Covering Disruptive Technology Powering Business in The Digital Age

Digital learning activities have always been an integral part of teaching innovations at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). There is even a pressing need to cater for the huge increase in demand for high-quality hybrid learning post-pandemic.

Ultimately, EdUHK realised there was a need to equip its classrooms with better audio solutions to enhance the hybrid learning experience. Sennheiser‘s TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC 2) was the answer EdUHK was looking for, and it was installed in EdUHK’s new e-learning Pedagogy Space (ePS). As a result, the TCC 2 has elevated the quality of teaching and learning experiences for both staff and students.

Located in Tai Po, Hong Kong, EdUHK is the largest tertiary institution for teacher education in Hong Kong. It is renowned for its diverse academic and research programmes that nurture future educators. EdUHK sits atop a 12.5-hectare campus and caters to over 7,600 students. It also has more than 1,700 staff and faculty members.

The ePS is a new concept introduced by Professor Tsui Kwok-tung, Professor (Practice) of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at EdUHK. Prior to the renovation, the original room was a Learning and Teaching Lab for in-service and pre-service teachers. However, its effectiveness was limited by its audio setup as only one microphone was available at any one time. Thus, people had to raise their voices or pass around the microphone to ask questions or deliver presentations.

The ePS incorporates both face-to-face and online learning in a synchronous class. However, audio delays and technical issues can stifle conversations and cause both online and in-person students to disengage. Professor Tsui felt that it is vital for the ePS to fulfil two requirements. First, it should enable teachers to create and maintain dynamic dialogue between in-person and online students. Second, it should support different classroom settings—be it a class, lecture, group discussion or conference. Regardless, there should be flexibility in the layout without affecting the audio quality. All in all, audio quality is crucial to the success of the ePS.

TCC 2: A Top -of-Mind Solution to Meet Changing Needs

Chow Lap Tak, EdUHK’s Computer Officer at the Office of the Chief Information Officer, was responsible for the AV systems in upgrading the ePS. Sennheiser’s TCC 2 was the first thing that came to his mind when he understood what the ePS needed. He had used TCC 2 before and knew its powerful versatility.

Sennheiser’s TCC 2 proved to be the perfect audio solution for EdUHK. Its TruVoicelift increases the speech intelligibility. It also ensures that students and lecturers can be heard clearly from every corner of the room. TCC 2’s automatic beamforming technology and its 28 inbuilt omnidirectorial microphone capsules can scan the entire room and automatically identify the position of the speaker. With Sennheiser’s TCC 2, users of the ePS can now enjoy clear, flexible, outstanding audio quality.

“TCC 2 delivers excellent audio quality. We are very impressed with its pick-up range, pattern and response. It is also simple to use and does not require manual configuration each time. Paired with Sennheiser’s Control Cockpit software, we can now monitor and manage the microphones that are within the network,” Chow pointed out.

EdUHK: Taking Hybrid Learning Experiences to the Next Level with Sennheiser

Another great advantage of TCC 2 is its compatibility with Zoom and other conferencing platforms. This greatly simplifies the process of setting up such apps. Teachers and students can now focus on their main goals—teaching and learning in a well-equipped environment.

“TCC 2 has made hybrid teaching and learning possible. It used to be a challenge to take care of both the needs of students in the ePS and those participating virtually. Previously, when the lecturer walked around the room, the students participating online were not able to hear him clearly. However, if the lecturer focused too much on online students, the engagement level in the room suffered. With TCC 2, this is no longer an issue,” said Professor Tsui.

Chow believes that lecturers and students are happy with the installation of TCC 2. He noted that it “has truly improved the learning and teaching experiences in the classroom.”

(0)(0)