To look at the glass half-full, one of the great things that has emerged over the course of 2020 is the digital acceleration taking place in education. Instructors have found that having the right tools can make a dramatic difference in remote and hybrid learning environments. Tools that are easy to use and allow teachers to untether from their laptops have the power to create a more natural and dynamic experience for everyone involved. So, what’s in the secret sauce? Poly’s personal audio solutions, such as headsets and speakerphones to room-based systems, like cameras and video bars with speaker tracking, are now emerging as the key ingredient in making everyone feel like they’re in the room together again.
Three of the 10 largest school districts in the country, as well as thousands of others, have chosen Poly to help them navigate distance learning. While each institution’s remote teaching needs are unique, we’ll walk you through a few general approaches to hybrid learning with which Poly can help with.
Providing Teachers Personal Equipment
When it comes to optimal flexibility, providing an educator with their own distance learning equipment is a great way to go—especially as schools open and close according to COVID-19 measures. Set your instructors up for success with a high-resolution camera, like the Poly EagleEye Mini and a noise-canceling headset like the Savi 8200.
Shared Devices
Some classes require robust video and teachers need the ability to naturally move around the room to provide demonstrations. Meaning, sometimes shared remote teaching setups are a better fit. In these situations, the Poly Studio Family provides a powerful and portable solution for teachers sharing equipment. These simple, all-in-one video bars are easy to get up and running fast with no PC or Mac needed and work flexibly with almost any meeting platform.
Institutions like Franklin Pierce University have found success using the Poly Studio X Family to instruct students at a distance or from their dorm room. “We now think of the classroom as a place for both in-room and distant learning which has added a whole other dimension to teaching,” Frank Cohen, Associate Professor at Franklin Pierce University said. “Poly delivers as close to an in-classroom experience as you can get.”
Additionally, we’re excited to introduce Poly EduCart 2, a mobile solution to bring exceptional video to wherever you need it most. The EduCart 2 includes a Poly G7500 and an EagleEye camera mounted within the cart enclosure. This sturdy cart was designed to be easily rolled from room to room or all the way across campus.
The EduCart 2 can accommodate a variety of Simply Order Monitors from your preferred supplier in the dimensions that best suit your organization’s needs. To add a whole other dimension to the learning experience, the Poly G7500 supports whiteboarding and wireless content sharing if you choose a monitor with touch screen capabilities. Wireless content sharing is a powerful tool to use in the classroom to allow students to share content from their personal devices.
Connection® Public Sector Solutions and Poly empower educators to deliver exceptional, high-impact learning experiences in and out of the classroom. Keep everyone safe while making collaboration easier and faster with Poly.
For more information about Poly solutions for your hybrid classroom, contact us at 1.800.800.0019 or visit www.govconnection.com/brand/poly today!
Bob Knauf
Bob Knauf is a 28-year veteran of the teleconferencing industry. He brings a wealth of knowledge to an industry that seems to be evolving more every week. Bob has worked with thousands of organizations that needed technology to enhance the way they communicate—from corporations to production studios, to schools and universities. He is a trusted advisor for non-profit organizations, including the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, Operation Smile, and others. In Bob’s current role at Poly, he oversees how products are marketed in vertical markets, such as education, healthcare, and government.
