Teachers have got a lot better at using touch and inking tools. I think that’s because a lot of these teachers have iPads and they’re used to technology at home. “Programmes like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote all have inking tools built into them, so teachers can use the native tools on their laptop that they use every day, but take advantage of the inking tool. In the modern school and college, all the content is software so what they need in the room is a big version of their laptop so they can show it to the whole group and work on it with inking tools. “So, when we install a new interactive touchscreen in a classroom and give the teachers the opportunity to play around with it, they know exactly how to use it, how to connect their laptop, how to write on it, and we don’t have to repeat any training again.” This engagement goes beyond inking tools, as McDermott says, embracing VR and AR solutions can bring subjects to life; literally! “There’s one particular company called Class VR who have a very good platform that shows teaching and learning content for teachers across the world. “So if a teacher had a lesson about the pyramids in the Middle East, they could show the class what that looked like, how they could get inside the pyramid itself, all through VR headsets. That’s an engaging lesson that kids love, and they’ll take away a lot from that experience without even leaving the classroom.” Challenges for collaborations As we move forward, the likes of Teams and Zoom still have a hand in the education landscape. In the corporate world, being able to use these platforms and be comfortable in front
of a screen is imperative in the pursuit of success, so normalising them to students can be seen as a positive. Macosko added that this idea of introducing students to collaboration platforms early also plays into the vendor’s hands. “Collaborations such as Zoom and Teams were not necessarily destined to have a long-term role in education. If the pandemic hadn’t hit when it did, there could have been other collaboration tools that took their place and would have slowly captured the usage of people in education. “However, given how well-positioned these platforms were when the pandemic hit, it seems these tools have long-term staying power in education, and now they are pivoting to provide custom-use features. “For example, Zoom is making good use of the fact that students became comfortable with its platform in virtual classrooms, by attracting some of those same students, who are now in the workforce, to use its platform for business.” Despite the apparent opportunism from the vendors, Southern pointed out that the use of these platforms isn’t all bad, and does prepare students for the real world; one of the primary functions of education. “Since COVID, technology adoption has accelerated within the workplace. Before the pandemic we were talking about remote working but the problem was not the technology, it was getting people to learn and adapt to it. “If schools are going to prepare kids for the real world, they need to be able to use Teams and Zoom because we now have a complete industry, whether you’re in nursing, teaching, law or finance, who now are quite comfortable using a video call.”
Chris Southern General Sales
Manager of Enterprise Solutions
midwich.com
Before the pandemic we were talking about remote working but the problem was not the technology, it was getting people to learn and adapt to it
ucadvanced.com
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