Teachers have always worked hard for the benefit of their students. Working into the night and on the weekends planning lessons, grading assignments, talking to parents, and helping kids grow into the best versions of themselves — it’s a tough but extremely rewarding job. 

But teachers worldwide report that teaching during a pandemic has been much more challenging than usual. Managing the switch to online learning and back to in-person and then to hybrid models, often with subpar technology, left teachers frustrated and students isolated. 

The challenges of hybrid teaching

Around the world, schools are continuing to deal with COVID in a variety of ways. Many schools and districts are back to full-time in-person learning, but they still have online learning available as an option when students need to join from home. Students can go from in-person learning one day to online for a week if they’re dealing with COVID or other health challenges. Some schools have allowed families to choose to keep their kids learning from home full-time, especially if they or a family member are immunocompromised.

If a teacher has even one student doing online learning while the rest are in class, they need to shift into hybrid teaching mode, catering their lessons to their in-person students as well as the ones attending online. 

There are a lot of hurdles to overcome when trying to meet the needs of both groups of students. It can be much harder for teachers to connect with remote students (especially those who are struggling). It’s frustrating for everyone involved when internet connection problems interrupt the flow of learning. And with the limited technology that teachers typically have available — a laptop with a webcam and maybe a speaker — online students can rarely hear the contributions of everyone in the class. Or, have their own voice be heard by everyone in the classroom.  

How things stand today, consistency and stability are still often out of reach. Teachers still have to juggle two types of teaching, and it can be harder for students to achieve learning objectives. 

But with better video conferencing technology for classrooms, teachers can create a modern learning environment that makes every student feel seen and heard, and helps bridge the gaps between online and in-person learning. When teachers are supported with the right tools, they can spend their energy teaching, not fighting with technology. 

Building a modern classroom

There are various classroom setups to explore when implementing hybrid classroom tools. You’ll need a video conferencing camera, a monitor or display, speakers, a video conferencing software platform, and an online learning management system (LMS). 

The Meeting Owl is a classroom camera designed for hybrid learning and includes an all-in-one system with microphones, speakers, and video — plus a WiFi-enabled connection. Its unique 360-degree video camera allows teachers to walk freely throughout their classroom without the students attending remotely missing a beat. 

The Meeting Owl 3 and its accessories can be used in tons of creative ways at your school. Different subjects require different types of classrooms, so this flexible technology can adapt to meet the needs of any class. 

All-in-one video + audio for classrooms: The Meeting Owl 3

The Meeting Owl 3 is a one-of-a-kind 360° video conferencing camera that tracks whoever is speaking and shows them on-screen, automatically. 

Placing a Meeting Owl on the teacher’s desk in a traditional classroom setup helps ensure that remote learners can always see and hear the teacher, and gives them the opportunity to also see their in-person peers when they speak up. It’s a much more immersive experience for remote learners and can help them feel considered and included.

With this technology, teachers don’t have to stay anchored to their desk and their laptop webcam: the Meeting Owl follows them as they teach dynamically, and captures every word and every gesture. This lets teachers be as engaging and mobile as they were able to be before COVID hit. Teachers can also use the Camera Lock function to always ensure they’re always shown on-screen, even when students are chatting amongst themselves.

And for when it’s time for fun activities like show and tell, or reading together from a book, sitting or moving desks into a circle around the Meeting Owl makes for easy, lively discussions between in-person and remote students. The Meeting Owl automatically highlights whoever’s speaking, no matter if they’re online or in class, making everyone feel more connected. 

“With the Meeting Owl Pro, my students feel like they are part of the class regardless of where they are learning,” shared a teacher at ATLAS Academy at Tennyson Middle School. 

A video camera to share the whiteboard with remote students: The Whiteboard Owl

The Whiteboard Owl is a dedicated whiteboard camera that ensures students who are learning from home can get all the information they need. The Whiteboard Owl syncs to the Meeting Owl, and it shows the whiteboard as part of the video call. 

Even if the teacher is standing in front of the whiteboard, remote students can see the whole board, with increased saturation and clarity so they can read every word. 

Classroom add-ons for more flexibility: Meeting Owl Accessories 

Sometimes, learning can take place outside of one specific classroom, so teachers can use tech accessories like the Meeting Owl Carrying Case and the Meeting Owl Table Lock to move their video conferencing session anywhere, and set it up just right. 

Invest in your teachers, your students, and your school’s future

For two years, teachers have pivoted, jumped through hoops, and constantly adapted for the good of their students. Hybrid learning isn’t going anywhere, so now is the time to invest in providing your teachers and students with technology that keeps them all connected.