The best affordable interactive whiteboards for schools can offer the digital screen smarts of a modern panel but without the steep price tag.

You might not require all the top features that some whiteboards come with that push up the price. So, finding the best affordable whiteboard option, that still serves all your needs, is the ideal goal. This guide aims to help.

Think about what you're going to need in terms of connectivity, compatibility, resolution, brightness, touch sensitivity, and size. Then check through this list of only the best options, listed with features front and center to make that clear, so you can find the perfect model for your class.

Want to make this even more interactive? Consider extra add-ons like webcams, wireless keyboard and mouse, and document cameras.

Also, be sure to check out this guide on what to know about buying an interactive whiteboard.

The best affordable interactive whiteboards for schools

1. BenQ Board Essential RE04: Best overall affordable interactive whiteboard

The BenQ Board Essential RE04 offers an affordable price while still packing in more than enough features for most needs. That includes a 40-touch point display with 65-inch IPS panel offering a high UHD resolution at 3840 x 2160. It's also bright and rich in color, which means this will be clear to the whole class, regardless of students being at the back of the room or close and interacting with the board.

In terms of connectivity, this plays nicely with lots of software and hardware thanks to an Android operating system and host of ports, including USB-C, 3.5mm in and out, PC OPS, LAN, and more.

Speakers are built-in, and you get both a remote control and two stylus pens with the package. This also features low blue light to protect eyes, is TUV-certified, and runs on low energy thanks to an Energy Star 8.0 certification, which should save money in the long run, too.

The EZWrite software lets students use their personal devices to interact from anywhere, allowing for a truly digital interactive class experience. Thanks to Google Drive integration, teachers can also access files and materials easily as needed.

2. LG CreateBoard: Best services board

The LG CreateBoard is a top brand option that keeps the price relatively low if you go for a smaller size. This should be fine in many cases thanks to that UHD 3940 x 2160 resolution combined with 400 nits max brightness and rich 1200:1 contrast ratio.

You also get a super sensitive 40 touch points of control on that IPS panel. The wireless screenshare feature enables up to nine users to directly interact in real-time. You can even remotely monitor and manage using the LG ConnectedCare DMS, ideal for scheduling and broadcasting.

Thanks to Android OS and a selection of Google services built-in, this offers a powerful way to interact, complete with a selection of educational templates and teaching tools available on the device. That also includes a strong level of security for protected access to materials with school-grade security.

You also have access to the many Google Play Store apps and games available for use at scale on that big screen.

3. Ikinor T982: Best at scale

The Ikinor T982 is a Chinese-made option that is super affordable, especially when bought at scale, making this a good consideration for district-level purchases.

The interactive whiteboard offers an impressive 65-inch display as a minimum but goes as large as 110-inches if needed. The resolution is plenty high at UHD 3840 x 2160, so it should be clear from any point in the room.

Thanks to a built-in 12MP 4K camera, speakers, and 8-microphone array, this is made to work as an interactive video screen system as well as a teaching tool. The Android OS includes a huge selection of Play Store apps are available for use on this 20-point touchscreen.

The useful file sharing system lets you access materials all in one place and then generate QR codes to easily share that with other devices.

4. Samsung Flip 2 WM55R: Best display quality

The Samsung Flip 2 WM55R offers a reasonably priced interactive whiteboard -- often with discounts -- from a well-known brand that's all about displays. As such, this is a super clear example of quality with a high-resolution backed by rich colors, fast refresh rates, and top brightness.

All that is supported by a super sensitive display with 20 points of touch but also the ability to use up to four stylus pens at once -- making this great for student projects as a team. The ultra sensitive writing feel can also be a helpful feature for teachers who want to do a lot of annotating or drawing on the board.

Connectivity is decent with WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, HDMI, Ethernet, USB, and audio out plus smart sharing via Samsung software that allows for students to interact with personal devices.

Available in several sizes, there should be a price point that works well while still getting you a very high-quality example of a digital whiteboard.

5. ViewSonic IFP5550: Best school specific features

The ViewSonic IFP5550 offers an impressive 4K UHD screen with 40 touch points backed by decent brightness and dual 12W speakers, all supported by Android OS. All high-end hardware specs, for a relatively affordable option, from a specialist in this field that's made a good name over the years.

Thanks to a simple USB-C connection point it can make using external devices very easy. The smooth writing and ultra fine touch sensitivity make it ideal for student drawing and writing as well as teacher annotations.

The myViewBoard suite offers native apps that are made to integrate with school systems and offer smart wireless connectivity from other devices. A helpful remote management setup is also ideal for admins, as is a three-year standard warranty and Energy Star rating for longer term savings.

• Best Hardware for Teachers
• Best Free Virtual Labs

The best affordable gaming computers for schools allow you to enjoy the power of a machine built for gaming, but without the usual steep price tag.

The idea behind finding that sweet spot on price and power, is to ensure your school can afford to get as many machines as possible, without scrimping on performance.

It's worth considering what these are being used for as that could mean you buy a mix. Some more powerful machines for taxing gaming that requires the fastest performance, and more affordable options for those that have less pressure to perform -- such as those with lots of processing going on in the cloud, for example.

You may also want to think about setting aside budget for accessories such as gaming keyboard and mouse, headphones, webcams, and even gaming chairs.

This guide lays out the best affordable gaming computers for schools available right now.

The best affordable gaming computers for schools

1. HP Victus 15L: Best overall affordable gaming computer

The HP Victus 15L is the perfect combination of gaming specific setup for performance power while keeping that price tag well under the $1,000 mark. Despite this packing in plenty of power, it also remains relatively compact in a home console-sized setup that can make fitting many into a small space a possibility.

Inside you get all the grunt of an Intel Core 10th-gen processor backed by Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super graphics, up to 16B of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. More than enough for most gaming needs in school then.

So when it comes to getting the most out of your space, and your budget, this is an option that does that really very well. And it's worth keeping in mind this comes from HP, which is a reputable brand that offers good support and warranty cover, so you have that longer term peace of mind also.

As a bonus this also offers a good selection of ports on the front of the machine, so it can be easily interfaced by students using their personal hardware, or for accessing external drives more easily than on if these were on the back.

An excellent affordable gaming computer for schools with a good selection of variation in specs so you can find the ideal price and power point that meets your needs.

2. Refract Gaming Jade: Best custom build

The Refract Gaming Jade is a custom-built machine that is setup by Overclockers to offer a full-on PC gaming experience without the usual steep price tag. It's worth noting this is often available in sales so you can get it for a lower price if you keep your eyes peeled.

This looks great, with see-through sides, LED lighting, and fantastic framing. But that goes further as it produces superb-looking gaming visuals too, right up to 4K quality thanks to the hardware. This usefully comes in one configuration, making things very simple when buying.

Everything is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and backed by Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti graphics, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. That makes this an entry-level gaming PC but one that should offer more than enough power for schools. It's also simple to setup and use with room to upgrade, which makes it a more future-proof option than many at this price and spec level.

It's worth noting that this is air-cooled only, so if you have a lot of these in a room it could get quite noisy. Although since most gamers have headsets on anyway this may not be much of an issue.

3. Lenovo Legion Tower 5i: Best for multi-use

The Lenovo Legion Tower 5i is around the $1,000 mark yet offers powerful gaming specs and works well for wider PC uses, too. It can be good for gaming while also providing enough grunt for video and image-editing purposes.

The tower is an eye-catcher with its glass side and multi-colored LED lighting setup. Thanks to plenty of ventilation holes on the front, this can be cooled efficiently so you get powerful performance at the 1080p-quality level, which 77fps levels on the likes of Cyberpunk 2077.

Don't expect this to offer ray-tracing level performance as that's rare at this price point without suffering on FPS performance. Instead, you can enjoy quality graphical gameplay from the Intel Core i7 CPU backed by Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti with up to 16GB of RAM and a combination 1TB HDD and 512GB SSD for storage capacity and speed combined.

4. Acer Predator Orion 3000: Best compact model

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 manages to keep the price low while also making sure the footprint of this machine is minimal. As such, this is a compact PC that won't take up too much room while still offering plenty of power at that sub-$1,000 price point. You can go higher than that with specs, if needed though.

At the base you get an Intel Core i5 11th-Gen chip backed by Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 graphics card, and up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM plus 512GB or 1TB SSD.

This system uses the company's FrostBlade cooling fans to make sure the setup remains chill even under the most intense pressure. This runs Windows with gaming-friendly features such as the Auto HDR to ensure the dynamic range is as vast as possible to give you the most realistic picture quality.

On top of all that you have a glass side with LED lighting for a truly powerful gaming machine look, plus plenty of space for future upgrades.

5. HP Omen 25L: Best performance on a budget

The HP Omen 25L is a model that stands out when it comes to design and performance. While still keeping the price low this manages to offer superb performance for 1080p gaming, meaning high frame rates on pretty much anything your throw at this machine.

You have an RBG LED lighting setup on the glass-sided main unit that features clean lines and a minimalism that really makes this look fantastic. It also offers super simple tool-free access, making it a good model for upgrades and changes whenever needed.

The top quality performance comes at the base configuration but you can spend more and get that even more powerful, if needed. On entry you get plenty with that AMD Ryzen 5 5600G CPU, AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT GPU, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD.

6. Asus ROG Ally: Best handheld

The Asus ROG Ally is a gaming computer compact enough to hold in your hands. This is a really great option if mobility is an important requirement, as this can go anywhere.

Thanks to a built-in 7-inch IPS 120Hz 1080p display flanked by controls and speakers, this is an all-in-one setup. Yet, despite that size, it still packs in full-powered gaming specs.

That's due to a powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip running the show with the backing of an RDNA 3 GPU, a massive 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a plentiful 512GB SSD.

Despite having all this, and in such a small package, it still manages to keep the price down, making it one of the most affordable options on this list.

7. MSI Codex R2: Best for power without compromises

The MSI Codex R2 is a powerful-yet-affordable gaming machine that offers 1080p-quality gaming and even 1440p performance without making many compromises at all.

This is thanks to plenty of grunt in the form of that Intel Core i5-14400F processor that's backed by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU as well as 16GB dual channel DDR5 RAM and SSD storage.

This also looks the part with that RGB lighting setup that shows off the plentiful hardware as well as the space for more if needed.

8. Zhic Gaming PC: Best super cheap

The Zhic Gaming PC is a super affordable option that is sub-$500 at time of publishing. Despite that low price, it still manages to offer decent specs, including plentiful RAM at 16GB and a hefty 1TB of SSD storage. Plus, it's powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G CPU and backed by AMD Radeon Vega graphics.

This is where money is clearly saved, as the graphics are built into the CPU rather than having a dedicated separate GPU. As such, this will be more limited than the other machines on this list in terms of top performance power.

That said, you can upgrade as required, so adding in a GPU to this setup may work out more affordable, and powerful, than some of the pre-built options on this list.

• Best Hardware for Teachers
• Best Free Virtual Labs

The best VR headsets for schools are being used far more widely now. The technology is more affordable and available, while the software options are greater than ever, and growing daily.

Both virtual reality and augmented reality headsets give teachers an opportunity to offer students an immersive experience of a topic or subject. From taking a virtual trip to ancient Rome to dissecting a frog without any real animals being harmed, the possibilities are broad. Plus, this option is far more affordable and safe than the physical world alternatives. 

Many headset systems now work as a group, allowing the teacher to guide the students as they each have a personal viewing experience from their connected headset. This can mean a great focus of attention, even for students that might otherwise struggle to stay engaged in a group situation.

Here's what to know about buying a VR headset.

For this guide we're mostly looking at the best VR and AR systems for schools, used in the classroom.

Best VR headsets for schools

1. ClassVR: Best Overall

The ClassVR system, by Avantis, is a purpose-built VR headset and software package designed for schools. As such, these headsets are solidly constructed with a plastic shell and wide headband. Each system comes with a pack of eight, plus all the kit necessary to get up and training. Crucially, ClassVR also offers a lot of assistance with setting up the install and managing the system, if that's what the school chooses. 

The system offers plenty of educational content that is actually curriculum-aligned. Since it's all run from a centralized management system, it leaves the teacher in total control and also means you don't need more than one main computer to have it up and running. 

Since this ensures all the students see the same content at the same time, it can facilitate a group learning experience, just as with a real class trip, for example. The price is reasonable for what you get but when you compare to affordable options that work from home, it's still a commitment.

2. VR Sync: Best for Use with Multiple Headsets

VR Sync is a digital platform that can be used to send a VR experience to multiple headsets. Since this is simply the software part of that, it leaves the school free to use varying headsets. This is also a great option for a school that allows students to bring in their own headsets from home.

You can add videos, so you can make your own or use those downloaded from online. You get full 360-degree video with spatial audio for full immersion. It also offers an option to study analytics of how users interact – aimed more at business users, but it has potential for the classroom too.

Sync VR currently works with Oculus Go, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Pico, Samsung Gear VR, Android, and Vive.

3. Redbox VR: Best for Content

The Redbox VR system is similar to the ClassVR setup, only this offering is created to work with Google Expeditions specifically. As such, it's an ideal way to take a class on a virtual tour of places all over the world, now and in the past.

The system comes in a box with a selection of headsets and all the kit needed for set up and keeping the system charged for use. An optional 360-degree video recording setup allows users to make their own videos – ideal for a virtual tour of the school, for example.

The system comes with a 10.1-inch tablet that allows the teacher to control the experience with ease while still remaining mobile enough to move around the class.

4. Oculus Meta Quest 3: Best Stand Alone Setup

The Meta Quest 3, formerly Oculus, is one of the most powerful standalone headsets out there right now. While it's not specifically built for the classroom, it packs in so much power, so many features, and such a wealth of content, that it's a great classroom tool. It's not cheap, and you do need a Facebook account to get up and running, but it's worth all that for the super accurate gesture controls and more.

This is a light model, making it suitable for younger users too. Everything runs quickly and the display is crisp and high-res enough to help even those less comfortable with VR to be at ease using this headset.

5. Google Cardboard: Best Affordable Option

Google Cardboard is a very, very affordable option. At its most basic, this is a cardboard box with two lenses, and although there are many unofficial versions with plastic build and head straps for a little more, we're still talking under $25 here. 

A smartphone is required in the headset to make the magic happen, but the system is still relatively cheap and can work anywhere. A negative as not all students have powerful enough smartphones, or want to risk breaking one.

Since this is part of the Google VR system, you get lots and lots of content that's always being updated. Google Expedition offers virtual school trips all over the world and, of course, it's all free to use. Beyond that, there are educational apps and the ability to create content for viewing. Add that to Google Classroom and you have yourself a very capable VR platform.

6. Windows Mixed Reality: Best for AR

Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality is an augmented reality (AR) platform that works with Windows 10 and 11 devices and a selection of headsets. A fair amount of content is free, created by VictoryVR, but it's nothing compared to the scale of Google. That said, this is curriculum-specific content, so expect it to be useful: From virtual dissections to holographic tours, it's all very immersive.

The big sell here over a lot of VR is that this brings the virtual into the room, allowing students to have their hands recognized to interact with the virtual object as if they were really there. This is Microsoft, so don't expect it to be cheap, but there are a number of partners offering headsets, such as Dell and HP. Microsoft itself offers the Hololens 2.

Of course you can simply use a Windows 10/11 tablet with no headset for an AR experience too, as a more affordable alternative. 

7. Apple AR: Best for Visually Engaging Apps

The Apple AR offering is one that's built for use on its tablets and phones, specifically the LiDAR packing iPad Pro. Consequently, this is an expensive option when it comes to hardware. But for that outlay you get some of the most visually attractive and engaging apps designed specifically for education. 

Put a virtual civilization on a school desk or explore the stars during the day, all from a single screen. Of course, if students already own Apple devices that can help to extend the experience without cost to the school. Since this is Apple, expect plenty more apps to come and lots of free options too.

8. Vive Cosmos: Best for immersive games

The Vive Cosmos is a super powerful VR and AR headset that comes with very sensitive and accurate gesture controllers. All that is backed by a PC connection, so high-powered experiences are possible. Plus, there is a lot of modular capability, so you can invest less up front and upgrade parts as and when you need.

The programs include Vive Arts for educational content, from pairings with the likes of the Louvre and Museum of Natural History. This allows students to build a tyrannosaurus rex, bone by bone, for example. A lot of free content is available including a virtual anatomy class, a light refraction experiment, and more.

9. Apple Vision Pro: Best for ease

The Apple Vision Pro is a very impressive AR contender on this list but it's low down here as it's also very, very expensive. Sure, this being Apple means it's easy to setup and use and with more and more rich content landing daily. But that also means an Apple price tag which puts this out of reach for many schools -- or at best, taking turns and sharing a headset.

Thanks to eye-tracking smarts and superb display resolutions, this is super simple to use and looks great. But it's not designed specifically for schools, so keep that in mind if you're thinking of making the investment. 

Pricing and short battery life aside, plus that heavy headset weight, this is one of the best VR experiences you can have and it will only get better, so if you can afford it, this is worth a try.

• Best Thermal Imaging Cameras For Schools
• What To Know About Buying A VR Headset

The best projectors for schools can turn a clear wall space into a digital interactive treasure trove of educational information. Best of all, these are now more powerful and affordable than ever before.

Picking the best projectors for schools can be a more complicated task than it might appear. Several key factors need to be considered beyond budget alone. 

How large is the area you're working with? What resolution quality does your projector need to have? Does your projector need to have multiple inputs and outputs to connect external devices with ease -- for various teachers and students who pass through the room? Do you have space or will you need a short-throw option? Is daylight use important and could laser projection help?

Here's what to know about buying a projector for school.

This guide aims to take all these factors and more into consideration to offer you a list of the very best education-specific projectors to suit the needs of your school.

It's also worth considering the best webcam options and the best document cameras to make sure you're getting the most out of your projector in the room.

• Best Chromebooks for School
• Best Interactive Whiteboards for Schools

The Best Projectors For Schools

1. ViewSonic PA700W: Best overall projector for schools

The ViewSonic PA700W is a fantastic projector for use in schools as it is a very versatile tool that manages to keep the price relatively affordable, too. Crucially, this model can be positioned at several distances from the screen to offer variations in size of up to a massive 300-inch display. The only major downside here is that the resolution tops out at WXGA, which is 1280 x 800p, so at larger sizes this doesn't look as detailed as some modern TVs, for example. Hence this low price.

However, for reliability, this is a top brand that comes with a three-year warranty, plus this is built with education in mind. As such, you can expect a plethora of ports, including two HDMI, two VGA, one USB, one Ethernet, and two audio for in and out. So for connectivity this is a powerful pick.

The image quality isn't just about resolution though as projectors are largely defined by their brightness. In this case, the impressive 4,500 ANSI of brightness allows this to be used even in daylight and still be clear. That brightness can sometimes mean sacrificing colors but not here thanks to a massive 1.07 billion colors that can be displayed on the dynamic contrast ratio of 22,000:1 – all making for a very rich and clear display.

The lamp is good for around 12,000 hours before it will need to be replaced, which is pretty standard on these sorts of projectors.

2. Optoma ZH400: Best laser projector

The Optoma ZH400 is a super capable projector that might be a little more expensive than some, however, since this comes packing laser projection, it justifies that cost. Using a laser light source means you not only get the most crisp and clear images but also some of the best colors and contrast too. Plus, it can last longer and in this case packs in a massive 4,000 lumens of brightness, so it's good to go day or night.

This projector offers a Full HD 1080p resolution so it should be plenty clear even when setup to offer larger projections. Sure it's not 4K, but at this price that can't be expected from a laser quality projector. What you do get is a two-year warranty plus a full five years, or 12,000 hours, of cover on the lamp itself. Although the company says the lamp is built to last 30,000 hours. In addition, being laser, it is built to work constantly with just a recommended 30-minute break every 24 hours.

This is a compact projector, at 4.2kg, so it can be used in smaller classrooms and can also be moved about between rooms as needed. This should be maintenance free, thanks to it being laser, and can be installed anywhere thru 360 degrees along the horizontal axis or even rotate 90 degrees to project in portrait mode if needed.

3. BenQ MW536: Best affordable projector for schools

The BenQ MW536 is a lamp projector that keeps the price super low while still maintaining high standards when it comes to specifications. Primarily, this offers a very bright 4,000 lumens that should make for a clear display even on brighter days. It also offers an impressive three-year collect, repair, or return warranty, and has a lamp life of up to 15,000 hours.

This can be setup to thrown a screen from just 60 inches away and that can be from a wall rather than a screen if you need. In fact, this has an intelligent offset that lets you project clearly even on colored walls, expanding the options on where this can work. 

The contrast ratio of 15,000:1 is just alright as is the WXGA resolution, yet at this price they'll both serve most classroom needs just fine. Usefully, there is a dedicated Infographics Mode that shows extra clarity for text and graphics in detail -- ideal for the classroom. You also have two HDMI and two VGA ports for decent connectivity with multiple devices at once.

4. Epson BrightLink 725Wi: Best interactive projector

The Epson BrightLink 725Wi is a very powerful option as it not only displays but also detects gestures to make this an interactive option. As a result, teachers can stay by the display and touch, like on a smartboard, in order to interact, rather than being stuck by the input device of their laptop, for example.

Primarily, this is bright at 4,000 lumens and has an impressive 20,000 hour laser light source. It can project up to a 100-inch display size although the resolution does top out at WXGA. What it does feature though is automatic image alignment and pen calibration, which makes it super easy to install and, crucially, gives the option to move this between rooms.

This projector features Epson's legendary 3LCD quality, so the image sharpness and range of colors is excellent. This system supports up to eight users, and with wireless connectivity, can make nearly any wall or whiteboard immediately interactive. 

5. ViewSonic X2000B-4K: Best short-throw laser 4K projector

The ViewSonic X2000B-4K projector is technically the best projector in this guide, however, due to the very high price, it is sitting down here on the list. For a tidy sum of money you can have it all, meaning full 4K (3840x2160) resolution from a laser light source that requires little to no maintenance and lasts longer than regular lamps. Not only that, but this is also a short-throw projector so it can be placed close to the wall to display a large screen, ideal for smaller rooms limited on space.

Brightness is limited at 2000 lumens but since this is short throw it needs less to appear as bright as other models in this list, so don't hold that number against it. You have HDR and HLG support for superb contrast with a massive 125% Rec. 709 color gamut, meaning this will display movies better than many top end TVs, except at giant sizes of up to 100-inches.

This even comes with dual integrated Harman Kardon speakers with Dolby and DTS support for a full-on cinema style audio experience – plus the WiFi connectivity should make connecting any devices an easy process. 

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• Best Chromebooks for School
• Best Interactive Whiteboards for Schools

The best webcams for schools can help to take teaching digital -- in a way that is immersive and inclusive. Getting the best webcam can mean visual and audio quality is at its best, for the most effective online interactions.

While many devices have cameras onboard now, these aren't dedicated to the task in the same way a stand-alone device can be. Investing in a webcam often will enhance the quality of the video -- there's a reason most YouTubers have dedicated webcams.

