the right kind of technologies to support learning, as well as communication among peers and between instructors and students.
How AV Technology Improves Learning Equity
For hybrid learning, Whittle recommended using tools with voice reinforcement, speaker tracking, and audience voice pick-up to ensure everyone is heard.
One example of a microphone suited for hybrid learning is the Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) with automatic Beamforming and TruVoiceLift technology. Directional data enables accurate speaker tracking and automatic camera preset recall, so remote participants can easily participate in real-time discussions. It also allows for clear and natural speech from both students and instructors, whatever their location.
One college installed 250 TCC2s to create better hybrid learning experiences. The school needs high-quality audio because they record and stream all their classes for remote and hybrid participants.
The right tools can even make hybrid learning possible in challenging spaces. The University of Quebec in Montreal deployed PTZ cameras, control devices, and more than 200 TCC2s to expand hybrid learning. They installed the microphones in an amphitheater which had 25’-high ceilings and was located directly above a noisy subway stop. The space now provides reliable high-quality audio for all types of classes.
“The Sennheiser TeamConnect family of products uses technologies like patented Automatic Dynamic Beamforming and TruVoicelift to provide excellent speech clarity while allowing the speaker to move and position themselves freely,” said Erica Whittle of Sennheiser. “This makes for a natural learning experience for everyone involved. Our goal as technology providers should be to build solutions that are easy to use and, from the teacher’s or student’s perspective, fade into the background as learning takes the front seat.”
To learn more about installing Sennheiser’s solutions at your institution of higher education, contact our experts for information.
