Jan. 27, 2022 - Teaching was a stressful job long before COVID-19. If the 2020-2021 schoolyear taught us anything, it was how to adapt and how to do it quickly. Teachers know this more than most, just ask one. Having to teach a dispersed group of students while navigating unfamiliar technology, in an already stressful occupation, has forced many teachers to flee.

Almost half of all public-school teachers who voluntarily stopped teaching after March 2020, left because of the COVID pandemic – and stress was the most common reason. According to the article, Impact of Educational Technology on Teacher Stress and Anxiety: A literary Review, main findings show that teachers presented a high level of anxiety or stress due to their use of educational technology in the classroom.

But educational technology is supposed to enhance the learning experience, right? Balancing remote and in-person learning doesn't have to lead to stress and anxiety. Let's take a look at some technology solutions that enhance the experience, not hinder it.

An Ecosystem Built for Any State of Learning

One of the biggest challenges we hear from teachers is the constant struggle to keep students engaged. Keeping students engaged, focused and enthusiastic is no small task – especially when teachers and students aren't physically in the same room. Hall offers a variety of solutions designed to improve teacher-student engagement, while keeping simplicity at its core. The new APOLLO Series Technology Room Kit eases the dynamic of collaboration through technology. The TRK-1 directly connects to all current and legacy unified communication devices, making it a versatile and easy-to-install solution for classrooms and meetings spaces.

Budgetary Woes

Education budgets have been slashed over the past few years. Because school funding varies by district and type, they must piece together funding from multiple sources that still fall short of their needs – this is especially true for technology funding. Classroom technology ranges from modern state-of-the art to outdated and unfunctional. The Hall DISCOVERY Series offers an affordable solution for smaller colleges and K-12 schools and is backwards compatible with legacy equipment. This solution provides video and USB over a single CAT-6 cable with the ability to program serial, IR and I/O ports to control displays, cameras, audio equipment and other devices.

Keep it Simple

Technology is overwhelming, especially for non-technical people. Projectors, laptops, cameras, software platforms, apps, microphones, headsets – it's all an awful lot for a teacher whose background is generally in teaching. Adding engaging content with video, graphics, whiteboarding can enhance a curriculum but if the technology isn't easy to use, it won't get utilized. Hall offers an all-in-one integrated solution that provides video switching, amplified audio and control in a compact and easy-to-use form factor. The EMCEE200 presentation switcher offers a simple, easy-to-use web GUI and buttons/knobs for setting up a classroom on the fly. Whether it's a large lecture hall, auditorium, or classroom, all teachers need to be heard clearly and need to present seamlessly.

The goal at Hall Technologies is straightforward: we want to help educators overcome classroom technology hurdles with adaptable, affordable, and easy-to-use solutions. Please contact a local Hall sales rep for more information on our education solutions.