Due to the spread of COVID-19, ”untact” education that was forced on universities is expected to develop over this year. The Ministry of Education announced its plan to improve the operational standards of online lectures in general universities and to ease its regulations. Before, the number of credits allowed were restricted when taking online lectures, but these regulations will be removed starting from this year, and universities will be able to decide on the matter autonomously.

As a way to strengthen online university lectures, last November, the Ministry of Education also selected 10 university coalitions of each region to be a ‘University Distance Learning Center’. The selected 10 centers will serve as hubs of improving online university lecture quality and study lecture innovations. Around the metropolitan area, Hanyang University and Dongyang Mirae University coalitions were selected as centers.

Hanyang University is considered a great model case of online education innovation, and to be a leader of next generation education. The state of the art lecture room LIVE+, which the university began constructing last year as a measure against the spread of COVID-19, became a leading example of enhancing the satisfaction level of online lectures.

With the situation of COVID-19 spreading, Hanyang University strived to solve the difficulties of online lecture professors, while providing lectures that satisfied students.

With the assignment of infrastructure construction that could easily combine online recorded lectures and online live lectures, the university boldly invested in software upgrades and offline facilities installations. As a result, the state of the art lecture room LIVE+ was created.

LIVE+ is a hybrid lecture room where online-offline lectures can be conducted at the same time. In the lecture room, the professor tracking camera, high quality audio equipment, and monitoring display are installed, and an online recorded/live lecture support system with increased functionality and usability is applied.

At LIVE+, professors can conduct lectures using a blackboard as if they are conducting offline lectures with students. One difference is having to turn on the system that is installed in the lecture room. When the system is turned on, the camera automatically begins recording while following the professor. At the same time students can listen to the lecture through the video conference program ZOOM, asking questions with the professors at the same time. When conducting the lecture, attendance is also automatically checked using the connected learning management system (LMS).

In addition, as the lecture is conducted, high-definition recording of the lecture is also processed. The recorded lecture file is uploaded to the cloud immediately, without the professor having to manage it separately. Students that could not participate in the lecture or want to view the lecture again, can always access the recorded lecture files.

Currently, Hanyang University constructed 30 LIVE+ lecture rooms. This is the result of selecting lecture rooms in July and November of last year, based on a list from each college. 17 lecture rooms, that were selected first, finished their construction within the summer vacation, and were used starting in the 2020 Fall Semester. A total of 225 lectures were held in these lecture rooms, which is about 10% of all the lectures held in the university. 13 lecture rooms selected for the second trial will be used starting in Spring Semester this year. Hanyang University is setting an annual goal of holding 30% of all lectures in LIVE+ lecture rooms.

Whether it is an online or offline lecture, ‘communication’ is what affects the lecture satisfaction the most. Professors need to share their education philosophy with the students, and must effectively deliver their knowledge and wisdom. Additionally, in order for smooth communication, fluency in education tools must first take place. In consideration of this matter, LIVE+ is also greatly effective in aiding fluent communication.

On the LIVE+ professor satisfaction test conducted last December, high scores were received in the ‘Effectiveness in student communication’ area. The overall satisfaction score reached 4.06, out of 5. The state of the art lecture room LIVE+ is enhancing the online education level, while suggesting a new standard of online lectures, that focuses on the reinforcement of interaction and communication between professors and students.

“The construction of LIVE+, which was done as part of the University Innovation Support Project, holds great meaning in providing convenience for both professors and students, while raising their lecture satisfaction level. LIVE+ was applied with a universal and stable operation system that is under a systematic master plan. Applying the next generation LMS based on a Canvas program update, interlocked system, providing manuals, securing the cloud, lecture room construction, and many stages of online-offline infrastructure applications were thoroughly considered.
Construction of an ‘online education center’, that can create synergy with LIVE+ is also being planned.. We strive to provide a space where students can take online lectures in a more convenient and safe environment.”

While contactleess lectures were conducted, university libraries also represented our changed daily lives, by closing the library or shortening the opening hours, or by providing online services only. Hanyang University Paiknam Library & Academic Information Center began making plans for preemptive actions regarding the extension of COVID-19, to provide an “untact library” environment.

Paiknam Library & Academic Information Center first improved the entrance gate by using a body temperature checking system with facial recognition. This method was taken to conduct temperature checks effectively, while minimizing face-to-face contact. Also, an automatic self-service borrowing stand was installed on the 1st floor of the library, while expanding the delivery returning service for those that had difficulty visiting the library.

Installing acrylic panels within study rooms, reducing 50% of the seats within the study rooms and reading rooms, social distancing, and other preventive measures were also taken. Moreover, the offline lectures that were held by the library before were converted to online lectures. The first steps to secure the safety and service satisfaction of the users are already receiving positive responses.

The word “untact”, which has been created in Korea due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now a great part of the education environment. The expansion of online lectures and contactless services around the university will become the priming water for studentbased learning innovations, and a new form of future education.