For one thing, most webcams offer a larger lens and sensor, so more light can get in for a far brighter and more lifelike end result. Then, for audio, you will find that lots of webcams feature multiple microphones to get the best from your voice as well as reduce any unwanted background noise.

Cameras can be moved for the ideal angle, perfect for classes where you may want to focus in on an object being talked about. These also come in up to 4K quality, allowing you to capture more and zoom in or downscale as needed.

Here is what to know about buying a webcam.

This guide lays out the best webcams for schools.

The Best Webcams For Schools, Teachers & Students

1. Logitech C922 Pro Stream: Best overall webcam for educators

The Logitech C922 Pro Stream is simply the best webcam for teachers and students, thanks to a top quality 1080p resolution sensor that's built into a minimally designed and easy-to-mount camera. It does all this while remaining relatively affordable, too (around $100).

When it comes to live streaming, the C922 is capable of 720p quality video at a super fast 60 frames per second refresh rate. That makes for a really smooth quality feed, ideal for teaching with movement while working on a whiteboard or taking a class through an experiment live.

A very useful feature for both teachers and students is the background removal tool. As the name suggests, it removes the backdrop to keep the person in shot while maintaining the privacy of their surroundings -– ideal for remote learning.

This camera is exceptional for low-light correction with auto light features -- no matter where you're able to get online from, this will offer the most clear video picture quality. It'll sound clear too thanks to built-in stereo audio recording.

A superb webcam for video streaming and audio quality make it ideal for both teachers and students in every learning environment.

2. Razer Kiyo: Best webcam with lighting

The Razer Kiyo is a webcam like no other as it features a dedicated LED light ring. This offers a diffused light that creates a professional level of quality for an even spread, which is designed to be flattering for the user. The result is a very clear image that can convey emotion and feeling, helping those watching feel more immersed in the experience.

This device has a 1080p quality resolution for recording and can stream at 720p with 60fps for a smooth video finish. The mounting system is super simple and clips to most screens easily. After that clip on and plug in, the process of getting up and running is also super simple.

Yes, this is more basic than some top-end models when it comes to extra features, but for a quality video with built-in microphone for audio, this does the job very well.

3. Logitech StreamCam: Best webcam for streaming

The Logitech StreamCam is, as the name suggests, built for the task of streaming. As such, it comes with integrated dual microphones for audio and a 1080p quality video streaming capability. But it's the extras that make it stand out, including AI to track your face as you move, which combines with autofocus to keep the image clear.

This device comes with a mount for displays or a tripod, works with PC and Mac, and connects via USB-C. The 60 fps video combined with a 9:16 format option (for Instagram and Facebook portrait shots) and smart exposure all make for a really high-quality image that's ideal for teaching, especially if movement is likely.

The webcam comes in a few color options and is small enough to fit in a bag, or even pocket, making it ideal for travel, storage, and use with a laptop.

4. Aver Cam540: Best webcam for 4K with zoom

The Aver Cam540 is the top-end of what webcams offer, and it has a price to reflect that (around $1,000). But it's well-justified as it is crammed with features. Primarily, it is capable of 4K resolution video quality, which might sound like overkill except it can be used with a 16x zoom, ideal for experiments, map analysis, and board work.

The remote allows you to pre-set 10 zones that it will pan to at the touch of a button, once again making this a great tool for teaching remotely if you want to move about and have the focus follow you as needed. Auto white balance, top color reproduction, and superb accuracy all help make this as clear as possible.

This webcam is even easy to install and works with Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks. It's actually certified for Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Zoom use.

5. Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000: Best webcam on a budget

The Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 has a superb image quality and performance for a very low price (around $90) when you consider all the features. This gets you a 1080p recording quality with the usual 720p streaming top-end limit. But it offers 360-degree rotation using the handy mount that works as a tripod for any surface.

The autofocus takes care of keeping the image quality high while the wideband mic provides crystal clear audio. As for exposure and lighting, you don't have to worry about much with Microsoft's TrueColor system taking care of that dynamically.

Pay very little, worry not at all, and get a lot. Simple.

6. Mevo Start: Best webcam for smartphones

The Mevo Start is a bit different to the others on this list in that it's wireless. Since this uses WiFi and is battery-powered, it can be paired with a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, anywhere. That makes this ideal for live streaming events, such as a school trip or experiment at a location, and can be done directly through the likes of Facebook, YouTube Live, or Vimeo.

This webcam comes with a built-in thread for a mic or tripod stand, and charges via USB-C. You get 1080p at 30fps with a low distortion lens, HDR and auto exposure for consistent quality no matter where you record. While it will live stream to multiple platforms at once, you can also record it locally using the microSD slot.

The battery lasts six hours on a charge, and the whole camera is small enough to slip into a pocket, making your lessons free to be experienced anywhere you dare to venture.

7. Elgato Facecam: Best for YouTube streaming

The Elgato Facecam is packing in a super powerful and high-quality Sony sensor so you can stream at 1080p and even enjoy 60fps quality. All that runs through some very easy-to-use yet powerful software, all of which add up to an ideal camera for YouTube streaming.

The downside for anyone seeking a simple webcam is that this is specialist, and as such, requires a separate microphone and won't offer autofocus -- since that can be troublesome for vloggers. So for teachers with a channel or who teach through YouTube videos, this is ideal. But for anyone that wants a simple webcam, the others on this list are better suited.

8. Logitech Brio UHD Pro: Best for groups

The Logitech Brio UHD Pro webcam is a super powerful option that's designed for business use but can work very well in the classroom. Thanks to 4K and up to 90fps quality and HDR, images are super clear. Crucially, there are also multiple angle options that allow the camera to zoom in on a face or a group to get the perfect field of view.

Sound quality is excellent thanks to dual noise-cancelling microphones that allow you to be anywhere and still be heard clearly. Thanks to the RightLight 3 tech, this does similar with light, balancing the picture for clarity even when facing sunlight, for example.

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Descript is a do-it-all video and audio editor that wants to make the whole process as easy as possible. As such, it's a useful place for students and educators to begin, or to use ongoing as a helpful tool to create.

Crucially, this platform also offers quick tutorials that allow even novice users to get the hang of how it works. That does make it suitable for students, and also helps to make it accessible for educators as part of their teaching toolkit.

Descript, as the name alludes, also offers automatic transcription of audio. This can be very helpful if creating audio recordings or podcasts that are going out to those who may not be able to hear and could benefit from reading the transcript.

The features of this tool go far deeper, with a special skill when it comes to group podcasting and screen recording, so read on to see if Descript could be for you.

What is Descript?

Descript is an audio and video production and editing platform that specializes in podcast creation, specifically for groups.

Descript crams in a host of helpful features, including screen recording, audio recording, multitrack editing and mixing, publishing, and even some AI tools for text-to-speech creation.

Coming in both web-based and desktop versions, this is easy to access across a host of devices. It also offers several tiers of pricing so it can be used for free but also with more complexity for a premium.

The screen recording feature, which records from the screen as well as webcams, is a particularly useful tool for teachers looking to create guidance resources for students. The ability to partially add automated speech from text, in your own voice, is a really powerful way to stay personal and engaging while saving time on recording audio perfectly.

How does Descript work?

Descript requires you to sign-up before downloading the software to get started. You are then also required to complete a short survey on how you will be using the tool, before moving forward. It's a pretty swift process and is, initially at least, free.

Once up and running you are able to record audio, for podcasts specifically, as an individual or as part of a group. The ability to collaborate, remotely, is a really powerful feature that students working on a project across locations outside of school hours could find very useful.

Students can easily record audio or screen record right away. It is then possible to layer the audio and video to edit in a timeline style that is very professional yet straightforward to use. As mentioned, there are some helpful guidance tutorials to make sure even less confident users can get going with relative ease. 

It is then possible to output to various formats for sharing as needed. You can also use the tool to publish, making it helpful for those looking to share to social media directly, for example, or for anyone publishing a regular podcast.

What are the best Descript features?

Descript is easy to use, offering deep and intuitive levels of control without getting too complicated in the process. 

One of the best features has to be the transcription, which is done via AI. You can record an audio recording and the written transcription is automatically available -- ideal if students are watching in public and want to follow along without audio playing, or if they are unable to hear.

Another smart feature is the premium overdub voice cloning. This allows you to offer quality voice over corrections to podcasts or audio recordings simply by typing the correction. A very clever way to edit without spending lots of time re-recording. Although for this to work you must read a 10-minute script out, just once, so the system can learn and clone your voice.

You can also easily remove noises and enhance audio with a single click. This makes for near professional level audio quality with just a laptop mic. A great way to cut out any "ums" or "ers" from a recording to give it a more polished finish.

Live collaboration is helpful for students working on a project together, however, it's worth noting this data is stored in the cloud so any recordings are exposed as far as the protection of the platform offers with its own server security. 

A helpful option to add in-line notes to audio recordings and videos is available -- ideal when offering feedback on a collaborative project or for educators giving students direct responses. 

How much does Descript cost?

Descript offers several tiers of pricing, which can be paid for either monthly or annually which are: free, creator, pro and enterprise.

The free plan gets you one transcription per month in 23 languages, detection of 8+ speakers, one watermark-free export, 720p resolution, dynamic captions, unlimited projects, animation and transitions, filler word removal of "um and "uh," overdub voice to 1,000 word limit, studio sound to a 10-minute fill limit, background sound removal to 10-minute limit, stock media library of first five search results, stock template library, collaboration and commenting, plus 5GB of cloud storage.

Go for the Creator plan, at $12/month, and you get all the above plus 10 hours of transcription per month, unlimited exports, 4K resolution, one hour of studio sound, one hour of AI background removal, first 12 search results of the stock media library, creation and sharing of templates, plus 100GB of cloud storage.

Up that to the Pro level, at $24/month, and you get the above plus 30 hours of transcription per month, unlimited studio sound and AI background removal, removal of 18 filler and repeated words, unlimited overdub and stock media library access, custom drive and page branding, plus 300GB of cloud storage.

A custom plan with bespoke pricing is available, which gets you all the Pro features plus a dedicated account representative, single sign on, overdub enterprise, Descript service agreement, security review, invoicing, onboarding, and training.

Descript best tips and tricks

Group cast
Set a podcast creation project in groups so that students can learn to work collaboratively, outside of class hours.

Publish
Show the class how publishing works so they have the ability to create and share their own podcasts in their own time.

Overdub your own
Educators can use overdub to help create audio to go with guidance videos without actually spending lots of time audio recording everything perfectly.

• Podcasting for Educators
• Best Digital Tools for Teachers

The best webcams for teachers and students are an essential upgrade to get the best possible hybrid learning experience. The best webcam ensures top quality video and audio when in a video meeting -- it's that simple.

"But my device already has a camera," you might say. Sure, most do and some are pretty decent, but more often than not you will see a definite jump in visual and audio quality when using a dedicated webcam. 

A larger lens that lets in more light makes for a better image before the digital smart enhancements that most built-in devices rely on as these won't have that lens space. Getting that quality before digital changes makes for a superior end result.

More microphones can mean a far clearer vocal performance without background noise issues as those sounds can be digitally recognized and removed as needed.

These cameras can be moved about, mounted, titled, panned, and zoomed, all useful options when teaching a lesson to a class. While a 720p or 1080p model is fine, there are 4K options that can be great for cropping into specific parts of an image, or to show a class wide shot, for example.

Read on for the best webcams for teachers and students.

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The Best Webcams For Teachers And Students

1. Logitech C922 Pro Stream: Best overall webcam for educators

The Logitech C922 Pro Stream is simply the best webcam for teachers and students, thanks to a top quality 1080p resolution sensor that's built into a minimally designed and easy-to-mount camera. It does all this while remaining relatively affordable, too (around $100).

When it comes to live streaming, the C922 is capable of 720p quality video at a super fast 60 frames per second refresh rate. That makes for a really smooth quality feed, ideal for teaching with movement while working on a whiteboard or taking a class through an experiment live.

A very useful feature for both teachers and students is the background removal tool. As the name suggests, it removes the backdrop to keep the person in shot while maintaining the privacy of their surroundings -– ideal when in virtual class at home.

This camera is exceptional for low-light correction with auto light features that mean no matter where you're able to get online from this will offer the most clear video picture quality. It'll sound clear too thanks to stereo audio recording built-in.

A superb webcam for video streaming and audio quality make it ideal for remote education for both teachers and students.

2. Razer Kiyo: Best webcam with lighting

The Razer Kiyo is a webcam like no other as it features a dedicated LED light ring. This offers a diffused light that creates a professional level of quality for an even spread, which is designed to be flattering for the user. The result is a very clear image that can convey emotion and feeling, helping those watching feel more immersed in the experience. 

This device has a 1080p quality resolution for recording and can stream at 720p with 60fps for a smooth video finish. The mounting system is super simple and clips to most screens easily. After that clip on and plug in, the process of getting up and running is also super simple. Yes, this is more basic than some top-end models when it comes to extra features, but for a quality video with built-in microphone for audio, this does the job very well.

3. Logitech StreamCam: Best webcam for streaming

The Logitech StreamCam is, as the name suggests, built for the task of streaming. As such, it comes with integrated dual microphones for audio and a 1080p quality video streaming capability. But it's the extras that make it stand out, including AI to track your face as you move, which combines with autofocus to keep the image clear.

This device comes with a mount for displays or a tripod, works with PC and Mac, and connects via USB-C. The 60 fps video combined with a 9:16 format option (for Instagram and Facebook portrait shots) and smart exposure all make for a really high-quality image that's ideal for teaching, especially if movement is likely.

The webcam comes in a few color options and is small enough to fit in a bag, or even pocket, making it ideal for travel, storage, and use with a laptop.

4. Aver Cam540: Best webcam for 4K with zoom

The Aver Cam540 is the top-end of what webcams offer, and it has a price to reflect that (around $1,000). But it's well justified as it is crammed with features. Primarily, it is capable of 4K resolution video quality, which might sound like overkill except it can be used with a 16x zoom, ideal for experiments, map analysis, and board work.

The remote allows you to pre-set 10 zones that it will pan to at the touch of a button, once again making this a great tool for teaching remotely if you want to move about and have the focus follow you as needed. Auto white balance, top color reproduction, and superb accuracy all help make this as clear as possible.

This webcam is even easy to install and works with Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks. It's actually certified for Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Zoom use.

5. Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000: Best webcam on a budget

The Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 has a superb image quality and performance for a very low price (around $90) when you consider all the features. This gets you a 1080p recording quality with the usual 720p streaming top-end limit. But it offers 360-degree rotation using the handy mount that works as a tripod for any surface.

The autofocus takes care of keeping the image quality high while the wideband mic provides crystal clear audio. As for exposure and lighting, you don't have to worry about much with Microsoft's TrueColor system taking care of that dynamically. 

Pay very little, worry not at all, and get a lot. Simple.

6. Mevo Start: Best webcam for smartphones

The Mevo Start is a bit different to the others on this list, in that it's wireless. Since this uses WiFi and is battery-powered, it can be paired with a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, anywhere. That makes this ideal for live streaming events, such as a school trip or experiment at a location, and can be done directly through the likes of Facebook, YouTube Live, Twitter, or Vimeo.

This webcam comes with a built-in thread for a mic or tripod stand, and charges via USB-C. You get 1080p at 30fps with a low distortion lens, HDR and auto exposure for consistent quality no matter where you record. While it will live stream to multiple platforms at once, you can also record it locally using the microSD slot. The battery lasts six hours on a charge, and the whole camera is small enough to slip into a pocket, making your lessons free to be experienced anywhere you dare to venture.

7. Elgato Facecam: Best for YouTube streaming

The Elgato Facecam is packing in a super powerful and high quality Sony sensor. That means you can stream at 1080p and even enjoy 60fps quality. All that runs through some very easy-to-use yet powerful software, all of which add up to an ideal camera for YouTube streaming.

The downside for anyone seeking a simple webcam is that this is specialist, and as such, requires a separate microphone and won't offer autofocus -- since that can be troublesome for vloggers. So for teachers with a channel or who teach through YouTube videos, this is ideal. But for anyone that wants a simple webcam, the others on this list are better suited. 

8. Logitech Brio UHD Pro: Best for groups

The Logitech Brio UHD Pro webcam is a super powerful option that's designed for business use but can work very well in the classroom. Thanks to 4K and up to 90fps quality and HDR, images are super clear. Crucially, there are also multiple angle options that allow the camera to zoom in on a face or a group to get the perfect field of view.

Sound quality is excellent thanks to dual noise-cancelling microphones that allow you to be anywhere and still be heard clearly. Thanks to the RightLight 3 tech, this does similar with light, balancing the picture for clarity even when facing sunlight, for example.

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The Attention! solution helps to reinforce campus communication by allowing all networked classroom audio and Interactive displays to work in sync to deliver announcements and alerts.

The new Attention! communication solution combines the FrontRow Conductor campus-wide bells, paging, and intercom platform with the MimioPro 4 interactive display for a fully integrated audio-visual messaging and alerting system. Synchronize audio and visual communications with just a few taps. Users can send announcements and alerts campus-wide, including classrooms, hallways, outdoors and to any MimioPro 4 interactive display. The Attention! solution helps to reinforce campus communication by allowing all networked classroom audio and interactive displays to work together to deliver announcements and alerts. Once the alert is over, classroom audio systems and interactive displays return to pre-announcement settings. Add complementary information such as maps and photos to expedite instruction to staff and students when it’s needed most. Bring Attention! - a powerful audio-visual alert system - to your campus for efficient and immediate, audio and visual communication.

FrontRow and Mimio are divisions of Boxlight.

Tech & Learning and its parent company, Future plc, are partnering with  leading Pro Audio and AV titles to announce two new contests: The Best in Market ‘21 and Best of Show at ISE 2021. These awards programs are supported by Future’s five industry leading Pro Audio and AV titles: Installation, AV Technology, Mix, Residential Systems, and Sound & Video Contractor. 

The Best in Market ‘21 Award 

Future’s Best in Market ‘21 awards is a new market-wide program showcasing the most innovative technology from around the AV marketplace in the last 12 months. The program is open to all manufacturers of professional AV products and solutions regardless of their exhibitor/non-exhibitor status at this summer’s major trade shows. Award categories include, but are not limited to: education technology, AV products for the classroom, and technology enabling distance and hybrid learning. Find more information here. 

Nomination Deadline: 28th May 2021

Best of Show at ISE 2021 

For companies who are exhibiting at ISE 2021, Future’s annual Best of Show at ISE awards program, running in parallel with the The Best in Market ‘21 Award program, is open to any company exhibiting at any of ISE’s in-person regional events throughout June, or as part of ISE’s virtual exhibition offering.

These awards provide the perfect platform to draw attention to the innovative new products and services that have launched in the last 12 months, publishing nominated products to 130,000+ industry professionals. 

How to enter: 

Entries are submitted through this nomination form and are subject to specific criteria, levelling the playing field and ensuring that the judges receive all the pertinent information for each entry in the same format. The Frequently Asked Questions cover more about the entry process, categories, and criteria. 

Any teacher who has taught in a synchronous classroom with students in front of them while simultaneously teaching students remotely via a video conferencing platform (such as Google Meet) knows the challenges of engaging all students.  

One of the biggest challenges is when students turn off their cameras. Being virtual, students also have the ability to hide in the background behind the students who are participating. In addition, some students just don’t feel comfortable with their cameras on. 

To address this issue, teachers in the Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 in Wheeling, Illinois, a district with 6,200 students in Pre-K through 8, have implemented multiple modes of communication to ensure all students participate. 

“We make use of our chat feature for students to share comments without having to turn on their camera or microphone,” says Megan Hintz, a student teacher at Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21. “We have also started rewarding students by having a student/teacher lunch bunch at the end of week for students who have repeatedly kept their camera on throughout the week.” 

The school also piloted the Nureva HDL300 audio system to help students hear clearly thanks to the multi-microphone array. The Nureva HDL300, designed for classrooms, captures the audio of everything happening in the classroom without any feedback or delay so students at home can clearly hear what the teacher and in-person students are saying during class. The system installs on the wall in minutes, and its plug-and-play connectivity and auto-calibration makes setup simple.

“This Nureva multi-microphone device helps pick up the in-person students’ voices so at home students can hear equally, as if they were in the classroom as well,” says Hintz. “This has allowed for a true hybrid experience without me needing to constantly repeat what students have said in class to the students participating online.”

Clear communication is crucial for all students, but those with IEPs or English as a second language can truly benefit from natural sound to follow along. 

“A common characteristic of ELL students is that they are very soft spoken using their second language,” says Hintz. “This product really made it easier for me to pick up some of my soft-spoken students, even in a noisy environment. Now students report being able to hear better in my class than in other teachers’ classrooms.” 

Pro Tips 

 Hintz suggests the following tips to make the most of synchronous classrooms: 

• Missing Assignments: Because most assignments are sent through Google Classroom, it can get overwhelming and sometimes students forget to turn in work. Hintz uses a Google Sheet, organized by date, with all of the assignments that should be turned in that day. Then on Fridays, she builds in time to give kids the chance to turn in some of those assignments. Once everything is turned in, the kids earn a game day!
• Organization: Organization is key for keeping students on track. Hintz makes sure students know where they can access every resource and keeps the process consistent so that when she asks them to open a document, they know exactly what to do and where to find it. Google Classroom has been very helpful with organization.
• Parent Communication: Hintz emphasizes the importance of keeping families involved with what is going on at their child’s school. Hintz makes sure to send parents weekly emails with the class schedule for the following week so that they know what to expect.
• Material Struggle: It can be a challenge to ensure the students at home have the same resources as the students in the building. The teachers at Wheeling have learned to get creative, using several different online programs to engage students such as Google platforms, Word Clouds, FlipGrid, and Seesaw.
• Build in Breaks: Hintz incorporates a few breaks in the day for kids to get up and move, instead of being sedentary all day. For example, she gives the kids a “brain break” with GoNoodle.com. This online dance and movement program, which offers activities that can be done standing in a socially distant designated spot or at home, aims to “infuse fun into the classroom, boost student confidence and offers the opportunity for peer-to-peer connections.” “Adding the clear audio from Nureva helps kids feel they are having a fun time together,” she says.

“Using the Nureva HDL300 was seamless and really didn’t require me to change what I was already doing, other than just plugging it into the base station,” says Hintz. “Adding an audio tool that made all students feel part of the class helped encourage participation.”

Although the past year has been challenging, Hintz stays positive: “Never give up! Where there is a will, there is always a way,” she says. “Whether teaching remotely, in-person, or both simultaneously, always plan for the unexpected and always have a second and third way to teach the same lesson.”

In a lot of ways, Gilbert Public Schools came into this current remote learning era ahead of the game, tech-wise. This district of 32,000 students, located in a suburb of Phoenix, was already set with 1:1 devices for their seventh- through twelfth-grade learners, and their elementary program had enough tech to sign out to any younger learner who needed one. 

