The future has much in store for us and the way we live our lives.
From manufacturing to retail, financial services to healthcare: communication technology is challenging the status quo and redefining the new normal.
Education, of course, is central to this relentless evolution. The next generation will pick up the baton and run even faster – meaning the actual act of learning must keep pace.
So, what might the future hold for the education sector? What will schools, colleges and universities look like? How will teachers teach, and how will students acquire knowledge? And, importantly for all stakeholder enablers, what will delivery look like, and where are the commercial opportunities?
The answers lie in the emergence of Hyflex Learning – an ultra-remote, audiovisual-reliant model which enables teachers and students to experience fully-immersive interactions without the need to be in the same room, building, or even country.
Experts predict that in, say, 10-15 years, the physical classroom or lecture theatre may not even exist, and that students and educators will gravitate towards establishments that have embraced this most modern of delivery methods.
For those establishments (and their IT service providers), partnering now with an audio-visual (AV) vendor that has the required hardware, software, and vision to support such fundamental change is key.
“Education is like a huge boat and it takes a long time to change direction, however smart organisations are beginning to understand that Hyflex Learning is the future and that they must be ready,” says Eric Garnier, Head of Professional Audio Video and Education at leading AV solutions vendor AVer Europe, whose suite of products deliver all of the required functionality.
“Pre-Covid, the vast majority of schools and universities didn’t have any video conferencing capability, however the world is now a very different place, and we are all at ease with remote communication and collaboration. Hyflex Learning is all about leveraging those new ways of working and offering educators and learners with ultimate choice and flexibility.”
In a Hyflex world, students and teachers choose whether or not to be physically present for lessons and lectures, versus participating remotely via video conference. A fully-immersive experience depends upon the deployment of appropriate hardware – namely at least two video tracking cameras at the front and back of the classroom or auditorium, plus high-quality ceiling microphones.
“The idea of Hyflex is to engage all students, regardless of whether they are in the room or remote,” says Garnier.
“The beauty of AVer solutions is that they track the movement and voice of the teacher or lecturer. This ensures the effective delivery of a high-quality lesson with which remote learners can fully interact. It creates a virtually natural situation that is comfortable and productive.”
The long-term implications for the education sector are profound. For example, a fully-mature Hyflex model completely reimagines the traditional university campus, with significantly fewer staff and students on site, and wholly-different demands placed on buildings and infrastructures. In turn, that kind of transformation is likely to drive commercial efficiencies that benefit all stakeholders.
Adoption, of course is key. However, by definition, students are young and generally open to technological change.
“It’s true that, in general, students in their twenties are more dynamic than teachers in, say, their fifties or sixties,” says Garnier. “However, today’s generation of students is the next generation of teachers. They are welcoming these new types of technologies and, over the next 10 years, the Hyflex model will become more and prevalent.
“The ability to provide Hyflex Learning will be a powerful differentiator for educational establishments that rely on attracting the best students and the best teachers. Flexibility has become a universal concept for everyone, and education is no different.”
Although nuanced depending on geographical regions’ various education funding models, the market is huge and, for Managed Service Providers and System Integrators, the opportunities are significant. Consequently, partnering with the right vendor will deliver big.
“In some countries, further and higher education is provided free by governments, and in other countries, colleges and universities are commercial entities and students pay,” says Garnier.
“Budget and price is always a consideration of course but, whatever the model and whatever the territory, MSPs have a very large opportunity to go at that will only continue to grow going forward.
“We have the solutions, the vision, and the expertise to help those MSPs capitalise on that exciting evolution.”
To learn more about how AVer Europe can help you and your customers leverage the Hyflex Learning opportunity, visit the website.
