Software

Review: Adobe Helps Educators Create Customized Virtual Learning Environments

This browser-based platform allows educators to configure their virtual classrooms to encourage maximum student engagement.

John Breeden II

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John Breeden II is an award-winning reviewer and public speaker with 20 years of experience covering technology.

When schools were first forced to go virtual in 2020, there was a scramble to get everyone online. And while those early virtual meeting rooms performed adequately under the circumstances, they were hardly operating as robust learning platforms. However, they were ideal for figuring out what worked and what needed improvement to support better learning environments and more efficient student engagement.

The designers of Adobe Connect took advantage of that feedback, creating a fully customizable platform that educators can use to configure virtual classrooms perfectly suited to their needs. They can even change things up on the fly to shift the focus of a lesson or keep everyone engaged. The platform can be accessed or driven by any device with a web browser that can connect using the HTTPS protocol, which is just about all of them.

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Adobe Connect’s Pods Help Create Unique Virtual Learning Spaces

Setting up Adobe Connect to serve as a virtual classroom was surprisingly easy in my testing. Instructors simply define windows — which the platform calls pods — within the working space on their screen. Once they have determined the size and location of a pod, they use a drop-down menu to assign and configure its function. For example, they could prepare one pod to play a video while another shows a camera feed.

Other pods can support chat rooms for discussion or serve as display windows for pictures or text. Pods of the same type can be used in clever ways: having multiple chat windows open for a debate, for example, or to discuss different aspects of the lesson in a collaborative learning environment.

The layout for a page of pods can be saved as a template, and educators can switch out templates at the touch of a button.

For example, they can shift the focus of a lesson by switching from a large collaborative learning environment with several chat pods to one where the entire screen is dedicated to a single pod playing a video, encouraging everyone to really focus on it. Once the video ends, they can switch back to the collaborative template for more discussion.

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Customizable Classrooms Further Student Engagement

Adobe Connect provides a fully customizable command center for virtual classrooms, allowing instructors to present lessons in ways that might be more engaging than if they were giving the lecture in person. In a sense, the platform is one part classroom and one part virtual theater or stage. With just a little experimentation, presenters can learn to create truly innovative and unique learning environments.

With an astonishingly user-friendly interface, many options for configuring pods and the ability to switch out templates quickly and easily, the Adobe Connect offers a feature-rich and powerful tool for just about any class.

SPECIFICATIONS

PRODUCT TYPE: Command center and dashboard for online presentations
SUPPORTED PLATFORMS: Any device or browser with HTTPS capability
ENCRYPTION: TLS 1.3/1.2 in transit, AES 256-bit at rest
SUPPORTED CONTENT: MP4 videos, PDF documents, web pages, chat rooms, surveys, web camera feeds, high-definition audio, event analytics
LICENSE TYPE: Annual with full maintenance and platform upgrade support

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Learning as a Two-Way Street

In addition to serving up great content for virtual classrooms, Adobe Connect provides engagement reports, can deploy quizzes and tests during lessons, and includes a full suite of accessibility options.

The platform allows teachers to present their lessons in innovative ways to elevate student engagement. But how do they know if their efforts are bearing fruit? Thankfully, Adobe has that covered as well.

The system can track interactions in the platform so that teachers can see, for example, if students are participating in chat rooms or other interactive pods. Students can also be polled directly about what they liked or didn’t like about each lesson, and the platform can track those responses over time. And although they would have to request permission, teachers can even access a student’s desktop to provide direct help with a lesson by performing tasks on the local system.

In a classroom setting, push polls can also be tied to the lessons. So, a pop quiz could ask students questions about the presentation they just attended to determine how effective it was or to ensure that everyone was paying attention.

Finally, the Adobe Connect platform is also designed to be fully accessible and compliant with government regulations such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Documents can be made compatible with screen readers, and MP4 videos played through Adobe Connect can include automatic captioning. There is even support for foreign languages and descriptive audio, making for an incredibly accessible platform that anyone can use for remote learning.