OTT in Education: Definition, Benefits, and How it Works

We are living in an age where a digital revolution has taken place that has a profound impact on our lives. It has reshaped the education system, especially how one can learn in this new age. Therefore, we have witnessed a surge in the usage of Over-the-top or OTT in education. Today, 3 out of 4 students find videos more engaging than text-based content. 

Thus, many EdTech businesses have incorporated over-the-top or OTT platforms to provide an immersive learning experience to their users. Additionally, businesses adopt these platforms to ensure significant growth. However, some EdTech businesses are unaware of the rising potential of using OTT in education.

All educreators or EdTech businesses can learn more about the role of OTT in education using this blog. Additionally, this blog will provide information about the benefits and how OTT platforms work to serve the education industry.

What is OTT in Education and How is it Different from Classroom Learning?

OTT in education is a revolutionary approach that allows users to learn from live and on-demand videos available in high quality on a dedicated platform. Learners worldwide can use it to watch video content online on various devices such as mobile phones, computers, or tablets. With the help of Over-the-top platforms, an educreator or an EdTech business streams live & VOD content easily and effectively.

The popularity of OTT in education has surged, empowering educreators and video streaming businesses to offer users flexible learning options. It is considered the best alternative that offers a solution to rigid schedules and the location-dependent nature of traditional classrooms.

Classroom learning is a synchronous learning method in which both students and teachers must be present at the same time. On the other hand, using an OTT platform eliminates the need for strict time adherence to ensure smooth learning. This asynchronous learning method grants students the freedom to engage with the teacher when they desire.

How OTT Works in Education?

Leveraging OTT videos is the key to unlocking the doors to new-age learning by delivering a dynamic learning experience. By using OTT platforms for education, an educreator or EdTech business can deliver video content directly to the learners who can access and watch the videos any time of their choice. Here’s a general overview of how the OTT platform works in education.

STEP 1: Once the video is recorded, compressed, and encoded, it is ready for delivery over the internet through a global content delivery network like Amazon CloudFront.

STEP 2: When a user requests an OTT platform to access a video, the DNS directs the request to the nearest edge location—subsequently, the CDN searches for the requested video file.

STEP 3: Once the file is located, the CDN (Content Delivery Network) transmits it directly to the user. In turn, users can seamlessly watch it on the same OTT platform from which the user made the request.

What are the Benefits of Using OTT in Education?

The usage of over-the-top platforms helps to transform the education landscape and provides EdTech businesses with the following key benefits.

24/7 Availability

OTT platforms provide an upper hand to educreators or EdTech businesses, allowing them to stream online videos that can be easily accessed by their users anytime, thanks to their 24/7 uptime. They have helped bridge geographical gaps, making high-quality education available to people all around the world.

Interactivity

Various OTT platforms are useful for providing online education to users through interactive features such as quizzes, discussion boards, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. All these features foster engagement among users, enabling EdTech businesses to drive more revenue.

Personalization

A standout feature of OTT platforms used in education is the advantage of personalization. This personalized touch helps optimize the learning journey for users by analyzing individual learning progress and delivering content tailored to meet their unique requirements.

Pocket-Friendly

The OTT platforms used in education proved to be a cost-effective solution compared to traditional classroom learning. These platforms eliminate the need for physical infrastructure to educate learners, thereby reducing the overall cost of providing high-quality education.

Also Read: eLearning Mobile App

Which OTT Platform is Best for an EdTech Business?

Educreators and EdTech businesses require a new-age OTT platform for seamless video streaming of live and recorded videos in HD quality. There are various OTT platforms available and selecting one from them is not a cakewalk.  However, creators can rely on one of the most opted secure and interactive video streaming solutions like VideoCrypt that can help them build a white-label OTT platform loaded with multiple features. 

These features include real-time analytics, offline video playback, video CMS, cloud hosting, multi-device compatibility, screenshot prevention, etc. A little icing on the cake of selecting VideoCrypt is the 24/7 available on-call support to resolve your queries.

Conclusion

eLearning has become an indispensable part of today’s world of the digital revolution and OTT platforms are playing a crucial role in it. These platforms enable the educreators or EdTech businesses to earn more revenue by driving more engagement. This requires a feature-rich OTT platform that is compatible to work on multiple devices and OS in this competitive digital age.