Over the last couple of years, the rise in popularity of remote and hybrid learning has become one of the biggest trends in educations. As remote and hybrid learning models become more common and necessary, the popularity of dedicated video conferencing monitors for education is also increasing, in order to improve the quality of remote communication and make virtual collaboration easier.
Generally speaking, a video conferencing monitor is a display that includes a built-in webcam, a built-in microphone, and speakers. These monitors also tend to have high refresh rates and appropriate screen sizes for video calls. Nevertheless, any educators, as well as students and their parents, are still unaware of some of the potential benefits of using a video conferencing monitor for education.
Keep reading for a deep dive into four benefits of using video conference monitors in education settings.
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Benefit #1: They’re Easy to Set Up and Easy to Use
In education institutions, one of the top priorities with technology will be ease of use. This is especially true with technology that is being used to facilitate remote learning because it may need to be used without supervision. Even in classrooms, easy-to-use equipment can minimize unnecessary disruption. As an article for Chron.com explains, monitors with integrated webcams offer the significant advantage of having the webcam pre-installed and ready to go, whereas external webcams require extra steps to set up properly. It also reduces the risks of poor synchronization between devices. This also applies to monitors that come with speakers and a microphone too.
Given the importance of these components for video conferencing purposes, anything that makes the initial setup process easier can be beneficial. On top of this, the positioning of the webcam and microphone will be based on what works best for video conferencing purposes, so you can avoid some potential technical issues too.
Benefit #2: Save Space with All-In-One Features
Classrooms only have a certain amount of space to work with, while students learning from home may also be operating from their bedroom or another area with limited room available. Fortunately, a major advantage of using video conferencing monitors for education is the ability to reduce the amount of space being taken up by the equipment.
When using a monitor, along with a separate webcam, microphone, and set of speakers, these objects will all take up their individual space. Finding the right location for each of them can also present a challenge. By contrast, with a video conferencing monitor, you will only need to find enough room for the monitor itself. Another important thing to consider here is the fact that the webcam, speakers, and microphone will all be connected to the rest of the monitor through internal wiring. This will again free up space that would otherwise be occupied by cables, but it will also help students to avoid situations where devices accidentally come disconnected.
Benefit #3: Improvement of Online Lessons
Another benefit that comes with the dedicated use of video conferencing monitors for education is that the quality of remote or hybrid learning can be improved. After all, these monitors have been carefully designed with video conferencing in mind, meaning each of the individual features will be optimized for video calling activities.
High refresh rates will make it easier for students to participate in group discussions because they will be able to clearly see everyone involved, as well as any presentation slides or other content that is displayed. The microphone will also be ideally placed to pick up sound from someone sitting at an appropriate distance. Meanwhile, a good video conferencing monitor will have a webcam that is capable of capturing excellent images and videos. The placement of this webcam will also make it easy for students to look at their screen and appear as though they are making eye contact with the teacher or with other students in their remote or hybrid lesson.
Benefit #4: They Can Expand the Students’ Workspace
One last benefit associated with video conferencing monitors is their ability to transform how students learn and do their classwork. Armed with multiple ports to connect with other devices, these monitors provide students the ability to plug in additional devices to expand their workspace. Because the communication tools are already built into the display, this frees the ports from external accessories such as microphones and webcams for additional devices.
It’s also important to realize that the advantages here extend further than simply providing students with access to the built-in communication components. For instance, in some school subjects, when work is being carried out remotely, students may need to make use of a separate device, and it may also be necessary to connect this device to their computer. By removing the need to plug in a separate camera, sound system, and microphone, there is greater scope for the use of other external devices.
A good example of this could be an art student using a graphic tablet and stylus, allowing for more natural drawing movements whilst attending a class simultaneously. An external plug-in device could be as simple as a USB flash drive too. Moreover, it is worth stressing that video conferencing monitors provide additional protection. If the main video conferencing components are all separate, the chances of a student misplacing or losing one may be relatively high; with a video conferencing monitor, however, the threat of misplacing this equipment is essentially eradicated.
Summing It All Up
Video conferencing monitors for education are perfect for remote and hybrid learning because they offer all of the main equipment necessary to engage with video calls. The all-in-one approach makes the initial setup process far quicker and easier, while the lack of a need to acquire separate webcams, speakers, and microphones can save space too.
Monitors of this kind have been purpose-built for remote communication, so the essential features are all there, and students are less likely to misplace or damage the camera or microphone. Using a video conferencing monitor can also make it easier to use other devices, too, because the communications equipment takes up no USB ports.
For more information on choosing the right video conferencing monitor for teaching or learning, connect with us online or check out our hybrid learning solutions.
