25 CONTENT FOCUS Education
enrolment in the country, streams live and on-demand video, and uses 360° video to create exclusive events that help extend their reach and maximise student and community engagement. This can be student orientation and virtual tours of research organisations and departments, plus training and internal communication so students and viewers can feel like they are physically there. UCL also oers a regular Lunch Hour Lectures programme twice a week, featuring faculty philosophers, authors, researchers, doctors, civil rights activists and celebrities. Established in 1942, the lecture series allows anyone the opportunity to sample the exceptional research work being undertaken at the university. The lectures are both streamed to an adjoining auditorium, as well as online and to YouTube for international audiences. Since starting to stream the lectures, the series has had millions of views from around the world. In another example of the innovative use of video plus new tech, Pearson TQ, which
delivers engineering and plant operator training at the Royal School of Military Engineering, used interactive 360° headsets, the HoloLens from Microsoft, to give learners the chance to explore maintenance bays in VR. This allowed students to quickly get used to working in the bays, learning about the position of tools and dierent features, without leaving the classroom. Promethean’s Collick notes that for teachers, streaming video is not only a tool to share best practices, but also a way of reaching a very specific audience. “I have a friend who is the head of a language school in Russia and while on a trans-Siberian tour by train he did live stream video interviews with managers of language schools in cities along the route. They all shared their secrets of school management which resulted in a precise reach for his targeted audience.” EVOLVING TECHNOLOGIES FOR STREAMING There are three key trends in this sector that Panopto believes will only grow with time. Firstly, continued demand for anytime, anywhere learning from students. This means providers have to ensure that any recordings made are optimised for playback on any device, allowing students to use their mobile devices to access content whenever, wherever. Secondly, capture of video at scale. Panopto said it already sees UK universities that are capturing the vast majority of their lectures, as well as a range of other video content. Finally, the increasing uptake of multi- camera video for learning. This will be
particularly key for instructors in practical subjects who need to show key processes. Collick states that one trend in the development of this technology is bringing the most realistic and authentic experience to the student audience, the ultimate example being the streaming of moving holographic images of speakers. Promethean sister company ArHT Media demonstrated this at education show Bett by showcasing how its HumaGram technology could be applied in education settings. “With video streaming, everyone is a creator and so the development of easy-to-use tools is essential,” continues Collick. “We can expect that technology will develop to create fully immersive live streaming experiences while there will also be the development of small wearable devices which can easily make any teacher or student a broadcaster. Platforms for streaming with an easy search of recorded video sessions and aggregated content will be very important for life-long learners and teachers. These platforms should give a teacher the opportunity to search for the future live broadcasts they need for specific times and learning purposes.” Polycom’s Finlayson says: “The big push from us has been for audio and video solutions that give the most real and life-like experience. In the future, I expect technology will continue to evolve to adapt to the changing and growing demands in the education space. Giving students access to virtual learning will enhance their experience positively. We’ve seen the success of social video apps like Snapchat and Instagram among millennials, so it is only natural for this preferred video communication method
EARLY ENGAGEMENT By creating a sense of participation, streaming video can result in useful, interactive experiences for students of all ages
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