In conjunction with the introduction of new teaching modalities due to the coronavirus pandemic, Wor-Wic Community College introduced a variety of new technology enhancements to create new virtual experiences, increase interactive learning and enable classroom activities to be recorded and/or livestreamed.

More than 65 classrooms and a few conference rooms on campus were outfitted over the summer with technology that enables instructors to use both Zoom and MS Teams through Blackboard, the college’s learning management platform, to deliver online, virtual or on-campus classes to multiple classrooms.

In addition, audio-visual technology with interactive display boards, called Clevertouch, and zSpace laptops, have been installed in Henson Hall, Shockley Hall and Brunkhorst Hall. Both can run augmented and/or virtual reality software.

According to Kimi S. Lichty, instructional technologist, the touchscreen capability is extremely beneficial along with the clarity and ability to save annotations. “The touchscreen really lends itself well to interactive software like Visible Body that allows for instructor and student interaction and manipulation.”

Visible Body is a virtual software application that can be accessed on a zSpace laptop or Clevertouch board so that the entire class can see what the instructor or student is showing the rest of the class.

It is being used in biology classes such as anatomy and physiology, and other classes for students pursuing degrees in health care fields.