Virtual instructional studio introduced to Lenoir Community College

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Virtual learning is used a lot more these days since the pandemic forced a lot of classes to be remote.

Now, Lenoir Community College (LCC) is making the process easier for teachers and students alike, with their first instructional studio.

This technology means students can access classes from anywhere.

LCC is introducing new technology from Johns Hopkins University this school year.

These live instructional studios mean teachers can now instruct live classes virtually, through document scanners, high-tech cameras, audio, lighting, and smart board cameras.

Timothy Fisher, LCC’s president of administrative services, says the technology is meant to help students learn.

Timothy Maddox-Fisher, Vice President of Administrative Services says, “You always want to be cutting edge, and ahead of the curve with things like that, and as we saw students with transportation needs and things like that, we thought man, how can we get ahead of that and really provide them the opportunity to log on from local Starbucks, McDonalds, library, or your house, whatever works for them.”

Virtual classrooms were used a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this new technology is taking it one step further.

Kensey Foushee-Erkes, a teacher at LCC shared, “When we came back from the pandemic, we tried the synchronous where we have some students in person and some students virtually, and now, we have a way to meet with students all virtually in one setting.”

The classes are designed in two parts: teachers can give live instructions three times a week, and then post assignments students can do on their own time.

Instructors say this technology is as new to the teachers as it is to the students.

Foushee-Erkes told WITN News, “It was a little bit intimidating, it’s a lot of technology, there are six screens, we’re eventually going to have three keyboards, so it is a little intimidating.”

The technology also allows fewer teachers to reach more students since they are not limited to certain numbers of teachers and the capacity of the classroom.

The teachers say that this technology has been more accommodating to all types of students – from students who are parents or working to students in local high schools.

LCC says it will continue to use this technology throughout the next school year and expand its use to other high schools, too.

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