21% of colleges have adopted a hybrid learning strategy since the pandemic and 95% of students said they would be satisfied with online learning. Blended and online learning is a new phenomenon and is revolutionizing university education.
But how do you create the optimal blended learning environment for your students? Keep reading to learn why security is a top priority when implementing a hybrid learning strategy and cutting-edge technologies to secure in-person and online learning platforms.
Top Tools to Consider for Blended Learning
Let’s take a look at some of the best technologies that can help you create an effective and protected hybrid learning environment for your students.
Securing e-learning platforms
Online learning has many benefits for students, but there are also security considerations. When you use e-learning platforms, you expose yourself to vulnerabilities associated with cloud-based technologies. Third parties can intercept cloud-based technologies and reveal user information.
cyber security
Cybersecurity is essential to ensure the security of your learning platform. Let’s discuss some of the best techniques for securing your online forum:
Password protection – You should protect your entire e-learning platform with a range of strong passwords that act as barriers to entry. You should restrict access to the Learning Platform, individual user accounts, and online classrooms using strong passwords.
Data encryption – as the data travels on the platform, it is essential to ensure that it is encrypted so that third parties cannot intercept it. This way, even if the data is intercepted, it will be unreadable.
zero trust – Zero Trust is a cybersecurity strategy that does not imply the trustworthiness of every user. Thus, users are only allowed to access information about them individually, as opposed to all data stored on the platform. This eliminates the possibility of internal violations.
Setting up firewalls – Firewalls monitor and control incoming and outgoing traffic on the network. This means that there is a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks.
If you can establish these principles, you will be able to secure your e-learning platform against cybersecurity vulnerabilities. However, since most cybersecurity attacks are caused by human error, this only solves some problems.
Cyber Security Awareness
To ensure that your network is not compromised due to human error, it is essential to ensure that your staff and students have a decent level of cybersecurity awareness. This includes educating them on the following cybersecurity information:
Spotting phishing scams – phishing attempts can be quite convincing. Educating users on how to spot phishing scams and the importance of not clicking on unknown links or revealing sensitive information is essential.
Keep devices up to date – software updates often remove vulnerabilities from the system, which means that software that is not updated can be vulnerable. This is why your staff and students should be aware of updating their software.
Create strong passwords – one of the most commonly used passwords is still 12345, and you need to educate users on the importance of developing strong passwords to secure your system.
Educating your staff and students on these principles can help reduce the possibility of human error causing a cybersecurity incident.
Securing learning spaces
To protect your students while participating in in-person learning, you should invest in physical security measures to protect the space.
Here are some physical security technology considerations to protect your learning space:
School door security systems – access control can help you secure your learning space from unauthorized users. When students need protection, it is essential that access to the building is restricted. With access control, users can open doors using mobile credentials, which communicate via Bluetooth. This means that users do not have to hold their mobile device directly in front of the reader, and it can be detected in a bag or pocket. This can create convenient security that does not slow down traffic at the school entrance.
security cameras – you can install school security cameras to deter criminals on school grounds and provide evidence in case of crime. You can also install video intercom systems at the entrance to the school, allowing the identity of visitors to be verified before entering the building.
Visitor management – Since visitors to a school need to be precisely logged in and out of the building for security purposes, visitor management software is essential to your access control systems. Visitors can complete digital registration forms on their mobile devices, and they will gain access to the building. Once they leave the building, the system will automatically disconnect them.
Creation of a fully integrated learning system
When determining which eLearning tools to use, user experience is a priority. Your students should become familiar with the online learning platform and use it easily for their daily lessons and tasks.
It’s also worth considering whether your learning tools can be integrated and hosted on a single interface to allow students and staff easy access to a range of information from different sources.
Security is a top priority in any learning space, whether it’s an in-person or online learning platform. Security becomes even more important when your students need backup procedures. If you consider these technologies, tools, and guidance for your blended learning strategy, you can provide the optimal learning space for your students without being vulnerable to security threats.
Featured image: Pikusisi-Studio, iStock.