However, in terms of hybrid or mixed learning modes, they had been looking for an all-in-one unit that could be mounted in the front of the classroom and still had the mic technology to pick up students in the entire room. 

“We wanted to stay away from mics hanging from the ceiling or having to press a mic button to speak,” says Jon Castelhano, Gilbert’s executive director of technology. “We had some unique classroom configurations.” One of the more challenging classroom environments was where the teachers were remote and the students are present in the classroom. 

“These teachers had typical sound issues with being able to hear the students,” Castelhano reports. 

To address this, the district piloted a Nureva HDL300 system. This audio system, designed for classrooms, captures the audio of everything happening in the classroom so the teachers at home can clearly hear what the students are saying during class. The system installs in minutes, and its plug-and-play connectivity and auto-calibration makes setup simple. 

“One of the participating teachers told us, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s like night and day! I can hear ALL of the students with no muffle at all and there are zero echoes. We can actually have a conversation, whereas before it was me just talking at them.’ And that is no way to teach or learn,” reports Castelhano.

Strategy for Best Learning Outcomes

“We made the decision to provide synchronous learning for our students when in virtual, and now hybrid, mode as we transition back to in-person,” Castelhano says. “We did not feel the learning experience of just placing students in an online learning program and checking in every few days was best for their learning. Synchronous online teaching was the best model for student engagement, continued relationship building, and engagement for our students and families.” 

Combining a good LMS and online curricular content with the teachers delivering synchronous instruction, whether in person or remote, and being able to seamlessly communicate with students regardless of their physical presence, created an engaging environment.

Challenges and Solutions

Even though most students had the devices they needed for remote and hybrid learning, the classrooms were in a different situation with the AV equipment, and not set up for true distance learning. 

“If we had a device like the Nureva system in every classroom, we could entertain different options for students present or remote, truly opening up the distance learning scenarios,” says Castelhano. “We knew if there was a great product that combined mics and speakers and could truly work in a large classroom, that the teachers participating in the pilot would have the missing pieces for communicating remotely with their students.” 

“The teacher is still the magic that creates the learning opportunities in the classroom and they need the tools to help make that easier for them,” says Castelhano. “A device like the Nureva system makes it easier for them to not be concerned if they are being heard or if they are hearing all of their students. It lets them focus on what matters.” 

"Has the Nureva system affected my teaching? Absolutely! It has been a game-changer,” says International Baccalaureate Biology teacher Katherine Powell, who is teaching her students from home while they are in the classroom. “Besides being able to walk around now, I feel like I am back in my classroom! Discussion is how I teach and this has allowed me to do that again."

At the Byram Hills School District in North Castle, N.Y., a K-12 district of 2,300 students, educators decided to take a different approach to teaching during the pandemic. 

“We realized that we could not recreate the face-to-face experience online, but we could reimagine teaching and learning with technology,” says Andrew Taylor, Director of Technology and Professional Learning. “Instead of putting cameras in the classroom that simply streamed the teacher at the whiteboard, we created a teacher ‘command center’ in each classroom.” 

The command center allows the teacher to simultaneously teach students in the classroom and at home. 

“Our goal was to have teachers model in the classroom how learning will happen if we are remote,” says Taylor. “Unfortunately, we have students and teachers quarantined daily. The command centers have made the transition from in the classroom to fully remote learning more seamless.” 

The command center includes a document camera (IPEVO 4K), a laptop (Dell), and an interactive monitor (Viewsonic TD 2455). The district piloted the Nureva HDL300, an audio system designed for classrooms that captures the audio of everything happening in the classroom, to support this initiative. All of this technology can be brought home, or accessed from home, if the teacher needs to work remotely. 

“In a hybrid learning environment, it is important that everyone can hear each other and be heard,” says Taylor. “Although we are new in the pilot, it was immediately apparent Nureva is helping to make sure everyone in the classroom can be part of the conversation and hear the content clearly. Our teachers spent the spring struggling to present content while working remotely. Today, teachers tell me all the time how this setup has been a game changer.” 

“The Nureva system has been a fantastic addition to my classroom,” says Dawn Selnes, Technology Teacher and Building Technology Coordinator at HCC. “The sound system has dramatically improved my students ability to hear each other and be heard--especially while masked!”

Challenges and Solutions

“The fluid nature of learning during the pandemic is a challenge,” says Taylor. “Teachers and students move in and out of the classroom.” The hybrid learning environment allows teaching and learning to continue, no matter the location of the teacher or students. 

“It is not unusual to have a class that has students face-to-face in the classroom, down the hall due to social distancing, and at home,” Taylor continues. “Students may be at home due to personal choice, quarantine, or due to the redesign of the learning environment. We must be ready to address the teacher and student needs no matter what the location or needs may be.” 

“Tools you choose should have a lifespan beyond the pandemic,” says Taylor. “If we are going to invest time/resources now in learning/implementing, then it should last beyond the current crisis. Do not let short term needs outweigh long-term goals.” 

Taylor says that he is continuously amazed by the capacity of the students and teacher to rise to the challenge and overcome obstacles. 

“Success can only be achieved if we are all working together,” he says. “Many of the tools we have adapted are quickly becoming part of the teachers toolbox and I believe will last far beyond the pandemic.”

Teachers are creative by nature, and never has this been more evident than since Covid-19 closed down schools last March. 

At Linwood Public Schools in Atlantic County in Southern New Jersey, a K-8 district with approximately 810 students, teachers tapped their ingenuity to ensure they were reaching even the youngest students remotely. 

“When we had to adjust for Covid, our educators jumped in and made interactive experiences using graphics programs to look like their classrooms,” says Frank Pileiro, Supervisor of Technology. “In this ‘classroom,’ they included avatars of themselves, as well as items relating to topics of the lessons or each subject. This was particularly effective in our elementary school to keep the students connected and engaged. 

“They did the same for parents for our virtual back-to-school nights,” continues Pileiro. “We also created a virtual wellness day for our staff. We invited speakers, yoga teachers, and meditation leaders to engage our teachers and support staff in virtual meeting rooms.”

Expanding to Hybrid Classrooms

Finding quality edtech solutions was key to supporting these creative ideas as the district moved from remote to hybrid learning environments. 

“One of the most important tech additions to make this new normal a success has been our new communication tech and audio conferencing solutions,” Pileiro reports. “The Nureva HDL300 system has been a great addition to our efforts to bring the classroom to our students, whether they are at home or in the school building.” 

The Nureva system, designed for classrooms, captures the audio of everything happening in the classroom so students at home can clearly hear what the teacher and in-person students are saying during class. Teachers can stand and walk around, and in-class students can communicate with students learning from home, who can hear everything without any feedback or delay. The system installs on the wall in minutes, and its plug-and-play connectivity and auto-calibration makes setup simple. 

“From my perspective, it was a breeze to install and set up,” says Pileiro. “The system helped with lesson delivery tremendously. The audio quality coming out of the speaker made it sound like the students at home were in the classroom. Also, the microphone array did an excellent job picking up all areas of the learning environment. The included remote control made it very easy to control the connection and audio volume. The teacher could walk around the classroom and still control volume and mute. The light on the front of the device let the teacher know if they were connected or muted. Nureva made what could be a stressful situation less stressful since it just works.” 

The teacher who piloted the system agrees.

“I have a pretty large room, and I am not one to stand in one place,” says seventh-grade math teacher, Chris Meade. “For me, the ability to wander around and circulate in my classroom, use my whiteboard and not be tied down to a laptop, let me teach in a natural way and helped me engage my students. The audio of class contributions from remote students with those in the room through the Nureva system was so natural—I could hear them clearly, and they could hear me clearly. It was like everyday learning only with surround sound. I was there when Frank installed the system himself. It took less than twenty minutes and we were up and running—very intuitive and simple. It’s definitely a change for the better.”

Pro Tips

“When it comes to hybrid and blended learning, the best tip I can give is to not let it end when this pandemic is over,” says Pileiro. “Students adapted so much better than we expected overall. We should continue to develop and practice these skills so we can use them to enhance instruction and be ready if we have to go through this again.” 

Not surprisingly, professional development is key. 

“Getting the teachers up to speed with blended and virtual teaching was just the start,” says Pileiro. “To really be meaningful, follow-up training had to take place at the appropriate intervals.” 

In addition to employing follow-up professional development, the district curated web-based resources for teachers to access as needed. These included downloadable documents, screencasts, and video playlists on a private website that can access from anywhere. 

“Incorporating communication tech is one way to enhance lessons in this new normal, and something that could be used in the future to keep students connected in alternate modes of learning,” says Pileiro. “Tools such as the HDL300 make this easy because it is so simple to set up and use. It frees the teacher from having to be in front of a microphone or speakers.” 

Pileiro recommends setting up the classroom video feed to allow teachers to move around the room more freely and not be tethered to a webcam on a computer. This can make blended and virtual instruction feel even more as if everyone's together as one.  

Pileiro also offers this word of advice: “Never underestimate your abilities as an instructor, or your students’ ability to adapt, no matter their age. Don't isolate yourselves. Collaborate— ask and give help as much as possible. We are all in this together!”

We know student voice is crucial to effective pedagogy -- both literally and figuratively. If teachers and students can’t hear one another, their contributions to the learning are negated. 

“Hearing the tone, speech, and passion in students’ words is what drives our educators,” says Matthew X. Joseph, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Leicester Public Schools in Worcester County, MA, a PK-12 district with 1,400 students. “Having the option to have clear sound to include both at-home learners and in-school learners gives a true ‘one class’ feeling.” 

To help improve the audio quality in the classroom and for students learning simultaneously at home, the district piloted the Nureva HDL300 system. This audio system, designed for classrooms, captures the audio of everything happening in the classroom so students at home can clearly hear what the teacher and in-person students are saying during class. Teachers can stand and walk around, and in-class students can communicate with students learning from home, who can hear everything without any feedback or delay. The system installs on the wall in minutes, and its plug-and-play connectivity and auto-calibration makes setup simple. 

“In-class learners can talk in a normal tone, and students at home can hear like they are in the room,” says Joseph. “The teacher can also teach at a tone and pace that everyone can hear. When they call on an at-home student, they feel they are included, and the lesson flows as if all students were in front of them. This kind of seamless connection is invaluable.”

SEL is Key

Creating time to have in-depth discussions can support the district’s learner's academic and social-emotional needs. 

“Having the Nureva system in the room allows for an in-depth conversation without lulls or volume issues to interrupt the flow,” says Joseph. “When we talk SEL with our students, we want the emotion to be felt in our words. Students are more engaged when they can be heard and feel they are a part of the discussion.”

Timing is Everything

Even with ideal audio solutions, there are many challenges with hybrid learning. One challenge is over-planning. Joseph advises teachers to limit topics for each learning session to just one skill per lesson, so students leave feeling empowered, not overwhelmed. Include specific examples of taught skills to encourage students to practice their work skills when there is asynchronous learning time. 

“We try to ensure the material we teach can be taught in half the class time,” says Joseph. “This will then allow for an opening and closing of every lesson. With possible connection issues and adjusting to online learning, we want to ensure there is time for warm-up, instruction, and closure.”

Pro Tips

To make the most of the hybrid classroom, Joseph recommends:

• Be present. Having the Nureva system  allows educators to feel all students are in front of them—the divide between at-home and in-person students is diminished.
  
• Celebrate small wins. It's important to celebrate the small achievements. Small wins are opportunities to reflect on how far we've come, which gives us the strength to stay inspired.
  
• It’s okay if you don’t know all of the answers. This shift is new to all of us, demanding different skills and techniques. It's okay not to have all the answers. Take a breath, and work on solutions rather than feeling overwhelmed.
  
• Listen without intending to respond. When you're engaged in learning conversation, do you listen, or are you more focused on what to say next? Usually, we're only half-listening because we're already thinking about what questions we can ask students to add to the dialogue. Instead of thinking about what to say, be more present in your conversations with students and think about what you hear. By merely listening with curiosity, rather than anticipation, you will be inherently more present.

Teacher Feedback

“The Nureva system is great,” says eighth-grade science teacher Dave Socha. “It far exceeds the simple auxiliary speakers that I had hooked up to my desktop computer, which would go in and out as the input/output cords were bumped and shifted. The sound from the system is smooth and deep. It definitely adds to the experience when students speak on Google Meets, when we share recorded work products on FlipGrid or ScreenCastify, or when we're simply watching a video clip in class.” 

These are challenging times on so many levels; anything that helps kids feel “normal” is a plus. More than just a perfunctory fix to enable students to hear lessons or each other, having audio tech that feels natural can be a game changer when it comes to the intangibles of teaching, and reaching, students.

Quickly pivoting between learning models is a challenge for any district, but for rural districts, this challenge is amplified by distance and spotty connection issues. 

Take, for example, Bunker Hill CUSD #8, a remote and rural PK-12 system of 600 students 30 miles north of the Metro-East area in Macoupin County, Illinois. In a continued effort to ensure the district was meeting the needs of all students, the district has had to pivot between hybrid, full remote, and face-to-face learning throughout the year. 

“At the beginning of the school year, our county had a surge in Covid-19 cases,” says Superintendent Todd Dugan. “In efforts to keep students six feet apart, we began the school year with ‘blue and yellow’ teams, with 50% of students physically in attendance while 50% logged in from home via Go Guardian Video Conferencing with Google Classroom. 

“One hurdle right away was struggling to make the students at home feel like they were in the class participating, instead of just observing. The same was true with the students in the room,” Dugan says. 

One new tool that Bunker Hill used to address this issue was the Nureva HDL300 system. This audio system, designed for classrooms, captures the audio of everything happening in the classroom so the students at home can clearly hear what the teacher and in-person students are saying during class. Teachers can stand and walk around, and in-class students can share their feedback with students learning from home, who can hear everything without any feedback or delay. The system installs on the wall in minutes and its plug-and-play connectivity and auto-calibration makes setup simple. 

“All of the students in the classroom could clearly hear the students from home, avoiding the need to use online chat and have the teacher repeat out loud what the students at home said,” says Dugan. “This led to increased student engagement and interaction with one another, which was the major piece of the classroom environment that was lacking during the hybrid periods.”

Challenges and Solutions

In remote rural schools, bandwidth is a huge barrier. Many times, it is not an issue of being able to afford the internet, but rather if broadband is even offered to outlying rural areas. Parents using satellite internet providers find that monthly data allowances are exhausted in a couple of days. Others report not being able to participate in Zoom or Google Meet due to upload speed issues. 

Because of these issues, many students were forced to turn cameras off to conserve bandwidth, leading a few teachers to feel remote students were not engaged. Having the Nureva system in the classroom resolved this. Even though remote and in-person students could not see one another, they could clearly communicate through the HDL300’s live audio connection without any audio delays or issues related to the in-person students’ distance from the system. Offering a compromise of live audio connection through the Nureva system was a way for students to have their voices heard and remain part of the conversation. 

The teacher who piloted the HDL300 confirms that the device worked amazingly well at bridging the divide between remote and in-person learners. 

"My students absolutely enjoy being able to hear and communicate with their classmates at home as if they were in the room with them,” says teacher Katherine Sutton. "As a teacher I like the freedom of walking around my room. The Nureva system allows me to move around and engage with all students instead of feeling tethered to my computer."

Unexpected Results

Focusing on improving communication between face-to-face and online learning environments has paid dividends. 

“Using our own assessments, we found that K-2 were the only grades showing a significant ‘learning loss’ with grades 3-12 showing very minimal loss,” says Dugan. “However, grades were highest in K-3, and lower in 4-12. This suggests that there is an inherent flaw in how we are assessing students’ content knowledge and skill mastery. 

“We had been focusing on ‘work being completed’ and not necessarily on ‘standards/skills mastery being demonstrated.’ In other words, our current grading practices favor compliance and completion over competency. This should be one valuable lesson learned from the pandemic. The integration of communication technology could be one bridge to better allow students to demonstrate their mastery of these necessary standards and skills.”

PD Tips & Other Creative Solutions

Dugan says professional development and community partnerships were key to their success. 

He reports that Bunker Hill CUSD #8 professionally trained all their teachers in remote teaching best practices, such as using breakout rooms in Zoom. Recognizing that a typical 48-minute class period is too long to be effectively engaged for students on screen time, teachers set “timers” for shorter direct instruction sessions. Communication technology that allowed for ease of conversation helped make the most of these shorter instructional periods. 

The district also partnered with area businesses and redefined traditional learning spaces to ensure more students had the access they needed for remote learning. 

“We offered cellular hotspots to all students, but the weak cell signal would prevent them from using video conferencing,” says Dugan. To help solve this issue, the district offered their school libraries as ‘WiFi laboratories’ for small numbers of students, created a drive-up public WiFi hotspot at two buildings, and even had the public library and local restaurants let a small number of students use their spaces to connect to their classrooms via video conferencing.

What Not to Do

Do not teach passively to any students, advises Dugan, even at times when 50% of students are remote. In other words, using a hybrid model of primarily note-sharing or lecturing to all students in person, while allowing the remote learners to only view/hear the same experience, is not helpful. “It’s a step backward by decades in terms of what we know about effective pedagogy,” says Dugan. 

“Learning equality has been a challenge and a hallmark of this new era we find ourselves in as modes of educating can turn on a dime,” says Dugan. “Key to making that transition seamlessly, and achieving fully engaged students regardless of where their learning might be taking place, is to make all students feel equally heard. Using communication tech such as the Nureva HDL300 system helps all students use their voice to feel a true part of the class and equal participants in the learning experience.”

In today's challenging times, districts need to come up with creative ways to keep kids engaged and on track. Wichita Falls Texas I.S.D. in North Texas is a district of 13,600 students (66% are economically disadvantaged) and covers 82 square miles. The district has pivoted between a variety of learning environments this year in an attempt to keep all students engaged and connected in this sprawling community, and most recently started building synchronous, hybrid classrooms as a flexible approach to meet the needs of their students, staff, and families, both in-person and learning remotely. 

“We are experimenting in a lot of ways to keep students engaged and on track,” says Frank Murray, Director of Instructional Technology at Wichita Falls. “We are moving some teachers to only teach fully remote students (some teachers teach all elementary grade levels). Some teachers are teaching face-to-face half of a day and remote the other half. We are working on building full online courses for English and Social Studies to continue even after COVID.” 

Other initiatives include building hybrid classrooms using products such as the Nureva HDL300 system to deliver quality audio to their students who are learning from home. This audio system, designed for classrooms, captures the audio of everything happening in the classroom so the students at home can clearly hear what the teacher and in-person students are saying during the class. Teachers do not need to be tied to a desk to make sure they are heard by the students at home. They can stand and walk around, and in-class students can share their feedback with students learning from home, who can hear everything without any feedback or delay. The system installs on the wall in minutes and its plug-and-play connectivity and auto-calibration makes setup simple. 

Using tools such as the Nureva HDL300 has helped the district have crucial conversations with parents of students who failed one or more classes to try and get them back to face-to-face instruction. 

“We trained all teachers before the school year started (virtual and face-to-face challenge-based PD), so we were ready to go and projected confidence and competency in the tech,” says Murray. “We created ‘Weekly Tech Tips’ and created an environment to let teachers take chances. We also offer a parent/student helpdesk 7:30-5:00, Monday through Thursday, and 7:30-4:00 on Fridays, to support our families.”

Murray offers these 6 tips for districts looking to create hybrid classrooms:

1. Let remote students engage in conversation in the classroom when possible.
2. Teaching is an experiment in which some things will work and some will not, but you have to take chances. Both teachers and students should have freedom to try, and districts should develop learning environments to support that.
3. Find ways to give teachers more planning time.
4. Encourage sharing among staff, but make sure they have buy-in first to get the best engagement and results.
5. Do not try to build a one-size-fits-all model for all your schools.
6. Do not demand too much district PD.

Teacher feedback using the Nureva HDL300 to teach in these hybrid classrooms has been very positive. 

"I absolutely love it,” says teacher Amy Yeary. “This is probably the happiest I have felt about teaching all year. I feel like I have my movement back. Because I can move around the room throughout the class, behavior has definitely improved. That proximity is there again, and students are more on task, and minor behavior issues have been eliminated.” 

“If I am at a table working with a student and a remote student needs help, I can now easily hear them and respond immediately,” says Yeary. “Before, I would have to either yell toward my computer or have a student who was close to the computer tell the remote student that I would be with them soon. I have noticed that my remote students are responding more and actually communicating with face-to-face students now and not just me. I think this is because they can hear their peers (and see them on camera). When they unmute and speak, the whole class can easily hear. I save time too, because I am no longer having to constantly restate or repeat what was said or asked by a face-to-face student. 

“I can be anywhere in the room and explain or teach without having to raise my voice. I am easier to understand with the mask on, too. The sound from the speaker is excellent regardless of where I sit in the room. I really like that students at the back can hear just as well as those close to the speaker.” 

Although a regular part of a successful education experience, never is communication more important than during this challenging era. The ability to listen and speak clearly to all students, regardless of mode of teaching, is one way tech such as Nureva can really help us hear our learners and get them what they need to succeed.

Here at the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA) we keep a watchful eye on the developments within what we call the end user markets, such as education, to understand how trends within and across these markets are shaping the demand for AV products and services. From this vantage, the story of K-12 stands out among the others. 

While most markets are reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and can rightly point to it as perhaps the most trying period in recent memory, K-12, in particular, has arguably seen the most fundamental disruption to its core service model. It is hard to imagine a more abrupt and forced adaptation. Although most of us can’t go to live sporting events en masse, broadcast platforms already existed for us to watch from home. While retail suffers from lack of foot traffic, e-commerce has kept consumption alive. And while we aren’t travelling as much or staying in hotels, social-distancing precautions and protocols can enable us to stay safe when we do. Even corporations had already begun their investments to support remote work and telecommuting through video conferencing and collaboration solutions. 

But in K-12, more than higher education, no one had really focused on how to support 100% distance learning for school districts across the country. Sure, some classroom extensions existed, but none of it was near the scale that was ultimately needed, particularly for the early grades. In the space of days, schools, teachers, students, and parents were left with the need to transition to learning from home, and to acquire and implement the technology to do so. 

I think we can all agree it hasn’t necessarily been pretty. Existing solutions were not necessarily prepared for the scale required. Learning content had not been originally developed with distance teaching in mind. The traditional class structure and schedule itself was not designed with screen delivery as the primary mode of interaction. And technology access is not evenly distributed throughout the population, leaving behind many kids. Along the way, health and safety guidelines made it impossible to allow a return to in-person in all cases, at least not without significant investment of funds, which are not readily available in many state budgets. 

What has this meant in terms of technology adoption? AVIXA’s industry forecasts for pro AV spending, called the Industry Outlook and Trend Analysis (IOTA) reports, show the education industry investing $22.4 billion in 2020, down somewhat from 2019. The reports also project that growth returns in 2021 and spending exceeds the previous peaks. Looking out to 2025, these investments are expected to continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.3%. Some of this growth will be in higher education, and some in K-12, though that component is limited by the availability of funds.

