Polycom Industry View - Education

A recent survey commissioned by Polycom, Inc. found that videoconferencing is the second most desirable way for school teachers to communicate with parents, students and colleagues—with the most desirable interaction being physically in the same room meeting face-to-face.

Other key findings of the survey included:

• Three-quarters of the teachers (77%) think that more investment in videoconferencing would benefit their students and improve their education, citing the increased motivation and engagement with subject matter that videoconferencing encourages.
• Two-thirds surveyed (67%) believe that videoconferencing improves core skills for use in later life and the workplace.
• In addition, over half (56%) the university tutors surveyed see video conferencing as a means of extending their educational services, therefore enabling them to teach via distance learning.

Endorsement by Polycom customers include “The National Distance Education University (UNED) educates through a blended-learning methodology based on the principles of distance learning; implementing Polycom’s cutting edge video conferencing was essential to effectively fulfil the obligation of the University to raise the standard of collaborative communications,” said Covadonga Rodrigo, Vice Rector for Technology, UNED. “Our Polycom Unified Communication platform allows us to connect teacher and students at any time, any place and over any distance, and enhances the distance learning experience for all our lifelong learning programmes.”

Alan Cameron, Education Officer for Dumfries and Galloway, says, “Through Polycom’s solutions, we’ve seen teachers sharing ideas, we’ve been able to facilitate Continued Personal Development sessions with staff between schools, and have also developed excellent international links. One school has linked up for home economics lessons in Poland and another of our schools links with a school in the Caribbean. It has been very successful, and, looking to the future, it would be fantastic to have all schools kitted with video conferencing solutions.”

• Research Report 
• Survey Results 
• Press Release