Online and remote classes are becoming the safest and most viable option when it comes to education during a global pandemic. Remote classes ensure that learning can still occur while maintaining appropriate social distancing and obeying local gathering restrictions.
Teachers and professors have a number of different ways they can provide their classes in a digital manner – from recorded lectures to hosting classes through video conferencing software. Depending on the format of the class, these methods are certainly adequate and useful, although, for other class formats, there are inevitably going to be some challenges to overcome.
Potential Challenges of Online Classes
While there are certainly challenges with any type of teaching, whether online or not, there are some unique challenges presented whenever technology is added to the equation.
For example, those who record their lectures beforehand to distribute to their students may face the challenge of not being able to answer questions and clarify concepts as well as they could have done if a student had asked a question during the context of the lecture itself when the lecturer had the subject top of mind.
In the case of using video conferencing software, an internet connection is a big factor. If either the professor or the student has a poor connection, a choppy, broken lecture could be the result. This will lead to poor understanding and a poor grasp of the material, or in some cases, the need for the lecturer to repeat the entirety of the class.
As well, since teachers and professors are not required to use any single method for conducting their online classes, students may be required to download a different app for each of their classes. This is not ideal, especially if the student is using their own personal device – or doesn’t have access to a device at all.
A Different Way to Communicate
What if we told you there is another option out there to assist teachers and professors with hosting classes remotely? One that doesn’t rely on students having a strong Internet connection or a downloaded app?
What if the only piece of technology students needed was a phone?
Well, SimplyCast’s Instant Teleconference tool is the answer.
Teleconferencing used to be just for business meetings and the like, but not anymore. With Instant Teleconference, professors can use this technology as a way to lead their classes remotely while also managing questions and discussion in an orderly manner thanks to the helpful online interface that only they would need to access.
Merits of Instant Teleconference
First and foremost, SimplyCast’s Instant Teleconference tool allows professors to start their classes on time, every time, by giving them the ability to initiate the call and have the system dial out to students asking them to connect. Instead of students being provided with a phone number to call at the designated lecture time, this feature makes it easier to connect everyone all at once. Of course, students are still able to dial in in the event they oversleep, or for any other reason do not pick up the initial call.
Instant Teleconference also provides teachers and professors the ability to ensure everyone who is connected to the teleconference is automatically muted so as to prevent a bunch of background noise on the line from various students, as well as to prevent interruptions from those dialing in after the lecture has already begun.
But what if a student has a question?
Instant Teleconference has that covered too.
Muted students have the option to press 2 on their phone’s dial pad to “raise their hand,” just like they would do during an in-person class. When a student raises their hand, the professor who is looking at the visual monitoring interface will see a green hand icon appear next to the student’s name. They can then unmute the student when applicable to allow them to ask their question or make their comment.
As well, the teacher or professor has the option to record portions of the class or even the entire class for either their personal records or as a study aid they can provide to students.
These recordings will appear in the teleconference reports – reports that can also serve as a tool for tracking class attendance, as they will show the professor a list of all the participants in the call and for how long they remained connected.
For more information
Instant Teleconference is conducive to discussion-based classes in particular, or any other class that does not rely heavily on the need for visuals as it is, of course, a strictly audio format. It can be used as an alternative to downloading an app for video-conferencing software, which many students may find preferable.
This tool is part of a larger, all-encompassing platform of various tools that can assist with communicating with students through a variety of communication channels such as email, SMS, and phone calls. The platform can be used to automate many of these communications and ensure that students always have the latest and most up-to-date information.
For more information about SimplyCast’s Instant Teleconference tool or any of the other tools within the platform, be sure to click the button below to request a demo of the solution!