The types of technologies represented are varied. Video projectors remain a key component to many classrooms, depending on size, particularly in higher ed, and so are the single largest area of investment. This is despite a gradual shift toward flat panel screens across many parts of the world. However, the second largest area of investment is in back-end infrastructure to support distance learning and content management. These are the media servers and storage that facilitate content routing. AVIXA estimates educational institutions will invest $4.2 billion to these technologies in 2020 alone. 

There is more to the technology investment story than the numbers show however, which may suggest a coming wave of investment. Given the rapid nature of adaptation, AV managers and solution providers serving the education market have pointed out that much of the current wave of investment was devoted to quick fixes and solutions. Some of these worked well and others not so, or not optimally. Thus, an iterative wave of replacement and upgrade is expected as better options for existing problems emerge in the market. 

Ultimately, K-12 and the education market represents an exciting, if not challenging, environment in which technology plays a vital role in continuing to nurture the minds of our children. For technologists, the opportunities abound even as they strive to ensure solutions that work for all parties, from students and parents to teachers and administration. 

Here’s to finding the best and most viable path forward as two industries working together – AV and K-12. 

Sean Wargo is Senior Director of Market Intelligence for AVIXA, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association. He is responsible for helping AVIXA realize its strategic goal to become the authoritative source for market intelligence in the AV industry through data capture, analytics expertise, insight delivery, and world-class market research.  Sean was formerly the Vice President of Research at BDS Marketing, LLC and Director of Industry Analysis at the Consumer Electronics Association. 

Tech & Learning is pleased to announce its annual Best of Show winners at InfoComm 2020 Connected. This select group of products represents the innovation on display at the virtual show, which features thousands of new solutions from hundreds of exhibiting manufacturers. Winners were chosen based on the expert analysis of a panel of industry veterans who reviewed each product in depth over the week leading up to the convention.   

Congratulations to the following winners!

Axis Communications, Inc., AXIS C1410 Network Mini Speaker

The AXIS C1410 Network Mini Speaker is an all-in-one speaker system designed to broadcast prerecorded messages, live or scheduled announcements, and music. This smart and easy-to-integrate speaker offers wide-area audio coverage for high-quality voice and audio announcements in any indoor environment including retail locations, healthcare and education facilities, and corporate offices.  

A small speaker with broad reach, AXIS C1410 offers wide-area audio coverage, including background music and public address paging capabilities. Equipped to deliver live or scheduled announcements, the network speaker allows users to offer guidance and make informative announcements throughout an entire premise when needed. For end-users who rely on the speaker for remote audio coverage, the system’s built-in, preconfigured digital signal processing (DSP) ensures clear, crisp audio and voice messages directly following installation. The built-in Audio Player software also delivers zoning and scheduling capabilities, allowing end users to schedule background music and/or messages, and broadcast audio in different zones. 

The judges noted: "The AXIS C1410 Network Mini Speaker is perfect for education spaces in which cost effective and rapid deployment of mass notification is desirable. The addition of a motion sensor adds even more value to this low cost but versatile product."

See more here: https://youtu.be/tEGF0AJ4l4g

Clevertouch, IMPACT Plus

In January 2020, Clevertouch launched its fifth-generation Plus Series touchscreen for education, IMPACT Plus. This fifth-generation touchscreen is highly adaptable and market ready to meet the needs of the everyday learning environment and for the ‘new norm’ following the pandemic. 

As education establishments return, IMPACT Plus is designed to give confidence to the user and maintain high standards of student engagement. Its motion sensors require no touch and will instantly switch on the body heat camera to help to detect those students with abnormal temperatures. The High Precision touch technology and frame will work with personal protective equipment ensuring the teacher or lecturer are able to stay safe at all times. 

All screens are digital signage ready as well as teaching and learning touchscreens. Send digital poster alerts and updates instantly or schedule posters to keep all in the teaching environment updated. 

The Clevershare app works with any device and can be opened for the students to share content or locked by the soul user of the board. Work from anywhere in the room and keeping the lesson moving forward and students engaged. 

The infinite whiteboarding is an endless canvas to improve fluidity within the learning environment. No more stopping and opening a new page. Just keep going and at the end of your session, open the QR code on screen and let the students scan the code to enable them to walk away with today’s lesson. 

Judges noted: "Clevertouch engineers imagine and designs outside the box with end users foremost in their approach. The new UX Pro product line provides a wider variety of features than the competition, adding value and enhanced performance within your environments. The remote management platform is a valuable feature for IT administrators looking to securely deploy, monitor and service across your campus."

Crestron Electronics, Inc., Crestron Flex R-Series

The need to share knowledge and work collaboratively is more critical than ever. The new Crestron Flex R-Series is a mobile UC System that brings collaboration to wherever it’s needed most and closes the distance between teams wherever they may be.  

The Crestron Flex R-Series arrives assembled and ready to go, making rapid deployment easy. Simply roll the cart into your desired space, connect to power and network, and start your meeting with one touch.

The Crestron Flex R-Series is compatible with the award-winning Crestron XiO Cloud™ service, which is an IoT (Internet of Things) based platform for remotely provisioning, monitoring, and managing Crestron devices across an enterprise or an entire client base. The service enables installers and IT managers to easily provision and manage Flex R-Series devices for rapid deployment wherever UC is needed. 

Judges said, "In a matter of weeks the audio/visual/collaboration world has changed rapidly, and Crestron delivered. As we prepare for the new normal and a return to the workplace and school environments, the Crestron Flex R-Series provides AV/IT managers and end users with an all-in-one mobile UC cart option to rapidly deploy new collaboration systems in virtually any room or space with power and a network connection."

Crestron Electronics, Inc., X Series Amplifier

The Crestron AMP-X300 is a high-performance, space-saving, energy-efficient, professional-grade amplifier solution that’s totally configurable, yet simple to use. 

Whether you’re in the market for a stereo amp that mounts on a wall or under a table, or a multichannel rack mount amp with multiple output types and power levels, the AMP-X300 is simple to specify and install in any configuration. This four, dual-channel amplifier is rated at 75 W per channel with a choice of “LoZ” outputs to drive 4 or 8 Ohm speakers, or “Hi-Z” outputs to drive a distributed speaker system (70 V or 100 V). With both balanced and unbalanced inputs connecting to a two stereo or four mono source(s) via a detachable terminal black or RCA connectors, deploying a state-of-the-art amplifier is easier than ever. This amplifier was also designed to provide users with a dependable quality solution. 

The AMP-X300 is engineered to deliver exceptional performance and reliability with low distortion, low noise, and high power headroom. Advanced Class D technology maximizes efficiency to reduce power consumption and heat dissipation. An internal universal power supply ensures consistent performance at varying line voltages.

An energy-efficient design enables the AMP-X300 to meet demanding ENERGY STAR requirements. The AMP-X300 draws no added inrush current during power-up, thereby reducing AC circuit requirements and allowing multiple units to be connected to a single switched circuit. The efficient design ensures cool running operation and long-term reliability. The AMP-X300 is high-density stackable with other Crestron modular amps, allowing multiple units to be installed vertically in an equipment rack without needing extra ventilation space. The AMP-X300 features protection against overheating, shorted or overloaded speaker lines, excessive input signals, and other faults.   

Judges noted: "As Crestron made the commitment to provide clients turnkey solutions they did not skimp when it came to supporting their audio product lines. Multiple channels of amplifiers in small form factors will continue to reduce SKU's necessary to complete jobs as well as the rack space required to achieve the project goals." 

Crestron Electronics, Inc., HD-RX-4K-210-C-E-POE

The Crestron HD-RX-4K-210-C-E-POE is a multiformat AV switch and receiver that provides HDMI® video switching and audio presentation capabilities in areas such as conference rooms and classrooms. 

Compatible with all DM Lite transmitters, the HD-RX-4K-210-C-E-POE provides one DM Lite input for connection to one transmitter. A CATx (CAT5e or higher) twisted pair cable connects a transmitter to the HD-RX-4K-210-C-E-POE for the transmission of HDMI signals. For resolutions up to 2K, the maximum transmission distance is 230 ft (70 m). For higher resolutions up to 4K, the maximum transmission distance is 130 ft (40 m). 

The HD-RX-4K-210-C-E-POE includes a Gigabit Ethernet PoE+ PD port that can be connected to a PoE+ port on a Gigabit Ethernet switch. PoE+ eliminates the need for the HD-RX-4K-210-C-E-POE or the connected DM Lite transmitter to be connected to the PW-2412WU power pack.

An Ethernet port connection to a LAN also provides control by enabling use of the built-in web interface as well as connection to a control system.

Judges said, "Small products continue to change the way we do business in the professional AV market. The Crestron HD-RX-4K-210-C-E-POE has a feature set that matches its long model name. This series of switching receivers will rapidly find their way into classrooms and huddle rooms as we prepare to return to in person collaboration and learning experiences."

Epson America, Inc., BrightLink 735Fi UST Interactive Display

The BrightLink 735Fi ultra-wide ultra short-throw laser display changes the way technology, users, and their ideas converge. With the ability to turn almost any flat surface into a widescreen digital whiteboard, the new BrightLink 735Fi offers a seamless interactive experience. Featuring dual-pen interactivity with auto calibration, the BrightLink 735Fi also has an optional touch capability with a space-saving, easy-to-install touch module.  

The BrightLink 735Fi is a true collaboration device, integrating the utility of a whiteboard, projector, and interactive display so users can simply turn on the device and start writing and collaborating, with no additional computers required. 

The BrightLink 735Fi offers either a 100-inch, 16:9 or ultra-wide 110” -inch, 16:6 display, offering up to 65 percent more interactive space vs. a 75-inch flat panel. The ultra-wide 16:6 aspect ratio supports split-screen, side-by-side viewing from multiple sources resulting in large, easy-to-read displays, which will be key for tomorrow’s reduced class sizes. Boasting 3,600 lumens of color and white brightness, the BrightLink 735Fi delivers a bright display with Full HD 1080p resolution optimized for superior readability.  

Judges commented: "Epson has always been a market leader and innovator in the education projector market. Now with their new BrightLink 735Fi UST Interactive Display, they continue to allow architects and designers to rethink the traditional classroom model with interactivity untouched by competitors product lines."

Hall Research Technologies, USB 3.0/3.1/2.0 Gen 1 Javelin™ AOC

Hall Research has a new addition to their Javelin series active optical cables: the CUSB3V1-AP*.  Available in lengths of 15, 30, and 50 meters, CUSBV1-AP* cables support transparent extension of USB 3.1 Gen1 Super-Speed at data rates of up to 5 Gbps. It is also downward compatible with USB 2.0 or 1.1 devices. An additional 5 volt regulator on the receiver end will boost the power to compensate for power hungry USB cameras.  

CUSBV1-AP cables are compatible with virtually all USB 3.0 and 3.1 Gen1 devices, and are a perfect solution for extending 4K videoconferencing cameras, video capture, docking stations, and other high-speed data communication. They also work with USB 2.0 or 1.1 devices, although this feature is only available for PCs running Windows and needs a driver installation. Driver installation is not required for extending purely USB 3.0 devices on any platform (PC, Mac, Linux).

The cable is a light-weight hybrid of fiber and copper, and is plenum rated to ensure compliance with modern building codes. The small cable ends can be easily pulled through most conduit, and no additional power is required, making the CUSBV1-AP* a true plug-and-play solution. 

Judges noted, "Reliably extending USB has always been a complex challenge for designers. Hall Research Technologies expansion of the Javelin series to support UBS3.0 is the next step in improving the user experience with peripherals."

Maxell Corp. of America, MP-JW4001 3LCD Laser Projector

The Maxell J Series projectors fulfill a need for affordable yet feature rich 3LCD laser light source projectors for the education and corporate markets. The MP-JW4001 has 4,000 ANSI lumens brightness and WXGA resolution. 

The MP-JW4001 provides significant value with a 20,000-hour (normal mode) and up to 40,000 (long life 2 mode) light source life for a dramatic reduction in the total cost of ownership, and is backed by an industry-leading 5-year or 10,000-hour limited warranty.

Judges said of the series, "Slim, lightweight, and easy on the wallet, the new Maxell MP-JW4001 projector projects itself as an emerging product line to consider for smaller spaces. While the resolution lags behind other offerings the price is right for certain applications."

Sennheiser, MobileConnect (Gen2) Assistive Listening

In today's world it is more important than ever to offer inclusive bring-your-own device solutions for those in need of an assistive listening product.  The next generation of MobileConnect features the new MobileConnect Station, MobileConnect Manager software, and the innovative MobileConnect app (iOS and Andriod) for a customized, discreet experience on a smartphone that is compatible with headphones, hearing aids, and cochlear implants. 

Judges noted: "Gone are the days venues need to purchase large quantities of proprietary assistive-listening receivers. Sennheiser's MobileConnect platform delivers a higher quality campus-wide solution necessary for today's schools, performance venues, and houses of worship."

Sony Electronics, Sony's Eye Sensing Light Field Display

Sony's Eye-sensing Light Field Display is a personal device with a built-in camera that identifies and tracks the user’s eye position and viewing angle. Based on this information, it adapts and skews the 3D image for the best viewing angle. Showcased in a 15-inch, glasses-free desktop volumetric monitor, this 4K display features super high precision and contrast for the best spatial reality experience not found in conventional naked-eye 3D displays. 

The display technology is designed for connection to a gaming computer via HDMI cable and runs Sony's SDKs using a game engine, such as Unity and UE4. Because the SDKs run on Windows OS, users can easily adapt existing VR/AR content and various 3DCG data and enjoy a spatial reality experience on various open platforms.

The Eye-sensing Light Field Display fully utilizes Sony's expertise in picture quality to deliver exceptional contrast, creating a reliable and accurate display of creative content. In particular, Sony's engineers used three of Sony's original unique display technologies: an innovative display, high-speed vision sensor with face recognition, and a real-time rendering algorithm. 

Judges said: "As virtual and augmented reality continue to become the standard for event and gaming experiences, Sony continues to innovate building on their rich history in visual quality. Sony's Eye Sensing Light Field display gets users even closer to removing the perception of virtual in a glassless 3D experience."

ViewSonic ViewSonic®,  TD2455 Touch Display

The ViewSonic TD2455 podium solution empowers presenters to upgrade their existing projection solution to add interactivity. With responsive, in-cell touch technology and a modern ergonomic design, the TD2455 delivers hands-on control for collaborative classrooms, conference rooms, or large lecture halls. 

The intuitive 24-inch, 10-point touch screen offers a smooth and responsive experience, and the 10-point multi-touch capability allows teachers and students to simultaneously write or draw on the surface using styluses or fingers. The display comes with a lightweight, optimized stylus pen that can be used to write notes, draw, or perform other detailed tasks that require more accuracy than fingertips. The pen can be easily attached to the magnetic base of the display for quick access and secure storage. 

The TD2455 features an ergonomic, dual hinge stand that lets the screen be tilted and adjusted to deliver a more comfortable user experience. This sturdy design ensures that the display works in various environments and scenarios to boost interactivity. 

Judges said, "ViewSonic understood the market needed updated touch displays with sleek and functional designs. With it's price point the new TD2455 will find its way into a variety of applications including wayfinding, self-check-in systems, and classrooms, and more." 

Schools today – from the primary level on up – are increasingly utilizing live video technologies to provide hands-on coursework. The ability to provide such offerings is being fueled by technological innovation across the broadcast and streaming industry. The traditional barriers of entry to live video production have been lowered. Studios that would have once cost well into the six-figures to construct are now available for a fraction of the price.

Consequently, schools can now offer additional coursework that prepares students for specialized jobs (or future, collegiate-level coursework) in A/V, live performance, and broadcast. Curricula is being augmented with media content once thought inaccessible to budget-conscious entities such as K-12 schools. 

To quickly and effectively build out an AV system that is not just operational for staff and students, but which also empowers the educational components of a school, consider the following:

Step 1: The Infrastructure

The great enabler here is IP-based technology. Just as with other industries, the future of media is one in which video is transferred easily and efficiently in the IP space for creation, production, and distribution. This shift to using IP to transport audio and video as just another form of data is making media integration in educational institutions much less complex and less costly as implementation utilizes standard IT networking rather than a separate dedicated transport infrastructure.

For schools, this is a massive boon as many tend to be some of the best-networked locations currently in existence! Even for those that need to build out infrastructure further, adding standard network cabling is among the most cost-efficient installations available. 

One of the keys to using this transport layer is finding a method that is free to the end user. One option is NDI (network device interface), which enables applications and devices from all suppliers to work together and is provided entirely free-to-use for end users such as schools and districts.

By using a capable network protocol, you enable systems, devices, and applications to identify and communicate bi-directionally with one another over IP. This allows for users to encode, transmit, and receive multiple streams of high quality, low latency, frame-accurate video and audio in real time.

The integration of A/V systems that are IT- and IP-based is foundational to implementing media creating and distribution solutions in schools. Look for flexible systems to create, produce, and deliver content without technological hurdles and costly components.

Step 2: Media Production Systems

Flexible and easy-to-use media production systems are a critical element for creating and delivering rich digital content – be it for courses, performances, sports, assemblies and seminars, or student news productions. What these systems provide is a centralized hardware component of the workflow that brings in video signals, allows for hundreds of production capabilities, and then supports the broadcast or recording of content.

There are production systems that support video, audio and data transmission over IP with near-zero latency. These platforms accept IP input sources and mix/source IP output signals to provide instant access to and seamless interchange with essentially unlimited IP devices from anywhere across the network in real time.

Step 3: The Software Layer

Augmenting the live production systems are software apps that will execute production actions based on writing a script and using a teleprompter. Static and moving graphics can be inserted from pre-set templates for show openings, title animations, and lower third titles with timing, speed, and duration control. 

For teachers and students who may not have media production experience, it is often preferable to create a custom interface that limits system functionality to just what is required to create specific types of programs. Software-based control panels can be accessed from compatible desktops or mobile devices, and can be used for remote video mixing, media playback, audio mixing, and automation.

Using IP connectivity, users do not even need to be in the same location, as they take control from anywhere on the network. The system workspace is simultaneously output as an interactive IP video source.

Step 4: Video Sources

One of the most common video inputs for the education market will be cameras. PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras can provide video, audio, control, tally, and power over a single cable that simply connects to an ethernet port on a standard IT network. Different PTZ cameras are assignable as external sources on production systems. Cameras are operable directly from the user interface, including camera orientation, zoom, focus, and iris, with position presets, speed control, and preview images.

Production systems also provide a wide variety of choices for acquiring content to create educational programming. Multiple configurable external sources – be it a computer screen, mobile phone camera, or other display – can be recorded for playback, replay, and archiving. In addition, the system output combining all production elements can be recorded, so saving and exporting the programs for later use is not a problem. Audio processing and tools are typically included and audio is also available over IP networking.

Final Considerations: Delivery and Flexible Creativity

Since mobile devices are now commonplace among students, media production should not be limited to traditional video displays. Courses often need to be delivered to tablets and smartphones. Some production systems will deliver programming in non-standard video aspect ratios – like 9:16 and square video – along with non-standard video frame rates and resolutions for delivery to digital screens.

A related aspect is the delivery of digital content to social media platforms. Publishing media to multiple popular social media accounts directly from a production system to Facebook, Imgur, LinkedIn, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, and others is easily possible.

Producing a variety of educational programs requires flexible approaches to work in a range of institutional environments. Utilizing advanced equipment and agile workflow tools connected with standard IP infrastructure enables the production of great content – be it instructional, institutional or student-made – while minimizing both the barrier to entry and the amount of technical expertise needed. 

Thanks to continued digital transformation, schools are now becoming the great enablers in making it possible for anyone to create and deliver consistent and high-quality shows – with no training or experience needed – through effective and elegant production workflows.

Matt Allard is Product Marketing Manager at Vizrt Group

The Epson PowerLite 700U may be large and lack the cool interactive features of other short-throw projectors, but it is an imaging powerhouse capable of brightening up any lesson.

At 6.7- by 19.4- by 17.2-inches, the PL700U is a lot of projector; add in its feet and the projector sits 0.7-inches taller. It can be installed straight up on the floor or a table a couple inches from the screen or mounted on a wall. Underneath, it has four threaded mounting holes, three adjustable legs and Epson sells an economical $109 wall mounting kit that allows you to tweak its position to get the image just right. One thing is certain, this 25-pound projector will likely require two people to set up and adjust.

Rather than a conventional lamp, the PL700U’s illumination starts with a blue diode laser that’s rated to last 20,000 hours of use. With it you can say good-bye to changing projector lamps every other year. Inside, the projector has three WUXGA (1920 by 1200) polysilicon LCD panels whose images are combined and sent to the classroom’s screen.

Big Projector, Big Images

Rated at 4,000-lumens the PL700U is among the brightest short-throw projectors available. The PL700U can create super-sharp images that are from 5.8- to nearly 11-feet (measured diagonally), making it a good choice from anything from a standard classroom to a mid-sized lecture hall; it can even be used to project digital scenery in the auditorium.

Regardless of how it’s set up, the PL700U can compensate for being installed at a horizontal or vertical angle of up to 3-degrees and Epson’s Quick Corner correction can create a perfectly rectangular image in a minute or two. Like other short-throw devices, this projector lacks an optical zoom, but it does have a 1.35X digital zoom.

With all the ports you’re likely to need in the classroom, the PL700U has a removable cable cover that makes everything look neater. There’re three HDMI inputs, one of which is MHL-ready for a phone or tablet, as well as connectors for VGA and composite video. There are three Type A USB 3.1 connectors, one of which is for Epson’s $100 Wi-Fi adapter, as well as a Type B port and a RS232 serial connection. The projector has audio-in and -out jacks and a built-in 16-watt speaker.

The PL700U includes several ways to adjust and control it, starting with its functional control panel. Its remote control can do anything from blanking the screen and audio and moving an on-screen pointer to changing inputs and Color Mode. It uses a pair of AA batteries and had a 30-foot range.

Regardless of whether you use the built-in wired Ethernet or the optional Wi-Fi module, the PL700U works with control systems from Crestron, AMX, Extron and PJLink. There’s also Epson’s iProjection app that is surprisingly easy to set up and use. Download the iOS or Android app and take control of the projector. In addition, to an on-screen remote control, the app can project Acrobat files, images, Web pages and even a live feed from the phone’s camera.

Quick Starter

The projector worked well connected to an Apple Macbook Air, Acer Revo desktop and an HP X2 Chromebook as well as a Gefen 8X8 matrix video switcher. It was a fast starter, taking 5.6-seconds to put an image on-screen and 1.9-seconds to shut itself off. Happily, it can set up a split screen from two separate HDMI inputs.

On the test bench, the PL700U yielded a massive 4,980 lumens of light, 20 percent over its 4,000-lumen spec, putting it in the upper echelon of short-throw projectors. Its focus was pinpoint sharp and there’s a focusing lever next to the projector’s dust filter. The PL700U’s five Color Modes include the super bright Presentation and Dynamic modes as well as the more realistic sRGB and Cinema presets. It also has a Dicom Sim setting.

