In terms of education, though, live streaming is still a fairly new endeavor. Live streaming refers to streaming media in real time. Before the mid-2010s, institutions typically didn’t offer live streaming because often, students didn’t have the internet bandwidth required to support it. “Advances in features like adaptive bitrate streaming, which provides the ability to record while simultaneously streaming for later viewing, have allowed colleges and universities to expand live streaming programs to the benefit of students,” said Nannette Don, Director of Sales. Now, even if students can’t stream a lecture at all, they still have the option to securely download and review the lesson. There are a number of other benefits to live streaming in higher education:
“Prior to the 21st century, if a learner couldn’t make it to the physical building for their education, they simply missed out. But the evolution of the internet and technology, hardware — and later software — have modernized video in education, making education more flexible and accessible.”
Live Streaming Removes Barriers
Colleges, universities and other enterprises have been able to implement live streaming as one of a variety of tools to aid students in their education. Higher education institutions can reach more students than ever before, which is an advantage both to students and the institutions. Students who have full time jobs, family obligations, health issues or a myriad of other barriers to education can now live stream their instruction with only access to a stable internet connection.
Live Streaming Builds Trust
When a classroom lecture is streamed live, students have the advantage of observing things they might not be able to pick up in other forms of communication like email or a phone call. By reading facial expressions and mannerisms, students can better understand tone and infer meaning through what is said and demonstrated live.
Live Streaming Creates Connections
Students in online classes can sometimes have feelings of disengagement or apathy. By offering ways to engage with one another and the professor, students can create meaningful connections just like if they were in a traditional classroom setting. Teachers can offer real time question and answer sessions, office hours and more through various software applications. “YuJa supports multi-source live streaming, which includes casting to multiple sources from a number of angles, truly giving students the feeling that they’re in that classroom or space,” Don highlighted, adding that students can be as interactive as they want during the discussions.
How Are Colleges and Universities Using Live Streaming?
As you can imagine, the possibilities with live streaming educational content are endless. With creativity and a willingness to learn and participate, higher education institutions are finding unique, innovative ways to implement live streaming.
Nevada State College is a prime example of a school using live streaming to make a difference in the lives of students and their families. Nevada State College places a special emphasis on the advancement of a diverse and under-served student population. Because of its diverse immigrant population, the college was host to a naturalization ceremony for new citizens of the United States. And because many had relatives in other countries, the college live streamed the momentous event, allowing families to celebrate with their loved ones.
Indiana State University is another institution that has taken a progressive approach to non-traditional methods of learning using technology like live streaming to further every student’s education, whether it occurs on campus or via online courses and programs. The university has a number of students who earn their degree without ever stepping foot on campus. For nursing students, that means completing their practicums virtually. Students can record and securely send their recording to their instructor for evaluation.
The student counselors at Texas Wesleyan University’s Community Counseling Center, along with faculty and staff, have continued to train the next generation of counselors by providing virtual services for more than 320 clients.
The role of live streaming in education has quickly evolved from a “nice to have” to a must have, particularly during the current pandemic. Whether it’s a sporting event, fitness class, concert, commencement or a traditional classroom lesson, live streaming enhances the experience for students who can’t be present in person or who want to view the event later.
Be unstoppable in your quest to educate students. With a drive to better serve learners, combined with YuJa’s video enterprise platform, anything is possible.
