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Educators agree that a front-of-classroom interactive display is an essential part of the 21st-century classroom. But there are several types to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. A clear winner is emerging in interactive flat panel displays like ViewBoard, and you’ll want to find out why. However, other display types are still common enough to take a closer look at how they can benefit your classroom. Continue reading for more on the different front-of-classroom interactive display options.
The use of interactive display and collaborative technology in the classroom has become a baseline requirement for increasing student’s participation and education success in the 21st century. While many technologies play a part – Chromebooks, iPads, huddle stations and more – the front-of-room interactive display remains a critical component. Interactive displays deliver the ability to present digital content to an entire room and manipulate that content directly on the surface of the screen. This represents a transformative shift in the way students and teachers interacted with information as well as with one another. Today, the IWB (Interactive Whiteboard) is joined by several interactive display technologies that offer the ability to empower teachers, engage students and promote collaboration.
Hands-on learning works, and designing classrooms and curriculums for active learning has become a major push across K-12 and higher education environments. Project-based teaching, collaboration, and interactive technology all contribute to the proven benefits of hands-on, do-it-yourself learning.
Today’s employers expect employees to work in teams and collaborate effectively. The traditional one-to-many lecture format fails to foster these skills, and education is quickly moving to adopt constructivist approaches, with students working together to make connections and develop knowledge. This shift is backed by significant research and educator experience alike, which confirm that the traditionally designed (i.e. lecture format) classroom. The transference model represented in current classrooms lacks what is needed to prepare engaged 21st-century citizens.
Instructors and administrators are working to apply this knowledge to new classroom design practices, leveraging flexible furnishings and collaborative technology to create spaces that promote active engagement and meaningful learning. In one recent national survey of pre-K-12 teachers, 94% said that classroom and instructional technologies are extremely important or very important. Among these technologies, the front-of-room interactive display plays a critical role. Not simply the high-tech counterpart to the static black- or whiteboard, interactive displays deliver a host of advanced benefits. Teachers report that increased student attentiveness and engagement is the number one benefit to teaching with interactive front-of-room technology. A majority of educators – around 77% in one survey – believe that an interactive display in the classroom is very important or an absolute must.
One landmark study of 85 teachers across 170 classrooms found a student achievement gain of 16 percentile points when IWBs were used. This jumped to 26 points when well-conceived graphs, charts, videos, and other visuals were used to reinforce information; and when “interactive reinforcers” and audience response polling were added, achievement rose a whopping 31 percent.
Well suited for any type of classroom, lecture hall or distance-learning environment, the possible uses for interactive displays are virtually endless.
Not long ago, the IWB reigned as the classroom standard. Today, large format interactive flat panel (IFPs) displays and interactive projection (IPJ) technology offer alternative means of bringing an interactive display to the classroom. Each delivers interactive functionality via substantially different methods.
Projector-based Interactive WhiteboardsIntroduced in 1991, the original interactive whiteboard system is still widely used, although many systems are reaching their end-of-lifecycle. This system consists of a large display board connected to a computer and projector. The computer’s desktop is transmitted via the projector onto the board’s surface, where users can control the computer with a pen, finger, or other devices. In this system, the interactive capabilities are embedded in the display board itself but the content must be transmitted to the board via the projector.
Interactive Flat Panel DisplaysUntil relatively recently, projector-based systems were the only available IWB technology, with some variation in implementation among suppliers. Large-format touchscreen LED displays, introduced in 2012, offered a new alternative with expanded benefits, reduced maintenance requirements and better overall total cost of ownership (TCO). With this option, the only component needed for full functionality is the LED display itself, although special pens may also be used.
Interactive ProjectorEmbedded with interactive technology previously only found in IWBs, interactive projectors transform virtually any flat surface into a collaborative canvas. Users can write, draw, and annotate directly onto the projected image, typically using an interactive pen or “wand” to manipulate content. More recently, systems have become available that enable finger-touch capabilities. This method of interactive display requires only the projector and special implement, using any available dry erase board, pull-down screen, blank wall or other flat display surfaces.