With all that hardware to cool, the PL700U has a massive fan and Epson recommends setting the projector up at least 20-inches away from walls to allow enough air in. The fan created 45.6 dBA of noise at 36-inches, much louder than other projectors and still its exhaust was a hot 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

Power Projector

When it’s running at full blast, the PL700U used 337 watts of power and 1.2-watts when it’s idle. Together, this adds up to $71 a year in electricity bills if your school pays the national average of 13 cents per kilowatt-hour. There are no lamps to replace but the 700U has a $43 dust filter that needs periodic replacing. Put it all together and the PL700U is economical to use at about $114 a year.

In the final analysis, the PL700U costs $2,290, but only $1,990 with Epson’s Brighter Futures educational discount. It should fit into any classroom by delivering bright, sharp and realistic images. A big bonus for schools is that the PL700U includes a three-year warranty and adding an extra year is only $99.

If you can deal with the absence of the interactive pen, the PowerLite 700U is an excellent choice for when image quality and brightness count for everything.

More: Epson

Cross posted at Tech & Learning University

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is the largest gathering of professional AV stakeholders in the world, with every category of commercial audiovisual technology represented and a diverse mix of product trainings and certification programs on-site. 2020 marked the event’s final year in the host city of Amsterdam as conference organizers look to expand exhibition space and educational offerings in Barcelona in 2021.

Vibrant Show, Despite Challenges 

Despite widespread concerns about the spreading coronavirus, and travel interruptions due to Storm Ciara’s high winds across Europe, more than 1300 exhibitors and 52,000 attendees converged in Amsterdam for the four-day conference and exposition. The noticeable drop in attendance—81,268 attendees made 2019 a record-breaking year—thinned the notorious taxi lines outside of the Amsterdam RAI, but the event still proved to be a meaningful event. Keynotes and panels focused on the changing value proposition of integrated technology, enhancing UX, harnessing the power of the network and AI, and leveraging multipurpose AV for more transparent technology experiences.

Focus on Campus AV

ISE 2020 was also notable for its expanded focus on AV for the campus—the higher education campus, in particular. Frost & Sullivan’s report, Growth Opportunities in the Education Market, suggests that the education sector is on track to double in value by 2022, to $40.9 billion. “Educational technology serves as an excellent means to deliver multimedia and interactive course content to today’s generation of digitally connected students anytime, anywhere, and across devices,” according to the Frost & Sullivan report. 

It’s clear that classroom technology plays an essential role in instructional design, pedagogy, and learning, but it’s increasingly becoming a deciding factor for students and families when choosing which college to attend. Responding to the increased pressure on decision-makers, ISE organizers devoted Hall 13 in the Amsterdam RAI exclusively to manufacturers known for their educational AV offerings, such as Nureva, Avocor, Clevertouch, and Promethean. 

AVIXA’s Higher Education AV Conference shared case studies and perspectives from global delegates on how to use AV to enhance learning outcomes. From connected campus digital signage to wireless collaboration suites, it was clear that end users are demanding more functionality and customization from classroom and campus AV solutions—and manufacturers aim to deliver.

ISE hosted a SCHOMS alliance meeting for senior managers working within UK and Republic of Ireland higher educational institutions. SCHOMS members help evaluate emerging technologies, like new AV/IT debuts at ISE, and use those insights to collaborate on the pedagogic direction of teaching spaces. Manufacturers like QSC and Kramer partnered with SCHOMS to showcase new software-based AV/IT ecosystems.

Here are a few key higher education AV trends and product debuts that grabbed attention at ISE 2020.

Next-Level Interactivity & IT-Friendly Features

There’s no shortage of screens in college classrooms. From student smartphones to projection screens to digital whiteboards, the average college has a surfeit of displays. The challenge now is to innovate the display category in support of pedagogic excellence. The pressure has never been greater for educational institutions to show exactly how teaching methods and investments in digital tools can help meet learning outcomes. 

To that end, Samsung Electronics America has introduced the updated Flip 2 at ISE with integrated Cisco Webex functionality. The latest version brings together the Webex Teams and Webex Roomkit Mini solution within the Samsung Flip 2 display for real-time collaboration for remote users, offering instant two-way collaborative whiteboarding,

Philips Professional Display Solutions demonstrated its new T-Line range of interactive touch displays for education. Helping students seamlessly interact during lessons, whether in the classroom or remotely, the T-Line is available in 65-, 75- and 86-inch model variants. Each display features multi-touch interaction, and displays can also connect with a keyboard and mouse. Supporting all major operating systems, including ChromeOS, macOS, Windows, and iOS, up to 64 students can contribute to lessons without leaving their seat.

Promethean showcased its new ActivPanel Titanium 70- 4K, 75- 4K, and 86- 4K models allowing teachers and students to collaborate with up to 20 simultaneous touchpoints. The company’s “intelligent palm rejection technology” recognizes when a user is writing verses just touching the screen or resting hands near the device. The product’s wireless mirroring, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity features are ideal for BYOD, sensor reading, and IoT environments. Remote management make pushing software and firmware updates quick and easy for the in-house tech team.

“Designed by teachers,” Clevertouch says its new IMPACT Plus is more an interactive touchscreen—it was created to deliver a highly collaborative experience with native support for apps like Google Classroom.

Smarter Projection

BenQ utilized the ISE stage to launch its EW800ST, a projector designed specifically for classrooms, with native cloud account integration, screen-mirroring capabilities, app functionality, and internet and wireless connectivity. The goal with this short-throw model is to enhance diversified teaching and blended learning so teachers and students can break away from “traditional” lectures modes and access more types of course content in more places in a classroom. For active learning environments, this new BenQ model is worth considering.

Data, Dashboards, Cloud

From installed videowalls to networked AV endpoints, higher educational stakeholders are looking for connected AV/IT ecosystems in which all technology assets can be remotely monitored and managed. This is influencing solutions-oriented AV product development by the likes of QSC, Crestron, Extron, Kramer, Atlona, Barco, and Aurora, just to name a few. Take Nureva, for example, who debuted the Nureva Console at ISE which offers customers scalability of their audio systems with remote management of all Nureva systems from one dashboard. This cloud-based platform will be available in March at no additional cost to customers. Not only will the single dashboard provide a streamlined way to view connected systems, it will provide metrics and usage data on those endpoints. This is just one example of how the AV/IT convergence paradigm is shaping product development—most users want AV that can be discovered, managed, and updated like other IT assets in a venue.

IP-Based Transport

MuxLab showed its 4K@60Hz HDMI over IP H.264/H.265 power-over-ethernet (PoE) transmitter at ISE, touting its robust transport method. Because of the low bandwidth required to achieve a high-quality image, and with 200ms latency, MuxLab believes “this solution is ideal for most applications that stream content over a LAN, particularly in classrooms and digital signage applications.” Classroom projectors are likely to be a good application for this new transmitter.

Personalized Yet Flexible Audio  

Listen Technologies shared a new Wi-Fi streaming solution at ISE, Listen EVERYWHERE, designed for personal and assistive listening. The system can be integrated into an existing wireless network, and it allows users to stream audio from TVs and other audio sources directly to smartphones or tablets via the Listen EVERYWHERE app. The ListenTALK suite, also on display at ISE, includes various systems, receivers, and accessories for wireless listening, collaboration, and portable assistive listening.

Sennheiser took a similar personalized approach with its new generation of the MobileConnect streaming solution. This audio platform offers students an individual assistive listening capability via their own smartphone. The system gives operators creative flexibility for implementation, with the ability to manage numerous devices from a central location.

“MobileConnect provides assistive listening in an extremely simple way via Wi-Fi and the student’s personal smartphone,” said Jakub Kolacz, manager, Product and Commercialization at Sennheiser Streaming Technologies. “Students do not have to borrow a special receiver or sit in a designated area but can choose their seat wherever they like in the lecture hall. That is real inclusion.”

The Nureva HDL200 also made its debut at ISE. Engineered for smaller spaces, the system has a built-in LCD to provide participants with helpful information, such as call status, room booking, etc. While a good fit for the enterprise market, there are various ways the HDL200 can complement the collaboration spaces within the university sector. Nureva also showcased its Microphone Mist technology which fills a space with thousands of virtual microphones to provide full-room pickup from a central endpoint. This unique approach has proved useful for blended learning and distance learning applications in higher education.

Native Support & Wireless Collaboration

Bridging the gap between IT and AV, and delivering solutions for BYOD, are two key goals for Kramer. At ISE, the company launched the Kramer VIA GO² and Kramer VIA Campus² wireless sharing options designed for educational and meeting environments. Built on the premise of “multiple functionality on a single device,” Kramer’s VIA GO² is a compact wireless sharing solution with a 4K HDMI output, 1024-bit encryption, 60-hertz video streaming, and native AirPlay, Miracast, and Chromebook.

Kramer’s VIA Campus² can show up to six student/presenter screens on a single main display simultaneously and 12 on a dual-display setup. It also features native iOS mirroring for MacBook, iPad and iPhone, as well as mirroring for Chromebook and Android, while supporting Miracast in Peer-to-Peer and Infrastructure modes.

Barco’s Clickshare, WePresent, Mersive, and Crestron’s AirMedia 2.0 were just a few of the other notable vendors and wireless collaboration systems at ISE.

Value Proposition

The value equation continues to evolve around hardware and “traditional” AV equipment. ProAV vendors are looking for new ways to offer value and build customer loyalty. Yamaha Unified Communications’ Dean's List Program addresses that need, letting U.S.- and Canada-based colleges, universities, K-12 schools, and other qualified institutions purchase Yamaha equipment at reduced pricing. Yamaha UC shared that news and demonstrated its YVC-330 portable USB and Bluetooth conference phone, the CS-700 video sound bar range, and various UCC products at ISE 2020.

Esports 

ISE was buzzing with panel discussions and informal conversations about esports and its serious potential for AV integrators, designers, and consultants. As esports arenas and animation studios grow in popularity across the world, stakeholders are investigating and specifying ultra-high definition displays with required refresh rates, immersive audio, and networking systems to ensure low-latency transport. Total esports market estimates are $1 billion industry with viewership expected to grow at a nine percent compound annual growth rate between 2019 and 2023, to 646 million in 2023, per Business Insider Intelligence estimates.   

Four-year universities, like Oklahoma City University, and liberal arts colleges are exploring ways to develop esports as majors and minor concentrations, similar to game design, animation, and VR design. 

To feed next-gen esports applications across campus endpoints with no visible latency, in-house university tech teams are exploring IP-based distribution systems, like Crestron’s DM NVX AV-over-IP platform. Crestron used the ISE 2020 spotlight to debut the latest enhancements to its DM NVX, including native support for the AES67 audio-over-IP standard and ultra-fast switching. The new functionality will be available for existing DM NVX products via a free firmware upgrade. 

Expect to hear much more about these IP-based edtech solutions and broader trends in the coming months. 

Margot Douaihy, PhD, is a writer, editor, and educator.

Peerless-AV®  announces its showcase at this year’s Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Convention & Exhibition taking place at the Austin Convention Center from February 3-7 at Booth #222. Peerless-AV will be featuring a variety of digital signage solutions, including the SmartMount® Flat Panel Cart for 55" to 98" Displays, SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Interactive Touch Panel Cart, and Outdoor Smart City Kiosk with an Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Display at Booth #222. 

To showcase the range in mobility for education applications, Peerless-AV will be exhibiting its SmartMount® Flat Panel Cart for 55" to 98" Displays (SR598). UL® certified, the cart can be safely moved between classrooms, and includes display height adjustment and a pre-assembled base. 

Peerless-AV will also be showing its SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Interactive Touch Panel Cart (SR598ML3) at TCEA, featuring a design that mounts, moves, and stores an interactive display. UL® listed actuators allow users to raise or lower a display, up to 25.6" (650mm), with the touch of a button. The rear compartment provides a secure area for a PC and power strip, while the cable management cord wrap stores the power cord when not in use. The cart’s large wall plate and locking casters provide a stable foundation for touch applications, and the integrated handles allow users to easily maneuver the cart from room to room. 

Peerless-AV’s Outdoor Smart City Kiosk with an Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Display (KOP2555-XHB),  for education facilities and campuses, shares school information, travel, and weather details, as well as offer campus wayfinding, advertising, entertainment, and more. 

To learn more about the 2020 TCEA Convention & Exhibition, visit https://convention.tcea.org/. 

Located in Cicero, Illinois, Sherlock School is an elementary school focused on using state-of-the-art technology and design to enhance the learning environment. For the newly-built facility, Cicero District 99 sought to create an environment that would motivate the district’s students by introducing them to technology in ways they might not have encountered before. 

With the opportunity to build a new school, Cicero District 99 wanted to implement technology solutions throughout the facility to create flexible learning environments for the students. This included eye-catching video displays that would be installed in various locations of the school, such as the main entrance and fourth floor interactive space. 

Snap Install, the integrator for the project, selected commercial OLED displays from LG Business Solutions to create a state-of-the-art installation providing an immersive experience. LG offered an lineup of options, including 55-inch Open Frame OLED displays that could be curved for ceiling and wall designs, as well as video wall displays. 

Snap Install next sought a mounting solution to support the unique LG OLED commercial displays. With a longstanding partnership with LG and the ability to create custom solutions for the brand’s displays, Peerless-AV was the choice for the project. 

Peerless-AV was able to design, test, manufacture, and install video wall mounting solutions that support LG’s Open Frame OLED displays, in less than three weeks. 

The main lobby features a unique digital display experience with 34 curved LG Open Frame OLED displays (model 55EF5E-L) – 24 units on the ceiling and 10 units in two columns on the wall, supported by Peerless-AV’s dedicated mounting solutions. The fourth floor includes two video walls, each composed of eight 55-inch LG Narrow Bezel displays (model 55VH7E-A) and eight Peerless-AV SmartMount® Supreme Full Service Video Wall Mounts with Quick Release (DS-VW775-QR).

The digital displays have invigorated students for the new school year and have aided in encouraging advanced ways of learning, according to Cao Mac, Cicero School District 99’s Chief Information Officer. 

“Technology changes drastically, but if we don't expose our kids to these types of environments, they'll never be able to succeed in the future,” said Mac. 

Mevo Start Camera

Following on the heels of Mevo’s Plus livestream camera, the $300 Mevo Start Camera can make sending HD video and clear audio easy, regardless of whether it’s for streaming a school assembly, sports event or even a perpetual weather cam. The black camera doesn’t require any knowledge of video or streaming sites yet connects to the Internet via the school’s Wi-Fi, Ethernet or an LTE mobile data network. Only three inches tall, the Start camera can sit on its own or be attached to a standard tripod. Look for it by springtime.

Georgia’s Foothills Education Charter High School is a public charter school offering students an opportunity to earn an accredited diploma in a non-traditional setting. Established in 2015 to service five counties and two state prisons, the school has since grown to a total of 16 locations across the North-Middle Georgia region. To accommodate this growth and make room for Foothills’ additional district partners, the charter school recently relocated its regional office from Madison to a newly renovated building in Athens. 

From the planning stages, a main focus in the school’s new office was technology, especially when it came to providing teacher training and holding meetings and presentations. The governance board envisioned a multipurpose room outfitted with an AV system that would allow users of any technological skill level to operate it easily. To turn its vision into reality, Foothills turned to Nisewonger AV, an Atlanta-based AV integrator that specializes in educational technology integration. 

Challenge

While Nisewonger AV initially considered using a projection system in the Foothills’ multipurpose space, it became clear that the size of the room and the amount of natural light coming in wouldn’t allow for the high resolution and brightness levels required. Instead, the company opted for an LG LV35 video wall consisting of nine 55-inch displays in a 3x3 configuration. 

Video sources available to users include a fixed PC and an HDMI input for guest laptops and other devices; a Barco CS-100 ClickShare system to enable wireless presentations and collaboration; and a Vivitek NovoDS digital signage player. All sources — in addition to a Luxul AMS-2624P AV Series 26-port/24 PoE+ Gigabit managed switch — are located in the room’s Middle Atlantic L2 Series lectern, which reduces the length of cable runs and provides a more easily serviceable system. For video distribution, Nisewonger AV  chose Just Add Power’s (J+P) Ultra HD Over IP platform. 

“Just Add Power has proven to be extremely reliable in other video wall systems we’ve installed,” said Adam Yates, vice president of business development at Nisewonger AV. “For example, we provided a very large video wall for another school that includes 40 pieces of hardware. It’s been running 24/7 for over five years and in that time we’ve only had to replace two pieces.” 

Solution

All video sources in the room’s lectern are connected to J+P’s VBS-HDIP-718AVP and VBS-HDIP-749A 3G+ AV Pro transmitters, while each display in the video wall is outfitted with a VBS-HDIP-508POE receiver. The J+P system supports 4K Ultra HD resolutions and HDMI 2.0 devices with HDCP 2.2. It enables seamless switching between any resolution HDMI sources, and distributes Dolby Pro Logic II audio. Video wall functionality is built-in for displays installed in portrait and flipped configurations, as well as image push, pull, and pop features. An integrated scaler on the receiver automatically adjusts the picture to fit the screen. Expanding the system with an additional screen or source is as simple as adding another receiver or transmitter. 

Control over the room’s technology is provided by an RTI control system, which is powered by the company’s XP-8v processor. A CX7 7-inch touchpanel is located at the lectern. With the help of Just Add Software, Nisewonger AV created a customized user interface for the touchpanel that allows any user to operate the system with the touch of a button.

Results

“Everyone who’s come into the office has been very impressed with the video wall, and it’s certainly been put through its paces,” said Leo Satara, technology coordinator at Foothills Education Charter High School. “With the system being available for all of our school district partners, it gets a lot of use — whether it’s for governance board meetings, collaborative activities, or teacher training. Everything has gone off without a hitch, which speaks volumes to the system’s ease of use and dependability.”

The National Center for International Schools (NCIS) houses both the Chinese American International School and French American International School in San Francisco. Both of these pre-K-12 schools pride themselves on rigorous academic training, combined with cultural awareness and investigation. 

The Chinese American International School, founded in 1981, and the French American International School, founded in 1962, joined in an educational and bond-generating venture known as the National Center for International Schools in 1994 and purchased the former Caltrans building located in the middle of San Francisco at 150 Oak Street. 

After considerable remodeling and upgrades to the building, the two schools now share a campus.

With security concerns in and around the perimeter of the school becoming evident, the NCIS launched a project to update and improve visual monitoring of the overall campus. NCIS’s overall video surveillance now includes a variety of VIVOTEK solutions including FD8361, FD8362, FD8363, FD8377-HTV, FD8372, FD836BA-HTV, FD9381-HTV, FD816CA- HF2, MA9321-EHTV, MA8391-ETV, MS9390-HV and MS9321- EHV. 

For special circumstances and requirements for the exterior of the campus, NCIS’s new video surveillance system features five VIVOTEK network cameras, including two multiple sensor adjustable cameras, the MA9321-EHTV for the exterior corners of the main building, a FD9381-HTV for the main building rooftop, and two multiple sensor cameras, MS9390-HV for the exterior low-height on property lines. NCIS chose the MA9321-EHTV for the camera’s desired high resolution and 360 degree coverage of property, street frontages, and street intersections/crosswalks. By having each sensor independent of each other, the MA9321-EHTV views four different regions simultaneously, therefore reducing the total number of cameras needed for surveillance. 

NCIS chose the 5-megapixel H.265 fixed dome, the FD9381-HTV for the desired high resolution coverage of a 13,000-square-foot playground across the street from one of the installed cameras. 

VIVOTEK's FD9381-HTV professional H.265 high-efficiency outdoor dome network camera offers NCIS with 30 fps at 5MP, or 60 fps at 1080p. By employing H.265 technology, the camera is able to provide higher and more efficient image compression rates than previous H.264 systems. In addition, the FD9381-HTV employs VIVOTEK's Smart Stream III technology and H.265 compression codec, reducing bandwidth more than 90 percent while still maintaining image quality compared to traditional H.264 without Smart Streaming technology. 

Lastly, NCIS chose the multiple sensor camera, the MS9390-HV, for the camera’s 180 degree coverage of building frontages and sidewalks in a constrained-space location, without requiring twice the number of cameras. The 8-megapixel 180 degree MS9390-HV uses two wide angle lenses, electronic image stitching, and high resolution sensors. With its dual-sensor design, the MS9390-HV can maintain a higher vertical field of view (FOV), allowing NCIS to capture more evidence below the point of camera installation. The MS9390-HV goes even further with WDR Pro technology for high contrast environments, 30fps at full resolution, and 180 degree IR illuminators up to 20 meters, ensuring NCIS with 24/7 comprehensive panoramic video surveillance.

“Clear video from VIVOTEK’s cameras have been of great assistance to NCIS and the San Francisco Police Department in the course of investigating a wide variety of security and safety incidents, including some criminal activity,” said Daniel Klingebiel, NCIS Executive Director. "We have worked with various brands of IP cameras. Ultimately, we have standardized on and now only use VIVOTEK cameras due to their superior quality, standardized configuration, and ease-of-installation.”

Lafayette School Corporation in Indiana, a 1:1 tablet computer district, is dedicated to educating its students through a thoughtful approach to learning and investing in technology. Lafayette recently determined its aging touch boards and displays were no longer reliable in every classroom. 

“Ten years is a really long time in technology years and our failing classroom audio/video systems were starting to be really expensive to service and maintain. We wanted to upgrade the experience with a solution that would truly work for our students and staff and make an impact,” said Li Zhao, Chief Technology Officer at Lafayette School Corporation. 

Over a two-year period of looking at interactive displays, Zhao tested six different makes and models. The objective was to find a solution that not only had to meet the demand for whiteboard technology, but also provide high-quality imaging for the school’s robust IPTV and digital signage network. 

The district selected BenQ’s RP Series interactive flat panels (IFP) after testing more than 40 65-inch IFPs installed across eight schools.

The RP Series of IFPs offers features intended to encourage engagement inside and outside of the classroom. Using cloud-based collaboration combined with BenQ’s EZwrite 5.0 platform, the IFP allows teachers and students to share ideas, notes, opinions, and make annotations on screen captures from any app, video, website, document, or image. Regardless of location, all participants can also make annotations on the screen from their personal devices. Teachers can download and upload files to cloud services such as One Drive or Dropbox directly from their screens. For Lafayette, enabling simple integrations allowed for HDMI inputs to the teacher’s laptop, Apple TV, a Wi-Fi wireless presentation dongle, and a DVD player. 

“All the ports are right there on the front, which was one of our requirements,” said Zhao. “When they’re on the side of up front, it grants quick access. If they’re in back, it’s really awkward trying to plug them in or troubleshoot any issues. It’s a simple design element that in our testing really stood out.” 

