How VoIP Phone Systems Help Private School Distance Learners

As noted by Private School Review, across the country a growing number of private schools are embracing advanced technology-led solutions to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance student learning and outcomes -- and VoIP phone systems that seamlessly integrate voice and data are a major part of the equation.

However, there is another key reason why private schools are shifting from traditional phone systems to VoIP: to support distance learners (a.k.a. remote students). Below, we highlight the 3 key ways that this priority is being achieved with unprecedented effectiveness thanks to VoIP:

1. Borderless Learning Events 

With VoIP, private schools can literally reach students anywhere, which means that students who cannot attend “brick and mortar” classrooms -- possibly due to illness, vacation, or other reason -- can still participate in the learning experience.

What’s more, this participation is active rather than passive. Students can interact with teachers and fellow students by asking questions through voice, text or email. Given this rich multimedia capacity (i.e. students can access a subject-matter related website in real-time while a teacher is referring to it), in many cases VoIP learning is actually superior to conventional classroom learning.   

2. More Parent Involvement

It’s widely understood that student learning vastly improves when parents are involved in the process, and know what their children are learning and how they can be a supportive resource. VoIP lets teachers and parents easily and efficiently connect through voice or web.

Plus, VoIP’s Direct-in-Dial feature means that parents can contact teachers directly vs. calling in through the main switchboard, which is much more efficient for all involved. And the Auto-Attendant feature means that teachers can easily and quickly create pre-recorded messages that update parents on upcoming field trips, exam dates, and so on.

3. Enhanced Teacher Training

VoIP is also an excellent – and highly cost-effective – way to enhance teacher training, and ensure that all staff members are constantly developing their professional abilities. Furthermore, multiple private schools (or multiple campuses of the same private school) can connect over VoIP to participate in a large learning event, such as a seminar, lecture, workshop, and so on.

The Bottom Line 

As Harvard Business Review observed: “VoIP is coming. The important dividing line won’t be between those who deploy it and those who do not, or even between early adopters and laggards. It will be between those who see VoIP as just a new way to do the same old things and those who use it to rethink their entire businesses”.

And while private schools are not classically-defined businesses, they are certainly governed by the need to be efficient, achieve KPIs, deliver value, innovate, and “do more with less”. VoIP is central to all of these goals and gains, and distance learners are just one of the key groups that reap the rewards of this telecommunications evolution.

Learn More

To learn more about implementing VoIP in your private school to support your leaders, administrators, teachers and students, contact the Votacall team today. Your consultation with us is free.

For more information about why private schools are switching to hosted VoIP, download our FREE eBook: