Three Reasons Why The Webcam Is The Best Investment For Upgrading Any Classroom

The landscape is vast, encompassing everything from classroom scheduling software to virtual reality learning solutions.

With that in mind, it’s easy to understand how educators can become overwhelmed by an abundance of choice, often juxtaposed by a limited budget. For example, should you opt for educational software, or is it more beneficial to invest in a time-saving tool for teachers? As any solution involves a tradeoff, navigating the technology jungle can be stressful.

The fact is, advanced solutions are not suitable for all schools. Sometimes, budget and focus need to be allocated elsewhere to address more pressing needs. Even schools that enjoy a significant budget may find it challenging to prioritise and justify spending on unfamiliar solutions. In spite of this, there is no doubt that EdTech presents a massive opportunity for schools to make learning more engaging, effective, and fun. But as they set out to harness this potential, it’s tricky to know where to start. Sometimes, it’s helpful to go back to basics.

Going back to basics to propel schools into the future? For all the progress that we have seen in education technology over the past decade, there is still one fundamental development that has stood the test of time. It has been around for decades, yet still holds massive promise for both students and teachers alike – the webcam.

Before you dismiss this notion as dated or even obsolete, it’s important to understand what we mean by the webcam in the first place. As a concept, the webcam can be anything from the camera on the front of your phone to a massive virtual event gathering thousands of attendees. We’re only scratching the surface of the wonders of virtual video. With this in mind, there are three main reasons why the webcam is the best investment for upgrading any classroom in the decade to come.

Creating connection Fundamentally, technology should be evaluated on the basis of how it actually transforms students’ lives. The webcam is a brilliant example of this. Virtual video allows educators to easily connect and interact with students, be it in a classroom or on an individual device.

It’s essential to highlight that this doesn't simply mean ‘doing a webinar’. Instead, video meetings provide educators with a wide range of ways to innovate their lessons. Virtual video unlocks a world of opportunities for making classes more engaging across the board. This can include anything from using virtual whiteboards to augmented reality, creating engaging, interactive experiences for everyone. Many educators are yet to explore these options, but they’re gaining in popularity. For that reason, we’re likely to witness an explosion in innovation in this area in the near future.