The IFPs also come with dual pens permitting two users to write or draw simultaneously with different color at the same time. Within Brush Mode, participants can use a physical paintbrush while the handwriting recognition feature converts written text, numbers, forms, and drawings into legible digital text without having to switch modes. 

Other features include:

• Anti-glare, bacteria-resistant screen
• CO2 air-quality sensor monitors the CO2 concentration level in classrooms
• Smart Eye-Care technology, which is certified to remove the blue light and flicker. 
• Voice Assistant allows teachers to start a timer or search the internet anywhere in the classroom

For Lafayette, BenQ IFPs have become the standard. More than 125 units were installed in all eight of their elementary schools, including the district’s new elementary school where BenQ’s 75-inch 4K IFP was integrated into each of the school’s 36 classrooms. The RP Series IFP were also installed in three high school special education classrooms. Each building also has access to a BenQ IFP installed on a mobile cart to provide the collaboration tools in other areas or to operate as a backup.  As the Lafayette district continues to grow, the technology department is examining other areas where the BenQ technology could be useful. Most recently, the school opened up a new career center and plans are underway to install the panels into the support space.

At less than an ounce, Samson’s LM10X lavalier microphone can not only pick up the subtleties of a teacher’s voice but can be clipped to a shirt or tucked into a pair of eyeglasses so it just about disappears. Its 3-milimeter condenser microphone element picks up audio from 20-to-20,000 hertz, comes with all the adapters you’ll need and several foam windscreens. Packaged in a handy carrying case that should ease going from classroom to classroom during the school-day, the LM10X kit costs $70.

FrontRow expands its networkable classroom AV system with ezRoom Trio, an all-in-one solution that offers a built-in speaker array that aims to provide superior voice and media amplification. When combined with Conductor™, ezRoom Trio allows campus-wide communications, emergency alerts, bells, and paging. The ezRoom Trio has two versions, the Trio and the Trio Alert, which includes a high power, multi-color LED beacon that provides visual notification for audio events and emergency alerts to students and teachers.  

Trio’s new speaker array was designed for learning environments. For most classrooms this single unit provides audio to amplify instructors’ voices, support audio from multimedia sources, and allow educators to initiate an intercom call with the school administration, hands free.  The new enclosure simplifies cable management and reduces installation time by serving as a single attachment point for sensors, high-definition video sources, ceiling mics, or other components.  

Optoma,  manufacturer of large display products, today announced two new projectors, the Optoma ZW403 and ZH403, designed for classrooms and other professional settings. 

Features include:

• 4,500 and 4,000 lumens of brightness, respectively
• HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid-Log Gamma) compatibility
• 300,000:1 contrast ratio
• up to 30,000 hours of low-cost and virtually maintenance-free operation in Eco mode
• keystone and four corner correction
• 1.3x optical zoom, and 
• 24/7 and 360-degree and portrait mode operation
• HDMI and VGA, as well as LAN and RS-232 connectivity for control via Crestron, Extron, AMX or Telnet.

Optoma ZW403 and ZH403 additional specifications:

• Dimensions:  13.26” x 4.25” x 10.5”
• Weight: 9.4 lbs.
• Brightness: ZW403: 4,500 lumens; ZH403: 4,000 lumens
• Contrast Ratio: 300,000:1 with Extreme Black enabled
• HDR10 and HLG compatible
• 4K UHD input with HDMI 2.0
• Light Source: DuraCore Laser with an IP6X certified optical engine
• Light Source Life: Up to 30,000 hours of operation in Eco mode
• Horizontal and vertical keystone correction, four corner correction
• 1.3x optical zoom
• 24/7, 360-degree and portrait mode operation
• Audio: 2 x 10W speakers

Pricing and Availability:

• The Optoma ZW403 is a WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution projector available now for an estimated retail price of $1,029 through authorized dealers.
• The Optoma ZH403 is a 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution projector available now for estimated retail price of $1,299 through authorized dealers.

Today NewTek introduced the next generation TriCaster® Mini, the newest addition to the TriCaster product line.

The plug-and-play setup and small size allows users to take it anywhere, set up and get started in minutes. Included are production tools such as built-in virtual sets, animated transition effects, replay for sporting events, streaming, recording, projecting, one-touch social media publishing, and more. 

TriCaster Mini’s 8 external video inputs will support any combination of compatible sources in resolutions up to 4K UHD. TriCaster Mini’s four plug-and-play NDI connections with power-over-Ethernet (PoE) makes video, audio, tally, power and control as easy as plugging in an Ethernet cable. Two included input modules with PoE directly connect existing HDMI devices, upgrading them to NDI-compatible sources. 

Exclusive to the new TriCaster Mini is the NDI|HX Camera Application for Mobile Devices available as a download from the Apple store. This allows video, up to 4K UHD from an iOS device, to transmit over Wi-Fi as an NDI source and connect with TriCaster Mini systems on the network. 

For more information about the new TriCaster Mini, visit https://www.newtek.com.

TeachLogic®, provider of Sound Field solutions for the K-12 education market, today announces its products will be used in the second phase of installation in one of the largest classroom amplification technology contracts in California history. 

TeachLogic, Pathway Communications LTD and Johnson Consulting Engineers will partner on the project. 

The installation is a continuation of phase I, which was originally designed by Johnson Consulting. The Phase 1 contract was awarded to Pathway in November of 2017. For phase II, Pathway will be installing TeachLogic’s Maxim III™ amplifier/receiver, Sapphire™ teacher microphones, IRH-35 handheld microphones, and SP-628 in-ceiling speakers in more than 400 classrooms.

This brings the total number of classrooms in Palmdale with TeachLogic Sound Field systems to over 800.

One of the most impressive broadcast curriculums in the nation is located in Carlsbad, California – not at a college, however, but at Carlsbad High School. The prowess of the school’s Broadcast Journalism Program, branded CHSTV, is seen in its daily productions, its PBS documentary specials, and at the annual STN nationwide student broadcasting competition – where CHSTV has consistently won “Best Daily Newscast in the Nation” since 2008. 

CHSTV’s newscasts are tightly crafted, visually infectious, professional grade, and produced entirely by students. Packed with live studio and field reports, guest interviews, and special interest features, each show delivers information the students feel their peers need to know. The 12-minute high definition newscast is seen live via the web, in classrooms through closed circuit television, and across the Carlsbad area over local cable systems. 

At 7:30 a.m. students arrive with no content prepared and with no idea of what role they will play in that morning’s newscast. A brainstorming session is held with CHSTV Broadcast Teacher Douglas Green, and the students then begin researching topics, writing copy, gathering imagery, creating graphics, and editing video. By 9 a.m., there’s a quick run-through, and by 9:18 am – without fail – the news goes live. 

The students run the entire show. They work as on-camera talent and news anchors, and execute the live show from the control room.

News Training Ground

Green — named 2016 California Teacher of the Year — formed CHSTV in 2002 as a means to give students who were learning video and broadcasting at the district’s three middle schools a continuing education in the trade. Today, 90 percent of the students in the CHSTV program come from those middle school programs. 

Along with working in each technical position—both in front of and behind the camera—during the grading period, students also take turns delivering an interactive presentation using the Magic Window – a giant touch screen monitor. The students are also expected to produce a feature segment on any topic of their choice every three weeks. On deadline day, several student/content producers evaluate the video clips for use in the newscast as well as grade the work. 

The demand for the program is high, and Green teaches two different classes of students according to a rotating block schedule. This means there may be 12 or more students in the studio serving as anchors, interviewers, camera operators, floor directors, teleprompter operators, and production assistants, with many more in the control room serving as technical directors, producers, and graphics operators. The key, Green says, is they must all communicate clearly and effectively with each other in order to have a successful outcome.

“One reason we’ve been so successful is that we attract students who really have a passion for telling stories, and who embrace this concept that, as journalists, we are the voice for the voiceless,” Green added. 

This is especially true for the documentary films the students have produced on such hot topics as vaccines, food banks for struggling military families, and interesting jobs for the new era of work. 

The result of the curriculum’s educational and technical goals is a combination of real-world skills used in broadcasting and video creation with educational information delivered to the students in the district. Upon high school graduation, CHSTV students typically go on to study broadcast journalism and other media arts at the university level.

Building a Broadcast-Quality Facility

The documentary work is commissioned by professional organizations and corporations. The students pick the projects that interest them, and this work generates vital revenue that funds the CHSTV program. Other sources of revenue include grants, fundraising, and a parents’ booster club. Together, this income helps defray the many onerous, on-going production costs. 

CHSTV also has a 501c3 non-profit designation, meaning it’s easier and more appealing for broadcast technology companies to donate equipment to the program since it’s tax deductible. The region is also rich with broadcast news professionals and engineers that occasionally offer their advice and technical expertise. 

This allows CHSTV’s aspiring journalists to hone their technical and soft skills to the point where they are immediately valuable to any broadcast news, sports, or network TV operation. 

Situated side-by-side in the control room, two “dueling” NewTek TriCasters are used to roll live video opens and packages, and to switch and stream the show. A third TriCaster is used to live stream sports and special events from remote locations, while a fourth is kept in storage as a back-up. A companion TriCaster technology, called Live Text, is used to create broadcast graphics, such as lower third supers. 

“The TriCaster is just a wonderful piece of equipment that gives our kids the opportunity to create freely on the fly. It’s sophisticated and full-featured, yet user-friendly for kids to learn quickly,” Green said. “It’s the foundation of a program that lets kids develop their creativity, character, and collaboration skills as they work in partnership to tell stories that they hope will make the world a better place.” 

The adjacent, 900 square foot studio is equipped with two Panasonic P2HD studio cameras on dollies, a Canon C300 DSLR camera on a crane, two Sony XDCAM 4K camcorders, a GoPro, as well as a wireless, handheld Ronin-S “Fly Cam” that serves as a Steadicam to fluidly follow the action. The studio has a large anchor desk, an overhead lighting grid, two large video wall displays at the back of the set, and ample space for students to conduct guest interviews while seated on the comfy furniture or walking around the set. 

Live feeds are brought in from additional cameras at remote locations—such as local events, restaurants, public places and sports venues—via satellite. This equipment, courtesy of a generous donation by ViaSat Corporation, includes two satellite uplinks that reside on the roof of the high school and its nearby stadium. Using this satellite gear, the students can transmit video signals at high-speed via a satellite. At remote locations, the students also use a Dejero bonded cellular transmission system to back-haul their live video signal to the studio for inclusion in the newscast. 

“The studio is equipped with a full editing lab. Each computer contains Final Cut X and the Adobe Production Suite,” said Student Producer/Journalist Kelsey Beekman. “Students can use these computers to edit their stories, do research, and to find upcoming events to cover. Our newsroom is also furnished with four soundproof editing bays perfect for editing stories and recording voice-overs. We’re grateful to have a studio that helps students produce their best work.” 

“When a student first begins to learn the TriCaster system, they partner with more experienced students, and within an hour they’re operating at full capacity for a live show,” said Nick Francis, a junior in the CHSTV program. “When I was in the control room and switching a live show for the first time, I was biting my nails. I was super nervous…but came out the other side alive! And now, whenever I face a challenging new situation, I’m able to handle myself with so much more poise and confidence.” 

While CHSTV Sophomore Miles Fesler serves as a TriCaster trainer to other students, he’s still discovering amazing things about it. After he trains one student, that student pays it forward by teaching other students. “This shows how great the TriCaster is as a new piece of technology that lets anyone pick it up relatively quickly. We can have eight different cameras that can be switched in an instant. This lets us have a lot of flexibility in our show, and really lends itself to a really great broadcast.”

EQUIPMENT LIST

The following gear is used by CHSTV at Carlsbad High School:

• An on-set video wall display
• An interactive “Magic Window” touch screen
• Four NewTek TriCasters (various models)
• Computer Lab/classroom equipped with Adobe Production Suite and Final Cut X at each station
• NewTek Live Text CG software
• Four soundproof bays for editing, audio and voice-over recording
• A large, 900 square-foot studio with anchor desk and furniture
• A lighting grid suspended from the studio ceiling
• Multiple cameras, including two Panasonic P2HD studio cameras on dollies
• Two Sony 4K camcorders
• A Canon C300 DSLR camera on a crane
• A GoPro 
• Ronin-S Fly Cam wireless camera system
• Microphones, including wireless mics
• ViaSat satellite uplink equipment
• Dejero bonded cellular transmission system

Hall Research has introduced the UHB-SW2 extender that is comprised of a 2-gang wall plate transmitter together with a low profile Receiver. The wall plate provides auto-switching VGA and HDMI inputs as well as a USB port for connection to a Host computer. The system uses HDBaseT 2.0 technology for superior data integrity and reliable operation. HDMI input supports 4K/60 4:4:4 HDR with upto 18 Gig bandwidth. VGA and its associates Audio inputs are converted to HDMI and scaled to be displayed on any TV or projector.

The UHB-SW2 can extend the signals over a single CAT6 cable to a distance of 120 ft for 4K@60Hz or 220ft for 1080p video. USB and RS-232 control signals are also extended. For convenience the Receiver provides power to the wall plate via the CAT6 cable, and it provides two USB ports for connection of any USB 1.1 or 2.0 device at the Receiver. Interactive touchscreen displays, memory devices, keyboard/mouse, even webcams can be connected to the Receiver.

Auto switching video selects the last connected input (HDMI or VGA), however the wall plate includes a push-button  to directly select either input. The UHB-SW2 is intended for commercial AV and educational (K-12) installations.

The world of AV tech is booming, with new trends like AR and VR reinvigorating the field with innovative ways to incorporate learning. Interactivity and collaboration are king. Front-of-room lectures are enhanced by displays and multimedia, or even given in hologram form. Now that 1:1/BYOD plans have firmly taken hold (giving budgets a break), schools are ready to make the most of those devices by investing in displays and interactive projectors that allow students to present their work and connect directly to cloud-based resources.

IT’S 10 A.M.—DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR STUDENTS ARE?

Joseph Kuzo, Director of Technology at Quakertown (PA) Community School District (QCSD), spent much of last year integrating every building in the district with Hitachi interactive projectors. Now students are using them to enjoy the offerings from an innovative in-school television studio. While daily announcements are spiced up with QCSD-TV student-anchors in the studio, on-air talent and production teams venture into the community in pursuit of local flavor.

“Students (and their parents) sign off on the ability to leave the building during the school day to go on location, set up interviews, do the interviews, capture all the b-roll and bring it back,” says M. Lincoln Kaar, Video Production/QCSD-TV Instructor. “They then edit and produce it, broadcast it within the school, put it up on public television channels and YouTube, so it can be enjoyed and presented not only to peers in the schools, but to others in the community.”

Not all assignments are as tasty as covering the 50th anniversary of local fave, Dominick’s Pizza; but store openings, historical walking tours, new police officer intros, charity events, and festivals also beckon the kids-with-a-cam.

“Kids are covering area businesses to get their foot in the game, producing segments that run on the local news, and creating captivating ads with audio and video instead of flat, pamphlet-style commercials,” says Kaar. “We offer three levels of classes working with Final Cut Pro X. News studios have stopped in and said the tech is comparable to, or better than, what they use. When students leave here, even if they’re editing for another company on different software, the concepts stay the same and they can work pretty much anywhere. One graduate went on to work at the local news station and won an Emmy.”

(So, if it’s 10 a.m. and you don’t know where your students are, odds are they’re up to something good.)

DARINGLY ORIGINAL AND CREATIVE

“We’re very fortunate in our district to be well supported by our school board, so we have been 1:1 with devices for 16 years and are excited to be replacing our whiteboards with 1,200 Promethean ActivPanels with ActivConnect in every classroom, computer lab, and conference room,” says Jeff Terry, Chief Information Officer at Roanoke (VA) County Public Schools. “Our teachers struggled with aging projectors needing bulb replacements and dimmed classroom lights. These are crystal clear in any light and height adjustable. We also opted for mobile stands for flexibility.”

“We have students as early as kindergarten fulfilling Virginia computer science standards through ActivPanel coding skills, directing Dash Robots,” says Sherri Rickman, Instructional Technology Resource Teacher. “We focus on coding to learn, instead of learning to code. At various ages, we’ll have the kids measure area, perimeter, convert measurements, determine how far the Dash can travel in centimeters and inches—it’s really comprehensive.

“We do an ancient civilizations lesson, built in Minecraft. Students collaborate with a partner, write the story of their world, design and build the world, and then present it to the class. It’s a great critical thinking lesson. Or they build a model of the ocean floor, using the Promethean board to display and tour their class through their world.”

The tech also keeps the classroom inclusive. Special needs students who have had issues with writing on paper use the panel to visualize and learn to form letters, then they transfer that muscle memory back to the pencil and paper.

GOING WITH THE FLOW(CHART)

“We decided to take a leap on changing the way all classrooms use interactive tools as opposed to a few per campus,” says Victor Valdez, Chief Technology Officer at Pflugerville (TX) Independent School District. “Previous projector solutions were mounted as short throws without a good option for audio or wall controls. Our installers put up a new interactive projector, wired the wall for electrical, took down an old whiteboard/chalkboard, installed new speakers in the ceiling, and programmed the wall controls.”

“Now we can collaborate across different departments and between elementary and secondary,” says Kathryn Ives, Instructional Technology Coordinator. “When teachers are comfortable, kids will get more engagement in the classroom. It’s not one more thing on a teacher’s plate, it’s the seasoning to make what’s already there taste even better. For us, standardizing on the Epson BrightLink makes sense because it’s a technology that actually adds to the learning environment.”

“We created Presentation Stations to focus on ‘student voice and student choice’. Students use pen, touch, or both to present their learning. They take constructive criticism and rework their project. Struggles produce success, and these skills follow them into industry, college, or serving their community.

LET’S GO TO THE FILM

Peoria Student Broadcasting Network, a unique internship in top quality broadcasting (that just happens to take place at a high school), started with 14 participants. Seven years later, with a ladder-work of seven courses leading to the PSBN crown, 350 students will benefit from this inspiring broadcast opportunity.

“Connecting to our community is a core value of our school district,” says Michael Sivertson, Director of Athletics for the Peoria (AZ) Unified SD. “This was a unique opportunity to showcase things going on in our schools internally. More than just sports coverage, it offers an innovative tech learning internship and trains students in all the different facets of broadcasting—students produce, direct, and cover games and other school events.”

Learning skills like media tech, sound design, video production, color commentary, and play-by-play calling is the path to making the cut. Sony cameras, NewTek TriCasters, boom poles, Adobe Suite platform effects and Premiere, motion graphics, lighting—they jump right in and use it all. PSBN interns cover the Hall of Fame Induction for AIA, produce sports health shows for Core Institute Medical Group, run the syndicated radio program Teen Talk, and even created a national commercial for Universal Athletic.

BIG DISTRICT, SMART SOLUTION

“We have the most Google-certified teachers on the planet—around 1,400. We’re the 10th largest district in the country, with 179 schools and 176,000 students,” says Jordan Barenburg, Manager of the Communications Department at the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida. “We have deployed 90,000 Chromebooks and have projected adding 11,000 SMART Boards in the classrooms. But it’s not always about ‘having the tool,’ it’s how it’s being used, what is the support system. Besides having unbelievable interaction speed, SMART does a fantastic job of creating auxiliary videos and training materials so we’re making the most of the tech to engage our students.”

Training over 12,500 teachers in the new tech was no small task.

“With such a huge district, our main push was to create a Trailblazer Program,” says Dr. Adam Miller, Director of Educational Technology for the School District of Palm Beach County. “Each of the schools identified 10 percent as teacher leaders, an integral part of a ‘train the trainer’ system to create tech ambassadors.

“Our solution also includes e-Box stands, which are electric and height adjustable. One of the nice things is that students in wheelchairs are able to get right up to the screen and not run into the legs of the base. The panels are on wheels, and only need a power outlet so we can really move things around within the classroom. For whole group lessons or a static lecture teachers might use a projector, but when they break into small groups the panel can easily be rolled up to the students.”

Once the tools are in place, Trailblazers help other teachers bring their instruction to the next level.

“Google Slides presentations are great for group projects, since students don’t have to all work at the same time. The SMART labs are incredible engaging activities they do on the boards. Video conferencing is huge, with students having direct access to connect with experts in the fields they’re studying, such as Jane Goodall or an oceanographer.”

One PBC Global Classroom has traveled 52,818 miles (over two times around the world) to connect with 22 people—including scientists, engineers, astronauts, explorers, artists, and photographers—in five countries via live video conferencing. Big district, big goals!

A YEN FOR GREEN TECH

Information and Communication Tech is being promoted in schools throughout Japan in accordance with the government’s Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education, but costs have slowed the process. Fukuroi Asaba Higashi Elementary School installed Casio Ultra Short Throw lampfree projectors and interactive whiteboards in all 210 regular classrooms in its 12 public elementary schools, after measuring long-term savings due to extended light source life and reduced installation costs. The lamp-free tech not only saves the budget, but also the environment without lamp disposal and concerns about mercury and other chemicals.

First-grade teacher Takuya Sato says he has seen the children’s understanding and motivation improve since he began using projectors in his lessons. “In our history classes, we search the Internet for materials and show them in video format, because visual images have higher impact than words written in a textbook. In physical education classes, too, we can communicate proper body movements visually.”

Toshie Suzuki, a third-grade teacher, projects content such as digital textbooks, the children’s notebooks and textbooks, and original teaching materials. “The ability to project the stroke order for writing Chinese characters on the screen with an animated display makes it easier to teach the kids the proper way of writing new characters when we introduce them in Japanese language classes. This also helps me as a teacher by freeing me to circulate among the desks and monitor the children’s efforts to imitate the stroke order they are viewing on the screen.”

TOUGH TRANSITIONS: THE BOXLIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Change is challenging—and far more so when it involves updating an aging hodgepodge of tech and equipment across 376 instructional spaces.

“We wanted to be able to guarantee that if a student attended one school and then transferred to another within our district, that he or she would have the same access to the same type of technology, and that it was not based on where the student lived, or any type of demographic,” says Rachelle Butz, Executive Director of Digital Learning and Infrastructure for Monroe (WA) School District.

A holistic approach was needed to ensure all needs were being met. This included inviting community members to hash out a list of goals and commitments for the district. Boxlight’s 75-inch Multi Touch Flat Panel Displays, MimioStudio classroom software and document cameras, webcams, PC modules, and mounts were chosen as part of a community-approved technology levy designed to transform instructional delivery across the district’s ten campuses. Advanced Classroom Technologies added classroom audio systems to round out the tech makeover. Once a plan was set, instructor buy-in became key.

Teachers were not the only tech learners to consider. When choosing the right partner for the overhaul, it became important that even the students could share and present with ease. Today, strolling the halls past a kindergarten class reveals even the district’s littlest ones at the display, sharing excitement at their creations and explaining their work to their friends.

From interactive projectors and collaborative tools, to incredibly intense 4K clarity, advances in the projector arena have changed the game. One factor that remains high on administrator and decision-maker’s minds is navigating both eco and budget concerns. One of the biggest changes on the scene is the popularity of lamp-free options.

By combining a laser and LED light source to create a high-brightness, mercury-free tool, hybrid lamp-free tech uses up to half the amount of power per unit than other lamp-based projectors and extends the operating life up to 20,000 hours. One big budget concern is ongoing maintenance costs.  Not only do these projector options nix the need to buy additional replacement lamps, they also eliminate the costly process of replacing lamps — time needed for ordering, shipping costs, blocking time in the classroom for installation, man hours with an experienced installer. These costs all add up. 

These “soft” costs can add up to 20% to the bill. To reach a true bottom line, it important to compare not just the price but the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Luckily, finding the TCO isn’t complicated, in fact most websites offer TCO Calculators to compare products by simply plugging in a few data points like daily/annual usage, energy cost and filter cleaning or lamp replacement costs (including labor and time resources).

When rebuilding your AV tech game, it is also important to future-proof your pick to ensure a long and useful life. Sustainability and social responsibility are good elements to keep in mind. Making sure environmental and social standards are met to the highest level is easy. Simply opt for a TCO 2.0 certified projector awarded by an independent nonprofit (currently a number of Casio and Epson projectors made the cut). The list goes beyond avoiding companies practicing poor labor and eco-policies, the additional requirement for TCO certification is for the product to offer excellent image quality up to a specific maximum projected image size. The product also requires an Eco Mode — this means that the projector can be set to a lower light intensity. Reducing the energy consumption and noise level increases the lifespan of the lamp therefore adding to value.

Projector companies realize schools have budgets and district financial committees to satisfy. Many have education customer-specific programs to help both the bottom line and to add extra value for those looking to enhance their classrooms. Casio offers a special website and extensive collection of support materials for teachers and students, with worksheets, activities, instructional videos and support software to help educators create lesson plans and projects. Casio’s Loaner Program enables educators to test drive classroom products. The program provides a hands-on evaluation of educational products and is free of charge. A rewards program also offers educators the opportunity to earn free product. ViewSonic’s Learn & Grow program provides special pricing on up to five units of selected products to allow schools to evaluate the new technologies before deciding on large-scale installments. Teachers can also take advantage of Friends and Family pricing on items for personal use. Epson’s Brighter Futures Program includes competitive pricing only available to education clients, three year limited warranty (90 days for lamps), free next day business replacement with free shipping both ways, PrivateLine free tech support for life of warranty and a dedicated account manager.

Beyond the glow of the large-format digital displays that replaced whiteboards and projectors in many learning environments, something even bigger is brewing.

AV has had a positive impact on the education market, but in terms of real innovation, not much has changed in the typical classroom. Today’s passive AV learning tools—essentially large, mounted screens hardwired to an AV source like a laptop or fed a beam from a projector—are really just bigger, more attractive versions of the old overhead projectors from decades ago.

A new trend in education is starting to change that paradigm, and alter AV requirements in the process.

Active Learning

[ New Tools for Schools]

The concept of active learning, a classroom philosophy that engages students in the learning process and aims to prepare them for real-world problem solving, has been around for decades. Active learning is gaining traction today thanks to the continuing evolution of AV technologies.

“It’s not just the teacher who does all the talking and presenting,” explained Daniel Routman, director of innovation at Ford AV. “They turn it around and get the students to do the speaking and presenting, break out into groups, and then share results at the end, which of course involves AV. We need speech reinforcement. We need to be able to show content from everyone’s team. I think today, that is the biggest driving factor.”

Facilitating this change in learning styles is the reliance on software- and cloud-based sharing systems such as Zoom and Skype, which students and instructors can use to collaborate in the classroom.

“The shift I’m seeing is that we went from selling individual AV systems to selling digital platforms that connect the classrooms,” Routman said. 

As he pointed out, though, there are no true plug-and-play systems for active learning. And with the multitude of collaboration platforms and ecosystems on the market, there may never be an easy solution for most laypeople. That leaves an opening for AV integrators, who can help universities and secondary school educators establish systems that support their teaching methods in a field that remains largely undefined.

[AV Tech Gets Creative]

“We have university people come to us and say, ‘Hey, this is what we have in mind, we want to try something new,’” he said. “People are coming up with their own ways of doing active learning. I think it’s still not quite set in stone what active learning is.”

Michelle Hull, a project manager at Level 3 Audiovisual, is seeing similar trends in clients’ needs, and is working to meet them so clients can “stay relevant in the ever-changing world.

“AV installations are being driven by the increased use of technologies such as wireless sharing, collaborative products, [and] videoconferencing—mainly soft codec,” she noted.

Regardless of how active learning is defined, the screens and interfaces that allow collaboration in wired or wireless environments are still essential equipment. For every cloud-based sharing platform students and teachers use to create content, there remains a need to transport that content to the entire classroom or auditorium, via large-format LED or LCD screens, or projection systems.

Design Thinking

[AV that Makes the Grade]

Another key element of this arrangement is the layout of the classrooms themselves. Modular or pod learning environments liberate students from the traditional row of individual desks in favor of circular desks that can seat a small group. Routman recently worked with the University of Arkansas on a similar design whose objective was to enable students to work together in groups, with a single display at each station, and then share that content with the entire class on a larger display through collaboration tools.

“Of course, [there is also sound] reinforcement so the people in the room can hear what the others are saying, wireless microphones and stuff like that,” he said. “But we’re seeing things like the Solstice Pod, which has this capability where you can have a pod at each table and then at any point you can share from one pod to another pod, or to all pods. We’re starting to see more technology like that.”

Form Versus Function

While the AV market has made huge strides in minimizing and disguising the AV footprint, Routman cautions against the temptation to place building aesthetics over actual learning functionality. Streamlined designs create interesting spaces, but viewing distance and angles must be the main consideration—after all, AV is only as effective as its implementation.

“We were looking at a classroom recently where the projector was offset to the left side of the room, so only people on the left side of the classroom could really see what was going on,” he said. “They did this because they didn’t want to block the beautiful glass wall they had.

“AV quality being sacrificed for aesthetics I think is detrimental to a learning environment. It’s supposed to help, and you’re taking away from them the ability to see and hear clearly.”

From a Distance

Hull said that distance learning is accelerating the adoption of collaborative environments in the education market based on platforms such as Zoom. Simplicity is always the best way to eliminate wasted time and distractions in making systems work together, she noted.

“There are so many online course options available now that require video capture,” said Hull. “Sometimes these systems are designed not taking into account the ever-changing end user. They need to be as simple to operate as your iPhone.”

Routman said that replacing outdated technology eliminates unnecessary complexity, such as having a large switcher to route and control all the different content sources in the classroom.

“The user experience is much better when it’s automated,” he added. “You plug in your laptop and it just shows up without having to push a button.”

Such environments enable universities to not only deliver better classroom instruction for both on- and off-site students, but also to house information in easy-to-access, centralized databases—often shared through the cloud.

“For things like distance learning, you’ve got web conferencing, but then you’ve got the whole arena for capture and content management,” said Routman. You capture the class and upload the video to a CMS, which the students can access with their university credential. Once they’ve logged on, they’ll see a list of all their classes, and they can pull up a video of a class lecture or presentation. 

Both Routman and Hull note that bring-your-own-device (BYOD) is still at play in the education market, driven by the expectations of digital-native students who can be more adept at finding solutions to connectivity issues than classroom instructors. Designing systems that accommodate third-party devices isn’t going away.

“These are young people who have had smartphones in their pockets since their early teens,” explained Routman. “I think they expect to be able to use any device—whether it’s a phone, Android or iOS, a tablet, or a laptop. They expect to be able to pull information onto those devices for their class work, and they expect to be able to use it in a classroom and connect it somehow.”

As the education market continues to pursue collaborative learning environments, AV designers and integrators are uncovering opportunities and developing solutions to simplify the systems that support the needs of students and instructors.

“The way classrooms are being taught is fundamentally different today,” concluded Routman. “These classrooms used to be disparate AV systems, and now they’re really connected.”

cross posted at www.avnetwork.com

 Jim Beaugez is a freelance writer and content creator for the AV, professional audio, and music industries. He has contributed to Systems Contractor News, AV Network, Mix and other publications. Beaugez is an accredited communications professional. 

Smart speakers were "The Gift" of the 2018 holiday season. By the end of 2019 they are expected to be in about half of all American households. Alexa has a 66% share of the market. Google has 29%. HomePod has just 5%. 

Currently the top use for the device is playing music. This is followed by answering a general question, providing the weather forecast and telling a joke.  

So, where does getting smart come in?

Smart speakers provide a great way to listen to a diverse selection of news outlets, podcasts, and books. Here is how to access each on the most commonly used speakers from Amazon and Google. 

NEWS

The news is a simple feature to find and set up in your app's settings. 

Alexa

On Alexa news is found in "Flash Briefing." With Alexa you can have this as a part of your, "Start my day" routine.  

Google Home

On Google Home it's called "News." With Google the news can be a part of your "Good Morning" routine. This is where you can set up all your favorite news shows. 

PODCASTS

Did you know that podcasts weren't even a thing before the internet? Since then their popularity has exploded, but how do you know what to ask your smart speaker to play? 

Here is how to get started.

Alexa

The best way to listen to podcasts on Alexa is by enabling the "Skill" called "Anypod." Once you've enabled it, you can ask Alexa to subscribe to your favorite podcasts. You can also visit Anypod to search for and add podcasts. Not sure where to start? Check out the "Podcast Playlist for Innovative Educators" or head over to NPR and see their selection of podcasts. Anypod will allow you to fast forward, rewind, play first, latest, or a specified podcast number.

Here is what it looks like.

Google Home

Visit Google Podcasts and you'll see numerous options from which to create your podcast playlist. From there, you simply ask Google to play your podcasts. 

Here is what it looks like:

BOOKS

Smart speakers provide a great way to listen to books. Here's how to get started.

Alexa

Alexa is connected to your Audible account. Once you have audio books there Alexa can play them.  

Here is what that looks like:

Google Home 

Google is connected to your Google Play Audio Books account. Once you have books there, you can ask your smart speaker to play them.

Here is what that looks like:

Your Turn

What do you think? Can smart speakers provide a useful way for you and your family to get smarter about topics, news, and events that are important to you? If you have tried it, what's the experience been like? If you haven't it may be time to give it a go.

Lisa Nielsen (@InnovativeEdu) has worked as a public-school educator and administrator since 1997. She is a prolific writer best known for her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator. Nielsen is the author of several booksand her writing has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, Tech&Learning, and T.H.E. Journal.   

NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc. today announced the launch of its new F-Series indoor fine pitch direct view LED (dvLED) and Q-Series indoor and outdoor dvLED panels that offer customers a complete video wall solution. The F- and Q-Series mark the first NEC Display dvLED products to be launched from the company’s acquisition of S[quadrat] earlier this year.

[Projectors vs. Flat Panels – What to Know to Save Time and Money]

F-Series features include:

• Bright, 16:9 aspect ratio dvLED panel with a tight pixel pitch from as low as 1.2mm for indoor use
• 18-bit color processing and the option to add HDR10 capability
• Cabinet dimensions match up with a 55” large format display (LFD)
• Standard redundant power supply and optional redundant scan card

[Do you have an innovative edtech product? Nominate it for the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence Contest! Click here for details]

Q-Series features include:

• dvLED panel with a 1:1 aspect ratio panel and a wider pixel pitch starting at 2.84mm
• Available in both indoor and outdoor models.

The F- and Q-Series are available starting this month. For additional information and specs, visit NEC Display Solutions.

Epson announced it is now shipping its new compact PowerLite® L-Series laser projectors within the 4,500 – 6,000 lumen range. Weighing between 17 and 19 pounds, the PowerLite L-Series are compact, making them versatile for convenient portability and installation in educational institutions, corporate spaces and houses of worship with high ambient lighting.

[Projectors vs. Flat Panels – What to Know to Save Time and Money]

To support BYOD classrooms, the projectors allow teachers to connect the projector to up to 50 Chromebooks, PCs and Mac® computers, and iOS and Android devices. Educators can also simultaneously display up to four screens with the Epson iProjection™3 wireless display solution. The high-end PowerLite L610U and L615U models offer wireless screen mirroring from a smartphone or streaming device with Miracast®.

Features include:

• Solid-State Laser Light Source and Electrostatic Air Filter – Provide virtually maintenance-free operation up to 20,000 hours
• Connectivity and Control – Supports a full range of inputs, including HDBaseT, 3G-SDI, and is compatible with Crestron RoomView, AMX, Extron XTP, Control4, and Art-Net for easy integration
• Professional Installation Features – Full 360-degree installation flexibility, including Portrait Mode, Instant Off power, quieter performance, and high contrast ratios

The new PowerLite L615U, L610U, L510U, L400U, L610W, L500W, and L610 models are available now through authorized Epson resellers. For additional information, visit https://epson.com/LaserISE.

When I was a kid, we used to find creative ways to keep ourselves entertained. One of our favorites was the Dubbing Game. Basically we would turn on the TV, find a good show, and then turn off the volume. Then we would make up new lines for the characters on TV (bonus points for using funny voices). I am sure we thought it was much funnier than it really was.

As an adult, I have seen the same idea done on the show “Whose Line is it Anyway?” where they play the improv game called “Film Dub”. (I am sure they are much funnier than we ever were.)

Although dubbing a video can be a great source of entertainment, it actually can be very educational as well. There are quite a few learning activities for students when they take a video, remove the original audio, and add their own narration.

Uses for Video Dubbing

There are many creative ways video dubbing can be used by your students. Below are just a few ideas:

• Practice translation - Students can take a video in a foreign language and speak the dialog in their own language, or vice versa they can take a video in their native language and speak it in a language they are learning.
  
• Interpret a story - Students could act out a scene from a movie or show verbatim. This would give them the opportunity to act out the text to express their understanding of the story.
  
• Reinterpret a story - Or students could rewrite the original dialog in more modern language, or in simpler terms, or just in a new style. Again this would allow them to show their understanding of the purpose and themes of the original story. For example, they could write contemporary dialog for Hamlet.
  
• Tell a whole new story - Or students could be totally creative and make up a completely new story, replacing the original dialog with a new narrative that fits the actions being shown on screen.
  
• Create commentary - Finally students could make their own commentary track for a video. This could be them describing what is happening, or offering their critique, telling a historical backstory, or explaining a scientific concept that can be seen in the video

Just as there are many educational uses for video dubbing, there are also many different technology tools that could be used to do the dubbing. Certainly you could do this with video editing tools such as WeVideo, Adobe Premiere, or iMovie.

Although all of those programs would work fine, there is another tool that is totally free, and super easy to use, which may be a perfect fit. That tool is Screencastify.

1. Install and configure the Screencastify extension.
2. Tweak the video settings.
3. Record your voiceover with Screencastify.
4. Share your final video.

Begin by installing the Screencastify extension from the Chrome Web Store: Chrome Web Store link

Step 1: Install and configure the Screencastify extension

Note: Because this is a Chrome Extensions, you need to be using Chrome on a PC, Mac, or Chromebook to be able to use this tool.After installing the extension, click on its icon once to set up its one-time initial configuration. Screencastify will ask for three permissions to be set.

• First, Screencastify will ask for permission to use your webcam and microphone, which you will need to allow.
• Next, it will ask where to save your videos. I recommend having the videos saved to Google Drive since you have unlimited storage in Google Apps for Education and the videos are easy to share with others. When asked, you will need to give permission for Screencastify to save to your Drive.
• For the last permission, it will ask to be able to record your browser tabs.

Screencastify is now setup and ready for use!

Step 2: Tweak the video settings

Next you need to find a video online that you want to add your voice narration to. (For the directions below I will be using a video from YouTube.) Once you find the video you want, there are a few settings you will probably want to adjust to improve the recording:

1. Display the video full tab.
2. Set a start and stop time (optional).
3. Mute the audio in the video.

Tech Tip - To save you time and hassle, I have created a Google Sheets template that will take your YouTube video URL, and will create a new URL that will force the video to play full-tab, and will start and stop at the times your set.Although the directions are explained below on how to do this by hand, you may prefer to simply use the spreadsheet to do all the dirty work for you.

• Get your copy of the "YouTube URL Generator" template here: Google Sheet template

Display the video full tab

When you use Screencastify to record the video, you will want the video to fill up the full recording area. One option for Screencastify is to record an entire tab in your browser, so what we want to do is play the video so it fills up the entire tab. You can do this with a YouTube video by changing the URL slightly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHvEA2tczi4

What you want to do is change the part that reads "/watch?v=" to "/embed/"By doing so, your new URL will look like this:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/fHvEA2tczi4

Now when you use that link the YouTube video will fill the entire tab in your browser when played. You can click the two links above to see the difference.

[Learn Your New Students' Faces, Names, and More with Google Slides]

Set a start and stop time (optional)

Sometimes you will not want to dub over the entire video, but instead just want to use a certain portion. YouTube allows you to set a start time and stop time when playing a video. Again this can be done by altering the video URL.

In this case you will want to add onto the end of the URL the "start" command with how many seconds into the video to begin playing, and the "end" command with how many seconds into the video to stop playing.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/fHvEA2tczi4?start=53&end=59

Again, you can click the link above to see how this will only play the video from 53 seconds to 59 seconds

Mute the audio in the videoFinally you will want to mute the audio in the YouTube video so it does not make any noise when playing, so you can add your own voice. You can mute the audio in a YouTube video a couple different ways:

• You can click on the speaker icon in the bottom left corner to toggle the audio off and on.
• Or you can press the "m" key on your keyboard (for "mute") to toggle the audio off and on.

Now that you have the video ready to go, you can use Screencastify to record the video along with your voice. With the YouTube video ready to go, do the following:

• Click the Screencastify extension in your top right corner of Chrome.
• Select the "Tab" option.
• Select your microphone from the menu (if not already selected).
• Turn off the option to embed your webcam(if you just want to record your voice and not your face).
• Finally click "Start Recording".
• Now click the play button for the YouTube video so it will start playing.
• Now speak your narration, commentary, or voiceover dialog.
• Screencastify will record everything on the screen and everything you say.
• When done click the Screencastify extensionagain and click "End Recording".
• You will now see the recorded video to review if you wish.
• Give the video a relevant name by clicking on the title in the top left of the screen.

The great thing about Screencastify is that it saves your recorded video to your Google Drive. This makes it very easy to share your video with others. You can share the video a few ways:If you are still inside of the Screencastify window with your recorded video, you can get the sharable link for your video right there.

• Click the Google Drive "Copy Link" icon in the top right corner of the screen to share the video and copy the link.
• The link to the video can now be given to anyone so they can view your video. This could be done through email, or in Google Classroom, on social media, on your website, or such.

If you are no longer in the Screencastify window, you can share your video from your Google Drive.

• Open your Google Drive and go to the "Screencastify" folder.
• There you will find all of your recordings.
• Select the video you want to share and then share as normal by clicking the share button in the top menu bar of Drive, or by right-clicking on the video and choosing "Share".

Sample Dubbed Video

As an example, see the video below where I dubbed my voice talking about how Chinchillas take dust baths:

Note: The dub was made from an original video by user “mikaylab93” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7LWtNcuazA with a “Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)”.

Conclusion

Video dubbing can be a fun and educational way for students to be creative, share information, and express their understanding. If your students create any dubbed videos, please share what they did and how the process went.

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Eric Curts is an education trainer and consultant with over 20 years' experience throughout the U.S. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and a Google Certified Innovator. Read his blog at www.controlaltachieve.com and follow him on Google+ and @ericcurts on Twitter.

Casio Ultra Short Throw Projector

XJ-UT351WN

https://www.casioprojector.com/resource/spec-sheets/ultrashortthrow_XJ-UT310WN_Spec_Sheet.pdf

With its Ultra Short Throw lens, Casio’s LampFree projector can project brilliant shadow-free, crisp, images of up to 110”. The eco-friendly Laser & LED Hybrid Light Engine lasts up to 20,000 hours without needing to replace costly lamps or filters offering savings, both financial and environmental. The XJ-UT351WN has a full assortment of connectivity and features; produces 3500 lumens of brightness and boasts WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution.

Promethean ActivPanel

Available in 65″ 4K, 70″ HD, 75″ 4K, & 86″ 4K

https://www.prometheanworld.com/products/interactive-displays/activpanel/

This interactive display for immersive learning provides a tablet-like experience at the front of the classroom. Perks include a natural no-leg writing experience for teachers, multiuser recognition for group efforts and connectivity to engage students through their devices for instant feedback.

BenQ Curved Monitor

EX3203R, releasing August

https://www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/video-enjoyment/ex3203r.html

Set up a high tech AV nook with this affordable space saver that offers the flexibility to be used solo for small group work, or combined with multiple screens with seamless ultra thin bezel for edge-to-edge panorama effect. The 1800R curvature captures and helps focus attention by filling the field of vision within a small footprint.

A Yen for Tech

Information and Communication Tech is being promoted in schools throughout Japan in accordance with the Japanese government's Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education, but costs have slowed the process. Fukuroi Asaba Higashi Elementary School installed Casio Ultra Short Throw lamp-free projectors and interactive whiteboards in all 210 regular classrooms in its 12 public elementary schools, a choice made after measuring long term savings due to extended light source life and reduced installation costs.

First-grade teacher Takuya Sato says he has seen both the children's understanding and motivation improve since he began using projectors in his lessons. “In our history classes, we search the Internet for materials and show them in video format, because visual images have higher impact than words written in a textbook. In physical education classes, too, we can communicate proper body movements visually.”

Toshie Suzuki, a 3rd-grade teacher, projects contents such as digital textbooks, the children's notebooks and textbooks, and original teaching materials. “The ability to project the stroke order for writing Chinese characters on the screen with an animated display makes it is easier to teach the kids the proper way of writing new characters when we introduce them in Japanese language classes. This also helps me as a teacher by freeing me to circulate among the desks and monitor the children's efforts to imitate the stroke order they are viewing on the screen.”

Great Brits

Promethean World, global education technology company founded in Blackburn, UK serves 50,000+ Schools in 154 Countries. It recently gained notice at ISTE 2018 with its Best in Show-winning professional development program, the Promethean Escape Room. this one-of-a-kind escape room training experience immerses educators in a STEM environment with tools that support VR, robotics, gamification, mathematics, and collaboration. They learn the tech and its capabilities for their own classroom while working together to solve clues to “escape”.

However, escaping from a classroom filled with Promethean ActivPanel tech is the last thing students at Whalley Church of England Primary school in Lancashire would choose. Students use the instant white boarding feature in Maths, where multiple children use the panel together to present as many ways as possible as they can think of recording a half, in both numerical and diagrammatical form, competing against each other to answer questions correctly as quickly as possible. For reading, they cast books from the Kindle app so the whole class can see the pages of the book and read along with the teacher, or enjoy the illustrations of picture books.

