The pandemic has drastically altered education around the world. Students are taught remotely via a variety of digital platforms due to the unprecedented demand for virtual learning. With the sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the world, many people are wondering if the adoption of online learning will continue post-pandemic and how such a movement might affect the global education industry.
While many may have only heard about blended and/or distance learning during this pandemic, a software and IT provider in the Philippines claims that this approach has been a part of the country’s educational system for years.
A blended approach to learning is the design of a course that improves the teaching and learning experiences of students and teachers by combining face-to-face and online learning components. In many cases, “blending” results in better student experiences and outcomes, as well as more efficient teaching and course management practices.
Whereas many educational institutions want to participate in this technology-driven education, they face several obstacles, such as the use of legacy technology infrastructure. Nowadays, the flow of data has exceeded all limits, necessitating the establishment of a superior IT framework to support high-volume software installation and cutting-edge technologies. In processing an excessive amount of data, the server power and related accessories must be scaled and future-proofed to meet future needs.
To meet this digital demand, particularly in the administration of the institution, it is necessary to set up or upgrade their IT infrastructure in accordance with the existing framework. They can begin by implementing integrated ‘Smart Solutions,’ which are comprised of compact, flexible, and dependable high-end technologies.
One of the solutions proposed by the company is a fully integrated micro data centre solution, which can provide an intelligent and integrated infrastructure that allows IT departments to quickly deploy a data centre, even in tight spaces.
It is a solution that combines power, thermal management, and IT management in a simple, quickly deployable design, making it ideal for schools that need to quickly deploy IT infrastructure across multiple locations. It also allows IT managers to standardise processes and centrally manage applications and infrastructure remotely while still providing low latency computing, which is crucial for hybrid learning setups.
To help ensure the school’s critical data centre’s availability, the software company has innovated a range of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) solutions that allow IT Managers to monitor the school’s IT infrastructure even remotely.
The company’s full range of UPS, which, the company said, are future-proof, eco-friendly, and highly efficient, can help schools improve their IT network’s uptime. It can cover the IT infrastructure’s backup power needs, from small computer rooms at the network edge to enterprise and hyperscale data centres. With the company’s software optimisation, factory integration, and industry-leading deployment services, the software-based solution is also simple to deploy.
With its rights-based access and control, optional onsite intrusion, prevention, detection, and video surveillance, security risks are also reduced. Its secure remote IT management, online double-conversion uninterruptible power supplies, and next-day onsite emergency services also help to reduce downtime risks.
Aside from these solutions, the company intends to help the education sector by bringing together cutting-edge solutions to ensure the continuous operation, optimal performance, and scalability of data centres, communication networks, and other critical IT facilities.
The Department of Education (DepEd) had also recently mentioned that it would ensure learning continuity for millions of Filipinos as they implement different learning modalities created in support of the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).
More than a year since implementing community quarantines and safety protocols, blended, distance learning remains the new normal in the Philippines’ education sector. This hybrid approach is deemed crucial for ensuring that learning continues uninterrupted in the midst of the current global health crisis.
