A video conferencing software is used for online communication such as video meetings, audio calls, seminars, webinars with easy built-in features such as screen sharing, chat, recording, and many more. These applications are highly suited for long-distance or international communication as they lead to better and enhanced collaboration, and subsequently reduced costs. Since the lockdown, video conferencing apps have become the most popular mode of communication and learning. Irrespective of the location teachers and students are located, these video conferencing apps enable a smooth transfer of knowledge from anywhere at any time.
Video conferencing solutions eliminate the need for in-person attendance, add convenience to daily schedules for all involved, improve collaboration, and ensure open and consistent communication between educators and learners.
Benefits of Using Video Conferencing in Education
As we have seen in the past two years, the future of learning lies in video conferencing and it’s perfect for the classroom. They deliver personalized learning experiences as well as foster a sense of collaboration between students.
Given below are some of the advantages of video conferencing software:
Connect with Subject Experts
Video software is a great way to bring guest lecturers or subject experts quickly and easily from all over the world. Teachers can deliver lessons from their labs and demonstrate anything with ease.
Making Students Tech-Ready
By bringing video conferencing into the classroom, teachers can familiarise pupils with this technology and get them ready for the workplace.
Boosts Global Collaboration
Video conferencing helps students connect with classrooms all over the world thereby helping them to break down the cultural barriers and foster engagement.
Students in different parts of the world can also use video conferencing to work collaboratively on a joint activity or a project.
Saves Time
Video conferencing apps bring a range of administrative and time-saving benefits to teachers. For example, parent-teacher meetings can be done online, helping to minimize scheduling conflicts, teacher meetings can be recorded and made available to staff who can’t attend on the day, and even assemblies can be delivered directly to the classroom, reducing the time needed to move children to and from school halls.
Features of Video Conferencing Apps
Let us look at and understand some of the best features that a video conferencing app must have:
Screen Sharing
The teacher can easily share their screen with the rest of the class members. This way, sharing new ideas, explaining concepts, and study material has become a lot easier because instead of describing any topic, the teacher can easily show it to all the participants. This feature has been around for some time and almost all video conferencing apps are equipped with this feature.
Screen Recording and Calling
This is another important feature of video conferencing apps. Unlike face-to-face meetings for which most educational institutions would have to install special equipment to record and store, online meetings require no extra resources. Being able to record calls allows institutions the advantage of reviewing everything and keeping track of all the plans and discussions.
Whiteboards
Another great feature of video conferencing software is whiteboards. Just like a teacher uses a whiteboard to explain different ideas to students, it also allows students to share their ideas in an effective manner. Moreover, a lot of video conferencing software also records the whiteboard when the call is being recorded. This enables team members to view the recording whenever they have any confusion or need an answer to some questions.
Participant Chat
Many best teleconferencing apps also offer the option of chatting with other meeting participants.
This feature proves to be useful in a lot of situations; whenever you want to share some text, share your opinion about something or tell a participant something without disturbing the silence.
What makes it even better though is that most apps allow users to attach photos, videos, and documents in the messages as well. So, not only does team chat provide another effective way of communicating but it also provides the facility of file sharing.
Conclusion
When it comes to video conferencing technology, the education sector could benefit from reduced costs, more efficient use of time, and increased collaboration between students and teachers; all while taking learning beyond the classroom.
Teachmint is the leading ed-infra provider helping educational institutions improve their efficiency. With our offerings like LMS, attendance management, fee management system, and more, institutes can boost their productivity multifold.
