A few years ago, if higher education institutions wanted to keep teaching and learning operations running with minimal disruptions, remote learning was the only option. Now, as students have returned to campus and business as usual, remnants of remote learning remain. Research shows that hybrid learning models are still preferred by students. By offering classes both in person and online, students get the flexibility to attend in the ways that work best for them. For students with jobs, families or other responsibilities, offering a remote option for classes that are also held in person can be a game changer.
The task for institutions is to create a seamless learning environment in which remote students have the same experience in class as in-person students. Collaboration should be simple and without disruption.
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What Does Seamless Mean?
The best technology for a seamless learning environment is technology that goes unnoticed. Equipment that is minimally disruptive for both students and faculty will be the most effective for creating community, both in person and remotely.
For faculty, the technology should be easy enough to use that its operation doesn’t distract from the lessons at hand. In-person students should barely notice the tech driving their classes. Remote students should feel like they’re part of the action. Cameras that track movement and pick up audio from relevant speakers can help achieve this.
Hybrid Learning Technology Can Help Institutions Meet Goals
As is the case with most things in higher education, specific strategies will depend on the institution. Different schools, class types and subjects have different needs, as do different faculty members and student populations. If you ask 10 different universities for their perspective on what makes an effective hybrid learning experience, you’ll likely get 10 different answers.
DISCOVER: How hybrid learning can boost recruitment in higher education.
At the end of the day, student engagement is at the forefront of every institution’s list of priorities, regardless of learning modality. Engaged students are successful and happy students, and those students are more likely to make it to graduation. It’s up to the institutions themselves to ensure they’re providing an optimal experience to drive this engagement.
It’s also important to empower faculty and staff with the tools they need to drive these connections. Ensure that end users have the platforms and equipment they need to deliver an experience that will keep students engaged, whether in person, online or a combination of both.
What Technology Makes Up a Modern Hybrid Learning Environment?
Modernization is happening all over campus, not just in the classrooms. Communal spaces are becoming collaborative hubs with movable furniture, external displays and other features that allow students to work together. These features are a draw for prospective students who are looking for a modern environment that encourages collaboration.
In the classroom, this modernization might mean the latest virtual reality headsets, drones or 3D printers. These tools are sleek and look impressive, but they are not appropriate for every learning environment or area of study. The most modern classroom is not necessarily the flashiest. Modernization can take the form of a room with multiple monitors that work together seamlessly. It’s an AI-powered camera that pans, tilts and zooms on its own. It’s the college that has standardized on easy-to-operate equipment so that an adjunct professor can walk into any classroom and instantly know how to operate its technology.
WATCH: Cross-campus collaboration is key to designing effective learning environments.
Simplification makes it easier to use the technology more effectively, but the actual design is incumbent on the curriculum and type of classroom instruction being used. It’s up to each institution to determine the best delivery method to meet its needs. In hybrid environments, the details matter. Having the right audiovisual tools in place with optimal camera angles and microphone placement can go a long way toward making sure remote students feel connected to the classroom experience and that students in the classroom feel like their remote peers are present with them.
Managing these modern environments with tight budget constraints can be a challenge, but CDW can work with higher education institutions to determine the best path to meeting their goals. We can assist in aligning technology decisions with the necessary support staff required for maintenance and can implement uniform solutions for your faculty and staff, significantly reducing the number of troubleshooting calls to the IT department.
Whether your budget and goals indicate a full technology replacement or a phased approach toward modernization, CDW’s experts can help your institution create a customized plan to best fit each classroom.
This article is part of EdTech: Focus on Higher Education’s UniversITy blog series.
Editor's note: This article was originally published Nov. 11, 2024 and updated Dec. 13, 2024.