At Hesketh with Becconsall All Saints CE Primary School in the village of Hesketh Bank, tech-loving students in a Year 4 class were frustrated by the struggle to see lessons on their fading, glitchy whiteboard. With teacher Rory Dixon, they created a black and white movie to demonstrate how outdated their AV situation was and won a grant for an ActivPanel. They use the connectivity of the panel to mirror and interact with all class devices for whole class polling, both for lesson responses and to offer instant lesson feedback.

The Colorful World of OZ

Sunny Australia often means a struggle against ambient light for clear viewing in a classroom, as well as accurate color representation. BenQ’s monitor sensor detects ambient light levels in the viewing environment, automatically adjusting on-screen brightness and color temperature. Curved monitor offerings help focus students, using a 1800R curvature to encompass their field of vision. The color accuracy has long been appreciated in photography and videography classrooms for precision work and editing, even drawing in renowned Australian Animal Photographer Alex Cearns as a brand ambassador.

Drummoyne Public School in Sydney’s inner west installed a BenQ Interactive Projector into one of its kindergarten classrooms, to encourage engagement and differentiate learning. Teacher Ms Goodman notes that the flexibility of being able to use both the projector’s interactive pen — a device that may be used like an ordinary pen by writing directly on the board from a distance of up to 24ft– as well as a traditional whiteboard marker on the whiteboard surface was one of the system’s best characteristics. Using the PointDraw pen not only created excitement at its wand-like ability to track writings or doodles, but allowed students to answer questions and problems without leaving their chairs — an advantage when trying to keep young children focused, in addition to engaging their minds.

The throwable microphone Catchbox takes the form of a plush cube that can be tossed around like a beachball or frisbee. Users catch the cube, say their piece, and then lob it to the next person with his or her hand in the air.

The newest product added to the line is the Catchbox Plus, which can be charged wirelessly.

[What’s New: New Tools for Schools]

Key features include:

• Built-in, rechargeable Li-ion battery: Battery never needs replacement. Three-hour charging time empowers 14 hours of use.

• Always-on functionality: Enters sleep mode when charging and automatically activates when picked up for instant functionality.

• Motion detection: Identifies and auto-mutes when product has been thrown, caught or dropped to prevent unwanted noise while in motion.

• Magnetic locking mechanism: Customizable cover keeps inner contents safe and secure.

• Up to 100 m/328 ft. range (line of sight): Clean, uninterrupted signal while allowing ample range of movement.

• Customizable to feature brand’s logo

Epson today introduced the PowerLite® Pilot™ 3 Projector Connection and Control Box, a wall-mounted A/V solution for Epson short-throw and ultra short-throw projectors. Designed to support an array of devices, the PowerLite Pilot 3 helps educators maximize cable management, control classroom projectors, and streamline source switching and volume control. Epson’s new PowerLite Pilot 3 will be on display at ISTE 2018 in Chicago from June 25-27, 2018 at Epson’s booth, #1524.

[What’s New: New Tools for Schools]

The PowerLite Pilot 3 provides consolidated cable management and streamlined control of classroom A/V devices. With 3x HDMI® control buttons (including 1 MHL®), teachers can select the source from an array of connected classroom devices, as well as display two sources side-by-side onscreen at once using a projector’s Split Screen feature.

The PowerLite Pilot 3 also features:

· Consolidated Cable Management – Convenient wall placement helps avoid potential trip hazards

· Remote Volume Adjustment – Control projector audio easily from the front of the room via the volume dial and audio mute button

· Simple Installation – Quickly and easily attaches to the wall

· Added Design Features – Protective cable cover and pen/iPhone® holder comes included

The PowerLite Pilot 3 will be available in October 2018 for $199 through the Brighter Futures program.

Casio America, Inc. is showcasing its lineup of LampFree projectors at InfoComm 2018, the pro-AV industry’s largest event. The Company’s full portfolio of projectors including the Advanced, Core, Slim, 4K UHD and Ultra Short Throw series will be on display in Casio’s booth (#C3757) from June 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.

4K UHD Projectors

Casio will showcase its XJ-L8300HN 4K UHD projector. This projector comes equipped with a 4K DLP chip that projects images of approximately 8.3 million pixel and offers brightness of 5,000 lumens.

[Hitachi America, Ltd. Introduces OneVision Kids Program]

Advanced and Core Series

Additionally, Casio will also have its Core and Advanced Series projectors on display. Projectors in these series feature a 20,000-hour estimated operating life and can reach full brightness in as fast as five seconds from the time they are powered. They also feature a 1.5X zoom lens for optimal flexibility in projector placement.

Ultra Short Throw Series

Casio’s latest addition to its Ultra Short Throw series is the XJ-UT311WN which can project shadow-free images at close range with its built-in 0.28:1 fixed lens. It produces 3,100 lumens of brightness and offers WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution with a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, ideal for displaying HD content from video and computer sources.

SLIM Series

Weighing in at just five pounds, Casio’s SLIM projectors are only 1.7 inches thick, require little to no setup time, and provide projection at maximum brightness in as few as eight seconds.

Casio Green Technology

Casio now has seven LampFree projectors that meet all TCO Certified life cycle criteria for socially responsible manufacturing, energy efficiency, picture quality and lower environmental impact.

For additional information on Casio’s full portfolio of LampFree projectors, visit www.CasioLampFree.com.

ClearOne (NASDAQ: CLRO), provider of audio and visual communications solutions, today unveiled COLLABORATE® Space, a video collaboration app that connects hundreds of users joining from any device, anytime, and anywhere, and includes messaging, calling, and meeting functions.

[Class Tech Tips: How To Skype with an Expert in Your Classroom]

COLLABORATE Space provides persistent space to store all sorts of media such as messages, documents, whiteboards, recordings, meeting minutes, or anything else exchanged on a specific topic or project during a call or meeting at anytime, and is accessible from any device.

COLLABORATE Space allows users to create public or private channels organized by topic, where the owner can invite team members to join, or anyone can view a channel and join without invitation.

For more information, visit ClearOne at InfoComm 2018, Booth #N1628 in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

If you want to prepare for the future of educational technology, start by exploring the past. Look at the word “educate” and its Latin root educat; according to Merriam-Webster, the origin meant “led out.” If educate means to bring out rather than impose or give, how can audiovisual (AV) technologies help digitally savvy students make surprising connections or answer questions on their own? What are the AV trends that can help teachers draw insights from learners today and tomorrow?

There is no shortage of projectors, microphones, and lecture capture devices available to school districts, but there is a crop of new AV products designed with the mission to support more engaging and active learning environments. Here is a sample of case studies that illustrate how AV can turn K-12 spaces into student-driven hubs.

1 AV TECHNOLOGY FOR SOFT SKILLS AND DESIGN THINKING

“The Role of Education in Building Soft Skills,” a Wainhouse Research K-12 report from 2015, revealed that problem-solving and collaborative skills are the primary soft skills on which schools should be focusing in the next decade.

“Educators, parents, and students find that the benefits of a focus on collaboration are many, from encouraging active participation among learners to encouraging learners to take ownership of their education,” the Wainhouse Research analysts observed.

“Collaboration” and “creative problem-solving” are terms that are often overused and misunderstood, but deployed carefully they can complement rigorous K-12 pedagogies. According to the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE), collaborative technologies are “applications that facilitate teamwork and collaboration between students and experts around the globe; for example, knowledge-sharing tools, videoconferencing, digital project spaces/sites, chats, and collaborative schedulers.”

As AI and automation seep into more of our daily tasks, it is creativity, emotional intelligence, and empathy that will give students and professionals the edge. Creating a framework for critical problem solving earlier rather than later is beneficial.

One example of a project that has sparked new ways of thinking in students is the 2018 collaboration between Riverview High School in New Brunswick, Canada, and Pheasey Park Farm Primary School in Birmingham, UK. Both schools, separated by a vast ocean and thousands of miles, worked closely together, as if they were in the very same room, thanks to the Nureva Span visual collaboration solution and the HDL300 audio conferencing system. In six sessions over three months, 12th grade students at Riverview High School and 4th grade students at Pheasey Park Farm Primary School jointly explored a profound question: “What does it mean to be human?” They exchanged ideas, hopes, and fears about how artificial intelligence and other technological innovations will impact their lives. According to Nureva, “the older students were brought together with the younger students to explore their divergent views when discussing these complex topics.”

Each learning space for the unique project is equipped with a 20-foot 2-inch wide Nureva Wall system, cloud-based Span visual collaboration software, and an HDL300 audio conferencing system. Combined, this enables students to share and develop their ideas together, as if they were in the same classroom. What’s more, Nureva stated that design thinking is what drives the collaboration, “providing a framework where participants identify problems and develop, test and refine solutions.”

The emphasis on soft skills doesn’t demote the importance of curriculum fundamentals like reading, writing, and arithmetic. New AV technologies, such as the ClickShare wireless presentation systems from Barco and wePresent, huddle systems from Mersive, Crestron, and Harman, and interactive displays from the likes of InFocus, Nureva, Google, Cisco, and Avocor, put more power in the hands of learners. Instructional designers and teachers are playing ever important roles as they design syllabi and curricula enriched with technology that puts school district learning objectives first.

2 IMMERSIVE, INTERACTIVE VIDEO INSPIRES CREATIVE SYNTHESIS

Reading about Paleolithic cave art is one thing, but touring it in 360-degree video, with the ability to pan, tilt, and zoom in on a brushstroke is another. The latest iterations of 360 video, interactive whiteboards with high-touch functions, and laser projectors are giving K-12 teachers and technology directors more and brighter ways to inspire and empower students.

At the Castleberry Independent School District (ISD) in Fort Worth, Texas, multi-touch interactive displays are supporting rigorous and engaging pedagogy. Containing seven campuses with three elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, an alternative school, and a learning center, Castleberry ISD is an educational leader that is committed to supporting “lifelong learning” in a diverse, changing world, according to the school. Advanced technology is integral to the school’s mission as it enables collaboration and interactivity. The school district’s IT department regularly evaluates its technology to ensure that it is meeting the highest standards set forth in the district’s technology vision. Most recently, this included replacing older whiteboards and failing projectors in the ISD’s three elementary schools with new BenQ RP653 Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs). The results have been compelling.

Jacob Bowser, IT operations manager for Castleberry ISD, explained that the new BenQ system is easy to use for both teachers and students. “When training our teachers around new technology, they do an incredible job of incorporating it into their classrooms,” he said in a release. “It becomes an integral part of their lessons, so it’s essential everything is always up and running.” With the RP653 IFPs, guesswork is eliminated. Additionally, the system’s 20-point multi-touch interface allows multiple students to work side by side at the 65-inch screen. Learners can simultaneously touch the screen with virtually no delay in response.

Tracie Bryant-Cravens, vice president of sales, state/local government and education, AVI-SPL, agrees that interactivity and multi-touch features are key AV trends in K-12 projects. “Interactive teaching and presentation systems are hot, as are 4K UHD interactive displays and active learning/makerspaces. We are seeing a, decline in projection in favor of high-resolution interactive displays placed throughout the classroom rather than at the front of the room. Makerspaces and active learning spaces are trending, with a focus on high-touch collaboration, meaning small groups huddled together leveraging technology with the teacher facilitating, aligning technology with their curriculum.”

Another inspiring example of interactive display technology in K-12 is in Beaverton, Oregon. Recipient of “Future Ready” and “Positive Change” grants, Beaver Acres Elementary School teacher Heather Hoxie is using one-to-one (1:1) devices and an interactive touch display to individualize class instruction. Hoxie replaced her classroom’s whiteboard with the InFocus JTouch Interactive Display. The display is bright enough to use at any time, even with all the classroom lights on. Each of her student’s individual devices is equipped with InFocus Lightcast software so they can wirelessly share or cast content to the JTouch for higher-level collaboration with no lag time or VGA cables.

Interactive display solutions like the Microsoft Surface Hub and Google Jamboard are popular on the enterprise level; in K-12, affordability and scale are critically important. Interactive whiteboards that are easy to use, offer cloud access, and have more budget-friendly price points appeal to modern school districts that may want to standardize.

While some AV integrators like Bryant-Cravens see interactive flat-panels on trend in K-12, the projection market has never been stronger. Just look at the new Optoma ZH420UST laser projector. This protean 1080p device incorporates a laser light source, 4,000 ANSI lumens, 100,000:1 contrast, and 0.25:1 ultra short-throw ratio. Warping adjustment and automatic edge blending are built in. When combined with an Optoma Projected Capacitive Touch (PCT) screen, multiple participants can interact with the content.

COGITO CRITICALLY, ERGO SUM
5 tips to turn your students into critical thinkers (Nureva) www.nureva.com/blog/5-tips-to-turn-your-students-into-critical-thinkers

VR IN K-12
ClassVR Case Study: St Wilfrid’s C of E Academy (Blackburn, UK)
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=101&v=e2DQ-Ro1aRY

3 AGILE VIDEO MEETS LEARNERS ANYWHERE

From a school play to a band concert, video streaming is helping broader communities connect with and support more student activities. Family and friends who cannot attend in person can feel the pride of graduation or the excitement of a production of “The Music Man” with Facebook Live, YouTube, or Periscope via smartphones. At the heart of professional-grade streaming systems are recording, encoding, decoding, and multi-platform distribution solutions. While these systems used to be relatively costly, they are becoming more affordable, they offer more automated features, and they are coming in more compact chassis designs.

A smart video broadcast and streaming solution is literally making dreams come true at the Plum Borough School District in Pennsylvania. Plum Borough runs the biggest school fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, due in large part to its energetic, student-produced annual telethon. Plum Senior High School students produce the telethon under the direction of TV Production teacher Rick Berrott; the broadcast reaches the broader Pittsburgh region via community access channels and the school district’s YouTube channel.

Last year, however, the school’s standard-definition (SD) video production equipment was failing, so Berrott needed a new solution. Working together with Jeff Waller and his team at the Production Consulting Group of Wexford, Pennsylvania, they implemented a NewTek TriCaster 460 to produce the telethon as well as morning announcements that are broadcast live every school day. A TriCaster Mini was also purchased for school board meetings and sports events. With three to four students available to produce each broadcast, Berrott says the TriCaster is easier to operate than their SD system since it allows them to quickly adjust their JVC ProHD cameras using the position icon. “The TriCaster is so much more powerful and also hands-on,” he said. “It’s not just a studio in a box, it’s like having a production team in a box.”

4 EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR MEMORABLE K-12 EXPERIENCES

2018 is a banner year for artificial intelligence on the consumer level; some of the most notable offerings are Alexa, Echo, Invoke, and IBM Watson. Now there is Watson Assistant, a customizable voice assistant for potential to help classroom designers create systems that respond to individual commands or requirements for each room and/or instructor. They can also be automated and customized.

While AI is increasingly present in AV and classrooms, the broader adoption of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Internet of Things (IoT) in K-12 is not quite there yet, according to AVISPL’s Tracie Bryant-Cravens. “Most of AR and VR is leveraged today in higher education.” She believes that gamification is the “first step” for K-12 and Virtual Reality.

“Augmented Reality is moving more quickly, thanks to tools like Amazon Echo. You used to have information at your fingertips—with Google, for example. But now you have information at your ‘lips.’ I used to have to look up my vocabulary words in the dictionary;now my eight-year-old daughter asks Alexa how to spell and define her vocabulary words.”

In England, however, there are already exciting use cases of VR in K-12 environments. As NewBay editor Michael Garwood reported from the ed tech trade event BETT2018, “One of the most prominent and busiest stands at the show belonged to AVANTIS—a specialist in educational technology for over 20 years—who was showcasing the benefits of its ClassVR solution.” At St Wilfrid’s Academy in Blackburn, UK, the ClassVR portal is enabling teachers to see students’ VR headsets in real time, and deliver and shape VR experiences collaboratively with groups. Since studies show that 90 percent of people remember what they experience at far higher rates than what they hear, read, or see, experiences can help transform learning, from immersing a student in the trenches of World War I to marching in Selma for civil rights. The possibilities are endless.

These “a-ha moments” have the potential to unfold in students’ minds long after the school year ends. After all, aren’t the most surprising discoveries the ones we make about ourselves?

5 INTERACTIVE PROJECTORS ENHANCE ACCESS TO ALL TECH

The mission of Parkland School District in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is to ensure that students are empowered with success strategies for lifelong learning. That’s why Robert Uhl, telecommunication specialist, has worked to fit eight of eleven schools with smart classrooms including Hitachi’s CP-TW2505 interactive projectors.

Parkland School District is made up of eleven schools including eight elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school and Uhl oversees the classroom and other AV equipment for the entire district. On top of the eight schools with smart classroom technology, Uhl also helps with the technology in the TV studios for the student-produced morning show and the digital signage used throughout the schools.

“We’ve been involved with Hitachi for well over a decade,” says Uhl. “Before the CPTW2505s, we had other Hitachi projectors tied into the Hitachi’s Starboard technology that we installed about ten years prior. The new projectors give us many more options with how it interacts with other technology. We often use Video Over IP in some classrooms for the morning shows, and also use the projector to watch cable networking throughout the day. We still use standard TVs in most classrooms, but all classrooms are smart.”

Uhl says that one of the best parts of the upgrade for teachers is that they get to utilize the entirety of their whiteboards again. “With the Starboard program we were using before, we had to mount it onto the whiteboard in the classroom, which took away a considerable amount of whiteboard space. Now, teachers are able to enjoy the benefits of an interactive projector while also utilizing their entire whiteboard space.”

Right now, Parkland School District has well over 200 Hitachi projectors including approximately 180 interactive and 30 standard projectors. This summer, Uhl is looking to complete the upgrade in the last three schools in the district.

Margot Douaihy is the editor-at-large of AV Technology. She teaches and advises students at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire.

EXTEND THAT SIGNAL

Are you a K-12 technologist needing to extend USB and HDMI in an economical way? Check out the Hall Research EX-HDU extender comprised of a single-gang Wall Plate Sender and compatible Receiver. The product uses only a single Cat5/6 cable to 200ft long. HDMI audio is extracted and is provided both as analog stereo and multi-channel digital. The Receiver can also be used to control other equipment by providing programmable contact closure I/O, RS-232 and IR outputs. Receivers with LAN connectivity are also available providing integrated user configurable WebGUI and IP control.

INFO

AVI-SPL
avispl.com

BenQ
benq.com

Hall Research
hallresearch.com

Hitachi America
www.hitachi-america.us

InFocus
Infocus.com

Installation VR K-12 Focus
installation-international.com

ISTE Standards for Students
iste.org/standards/for-students

NewTek
newtek.com nureva.com

Nureva
nureva.com

Optoma
optomausa.com

Wainhouse Research
cp.wainhouse.com

Calling the auditorium at Groves High School, located in Beverly Hills, MI, a “multiuse” venue is a bit of an understatement. The school’s thriving theater program, various types of music ensembles, and diversity of film and other events are just one part of its calendar. The 909-seat auditorium also sees use by elementary and middle schools in the area and is rented by local community groups as well as a church.

“We are booked most days out of the year,” said Stephen Carpenter, auditorium manager at Groves High School. “We certainly put our AV system through its paces.”

[Tech & Learning has announced the winners of the TCEA Best of Show Awards]

Until recently, that system was not just heavily used, but outdated. Physical features, like the chairs and curtains, had seen an overhaul in 2000, and, over the years, there have been some small adjustments to the audio and video systems. “For many of those renting the space, it was inadequate for their expectations of a modern performance venue,” Carpenter said, explaining one of the reasons Groves brought in Richard Boner of BAI in Austin, TX as the advising consultant and Advanced Lighting & Sound (ALS) to work on a project that brought the auditorium to a place far ahead of most high schools.

“The system for Groves HS consists of two separate systems working together or separate, as they were designed,” said Bob Sullivan of ALS, who was the project manager for the installation. “The primary AV system was designed to provide reinforcement for theatrical presentations as well as support for a variety of concerts and events that require live sound reinforcement. The project was a retrofit to an existing space that had been updated about 20 years ago.”

To best address the various needs of the auditorium, ALS installed a Yamaha AFC-3 (Active Field Control) system, an acoustic conditioning system designed to adjust and enhance the architectural acoustic characteristics of facilities that host a wide range of applications. Installing the AFC system, however, was no easy option, Sullivan said. The sheer number of speaker runs required to accommodate the system provided quite a challenge.

“Over the house, the ceiling, there is open construction with acoustical panels,” he said. “The design allowed for AFC speaker placement in the open spaces available between panels. The room has tiered seating in the back, and getting access to the ceiling for wiring and speaker installation was accomplished through lifts and scaffolding. Installation over the stage was more challenging because everything had to be coordinated with the stage rigging and lighting.”

Because of the dense rigging placement on stage, discrete mounting pipes weren’t an option. Ultimately, the AFC system had to be installed on moving line sets that accommodate the theatrical teaser curtains. “We had to install the wiring in a way that would allow for service and minimize the chance of damage to cabling if line sets were moved beyond the cabling limits,” Sullivan said. “On stage, Yamaha IF2205 speakers were used due to their size and the ability to conceal them behind the stage teaser curtains.”

As part of the project, the sound booth was relocated further back in the house, and, again, wiring was a big challenge, since existing conduit paths were limited. “Even some of the existing underground paths had to be abandoned because of broken paths or corroded pipes,” Sullivan said. “In laying out the system wiring, we decided early on we would leverage the Dante network that was going to be installed to accommodate the Yamaha systems. By minimizing cable requirements to simple Cat for Dante audio, we were able to accommodate the expanded audio needs via the digital domain.”

The first AFC stage system is an artificial band shell for performers, while the second, house system enhances the performance for the audience. The AFC system includes dual FIR (finite impulse response) Cards, a 68-channel REV system for the house with 64 Yamaha VXS8 speakers, four Yamaha IL1115 subwoofers, an eight-channel Early Reflection system using eight Yamaha IF2108 speakers, and a 24-channel stage system. All systems use Ri8-D mic pres and XMV8280-D amplifiers in conjunction with AFC3 processors equipped with Dante cards to communicate with the Ri8-D and XMV amplifiers. A Yamaha CL digital audio console and Rio stage boxes are also part of the new Dante network. A 12,000-lumen Panasonic PT-RZ12KU laser projector was added to meet Groves’ video needs, as well.

The first event held in the upgraded auditorium was a true test of the system, explained auditorium manager Carpenter. “Our ‘collage concert’ in an amalgamation of all of the different music and performance groups—so we had concert choir, show choir, orchestra, marching band, concert band—it was a full evening of different types of music in the space,” he said.

“With the new system, we were able to adjust the music on the fly so it would be tuned specifically for each group, so it sounded optimal for each of them,” he continued. “And the Yamaha system, it picks up the sound and distributes it so that you get the same feel, whether you’re on stage or in the audience. That probably is the single best thing that’s come out of this upgrade.”

“The AFC solution is more than a multi-speaker reverb system,” Sullivan concluded, noting that everyone on his team was amazed at the performance of the system. “It is truly a unique solution to room acoustics and performance limitations associated with stages that lack a band shell.”

cross posted at www.avnetwork.com

Mary Bakija is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn, NY.