By Mardhiah Nasir, VP of Sales and Farikh Ikram, Head of Technology – IPSB Technology
Kuala Lumpur, 30th December 2021 – Educational institutions in Malaysia have been implementing the rotation class schedules since October 2021. This is due to the government’s continuing efforts in breaking the chain of Covid 19 transmission. This hybrid or blended learning approach can provide the opportunities and flexibility necessary for the future of education.
“A blended learning environment can enhance students’ performance and achievement “
Hodgson, Catherine (2014/01/01). . Education + Training, 56, 190-207.
The pandemic served as a catalyst in the adoption of e-learning. It has provided the unique opportunity to reimagine the traditional model of school-based learning. (The World Bank, n.d.). Research has shown that online learning increases retention of information and takes less time. This meant the changes set in motion by the pandemic might be here to stay. Therefore, a blended learning strategy is the best way forward for the future of education.
Even before COVID-19, there was already high growth and adoption in education technology. Global Ed-tech investments reached US$18.66 billion in 2019 and the overall market for online education projected to reach $350 Billion by 2025 (World Economic Forum, 2020).
What is Blended Learning?
There is no specific way of learning. In a blended environment, students can pick and choose the learning techniques that work best. Whether it’s the more “traditional” classroom-style lecture, an online approach or a mixture of the two (Henken, 2021).
This helps to ensure better future-focused learning methods. Furthermore, through proper integration, parties involved will develop digital prowess that enhances teaching and learning.
5 Reasons Why OTT Platforms Will Be The New Education Normal for Blended Learning
According to Dr Bernard Luskin (Stansbury, 2016), “Over-The-Top technologies are transforming the nature of how we receive content.” Internet-capable devices often harness OTT through apps by third-party interfaces to deliver content to users anytime, anywhere. There’s a wide range of OTT platforms, including globally renowned Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video , Brunei’s RTBGo and Malaysia’s own UNIFI HyppTV.
This proves that the digital ‘revolution’ surely had its impact as more people have easy access to technology now.
Reason 1 – Ott As A One Stop Solution
OTT offers an interactive e-learning platform, which also acts as a centralised repository. The platform is where students and educators can have a two-way interaction with all the tools at hand to ensure optimisation of resources. Virtual technologies augmented by immersive video lectures, interactive quizzes, real-time knowledge sharing and others , are all examples of said tools . These tools are essential in developing a positive environment conducive to learning. Furthermore, students will be able to access a fair distribution of educational content, wherever they may be.
Brunei has integrated their education syllabus on RTBgo which can serve as a supplementary VOD education center for the people, alongside infotainment purposes. India’s educational OTT platforms, such as Aagam and BYJU, are use case examples of OTT based blended learning techniques.
Reason 2 – Data And Feedback
OTT enables interactive tools to be used to aid in two-way communications between users, in which collective data is sent back into the platform. Educators can create and deliver content, monitor learners participation and assess students performance through combined efforts of online teaching and face-to-face instruction . Whereby also providing students the ability to use interactive features such as threaded discussions, video conferencing and discussion forums (Brush, 2019).
Additionally, through the data reporting features of the LMS, educators are informed of a students progress which allows students of varying levels of competency to receive the attention needed to excel (Henken, 2021).
Reason 3 – Flexibility To Adapt
OTT features that are highly adaptable, easily scalable and easily integrated will enable educators to keep abreast of things. Educators can make learning exciting and enriching to prepare students for a technology-driven world.
New technology has seen advancements in virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and cloud computing. These advancements will give rise to innovative adaptations for future learning application modules. An adaptable OTT Platform can easily integrate these modules .This in turn will enable students to learn according to their capability and capacity.
Reason 4 – Cost Effective
Aside from the required initial investment in technical infrastructure , blended learning can reduce costs in a variety of ways. The first way is to refocus students towards online or on-demand features of an OTT education platform. This will cause a reduction of physical infrastructure , such as classrooms, libraries, laboratories and other ensuing facilities. Furthermore, reused and repurposed online course materials can also reduce cost, overhead and timely delivery of said materials.
Initial recorded lectures can reduce time spent on physical lectures. This will therefore enable educators to focus on student coaching activities.
Other cost benefits are that with OTT’s wider audience reach , more students could be accommodated (Henken, 2021).
Reason 5 – Launching An Ott Platform Is Not As Difficult And Time Consuming As You Think
A successful OTT platform requires a provider that offers on demand developers to build something that is custom-tailored to your vision, from visualization to Cloud or on-site launching of your OTT.
Apart from all these benefits, it will help students to inculcate virtues like responsibility and proper management of time. In order to cope with this change in perspective, we need to upgrade our education system . We look forward to helping universities and institutions provide a suitable education platform . As we prepare for the future trends and support your students with customized OTT Platform ready for blended learning.
IPSB’s success story in developing the OTT platform for Brunei’s RTBGo, alongside our partner AWS can be read HERE. Read our Case Study on RTBGo alongside our partners AWS and Glue Media Publishing System HERE.
Contact us for a consultation on OTT and how we can help your organization solve IT challenges in Digital Transformation: sales@ipsb.com.my
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