Niavac has delivered Ireland’s first ever Met LIVE studio for Belfast Met campus featuring cutting-edge AV technology for the college to provide virtual and hybrid teaching.
Earlier this year, the Niavac team won a huge £4million contract with the Further Education Colleges. This investment saw the design and installation of a bespoke virtual classroom purpose-fit for hybrid and virtual teaching, amongst other cutting-edge AV solutions delivered across campus.
The bespoke virtual classroom is situated in the e3 building of Belfast Met's Springvale Campus, home of the Belfast Film and Television School. With complete funding from the Department for the Economy, the Met LIVE virtual studio will secure the Met's mission to deliver successful hybrid teaching and make these virtual teaching sessions more engaging and successful.
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Met LIVE promises an authentic classroom experience from anywhere in the world. In line with the Met's goals of providing an elevated hybrid teaching experience, the virtual classroom affords remote and long-distance learners the same opportunities as in-person learners. The studio seats up to 36 people, offering a genuine hybrid experience for those taking part in lessons and blending this with virtual learning.
Based on Barco’s weConnect platform, the virtual classroom provides a more authentic classroom experience in the virtual realm. During lessons, students are presented life-sized on individual screens, enabling tutors to pick up on nuances of body language. In addition, students are clearly highlighted whenever they speak or raise their hand. Each student has their own individual camera aimed at the tutor, creating a more personalised remote learning experience. These features offer a more meaningful connection between tutor and learner and, in turn, a more enriching learning experience.
James Conlon, Managing Director of Niavac commented: "Engagement is the underlying ethos of weConnect and Niavac are proud to deliver this learning innovation into Belfast Met. Encompassing hardware from brands such as Barco, NEC, Biamp and Clevertouch reflects the forward-thinking approach of the College”.
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Commenting on the launch of the classroom, Economy Minister Gordon Lyons also added: “While remote learning through online platforms has become the norm during the pandemic, this new virtual classroom is a truly innovative step forward for learners, a first for Northern Ireland, and takes the virtual learning experience to a new level. My Department has worked closely with the college to bring this project to fruition and I wish the college and its students well as they benefit from the new facility well into the future”.
This project is just one part of a larger contract of bespoke communication solutions that Niavac will be delivering to Belfast Met in partnership with Further Education colleges across Northern Ireland. This involves the installation of professional audio-visual equipment across all of Belfast Met’s campuses, such as CleverTouch touchscreens and an Absen LED video wall.
Source: Written from press release.