Interactive SoftwareAll interactive display technologies rely on embedded interactive software to deliver annotation (or “inking”) capabilities and other collaborative features. IWB makers such as SMART, Promethean, and Mimio have historically required annual licensing fees and restricted software use to their specific product. As the interactive display market evolved to include new technologies, many IWB manufacturers began to periodically tweak their licensing and usage requirements, however, most continue to include licensing and usage restrictions. Competing technologies, on the other hand, are often free from such fees and restrictions. As such, in today’s market, the specific capabilities offered by proprietary software have become an important differentiator among technologies and manufacturers. ViewSonic offers its own digital whiteboard base using cloud technology: myViewBoard.
Administrators and IT teams no longer question whether interactive display boards have a place in their schools’ classrooms, but how best to implement them. Each of the available technologies presents relative advantages and limitations. The key to choosing the best fit for a given installation is to carefully evaluate the particular circumstances, including a budget, content to be displayed, room size, audience, ambient light, and other environmental factors.
One of the primary advantages of the IWB is its familiarity. Many instructors have used an IWB in the past, are currently using one, know others who have used them or were exposed to them during their own teaching education. This familiarity can help shrink the learning curve and increase instructor comfort with the technology. However, as the frontrunner in the interactive display market, newer technologies have been developed to address IWB weaknesses and offer added benefits.
Once the go-to interactive education technology, many schools are now faced with the need to replace IWBs that are nearing the end of their lifecycle. Not only do newer options deliver added advantages, but outdated IWBs are also often a significant cost burden, requiring ongoing and added maintenance, replacement parts and technician time. Loss of teaching time due to maintenance and recalibration is another significant negative impact.
Since their introduction in 2012, large-format touchscreen LED displays (also known as interactive flat panels) have become a popular option for enabling front-of-room interactive classroom display. An all-in-one solution, this technology (marketed by ViewSonic as ViewBoard) offers numerous advantages over the traditional, projector-based interactive whiteboard as well as interactive projectors.
With no projector to maintain, IFPs reduce both costs and staff time related to calibration, replacing bulbs, and cleaning filters. Class downtime is also minimized, with no unexpected bulb burn-outs or downtime waiting for bulbs to be replaced. IFPs often consume less energy and are significantly easier to install and service, with virtually no maintenance required. Finally, IFPs can be trolley mounted, enabling efficient resource sharing and making them a cost-conscious solution. IWBs and interactive projectors, on the other hand, are usually a static, ceiling-mounted resource. Freedom from licensing fees is another important contribution to the TCO equation, with most IFP functionality delivered with no licensing fees of any kind.
Interactive flat panel displays bring both added image clarity and greater enthusiasm to the classroom. Excitement and interest are generated by the appeal of the huge, iPad-like device, which functions as easily as a familiar tablet. Visibility, image quality, and brightness surpass that of most IWBs and projectors and the fan-free operation is quieter and less intrusive. As a projector-free solution, IFPs also eliminate the shadows cast when someone approaches a projector-based board and spares those at the front of the room from blinding projector lights. While short- and ultra-short throw projectors have come a long way in reducing shadows and glare, for some classroom environments, these distractions can present a significant challenge and an IFP can be the ideal interactive solution.
Compatible with any laptop or tablet, IFPs are simple to set up – in most cases instructors just connect the board and they’re ready to go. And while many IFPs include special styluses, most do not require them, working as easily and intuitively with a fingertip as an iPad or Smartphone.
Along with these benefits, IFPs can be expected to reliably function at least 2-3 times longer than a typical IWB or projector. The LED backlight in ViewSonic ViewBoards, for example, is rated to last for over 30,000 hours of average classroom use, which equates to more than a decade of active use. The lifespan of an IWB depends on the useful life of its two components, the projector, and the board. Instructors and education IT administrators typically report beginning to experience problems with IWBs around the 3-year mark and many plans account for a 3-5 year useful life. Some occasionally report up to 7 or 8 years of useful life from their IWBs. There is, however, a general agreement that after about 3 years the cost of new bulbs outweighs the cost of replacing a projector.
One important factor in the long life of LED displays is that they have no moving parts. By contrast, projectors rely on cooling by fans, which are particularly likely to fail after extended use, and whose lifespan is even shorter in dusty environments such as many classrooms. Here’s how one education IT company’s team of engineers classifies typical IWB useful life at varying ages (along with estimated cumulative replacement requirements at that time).
We can all agree that Interactive Displays are here to stay. The technology is evolving and the investment is big. Choosing the right IWB will be a very important aspect of a school’s EdTech investment cycle. Electronic whiteboards offer many benefits to both teachers and students in creating more interactive learning environments. Learn more about how to create an interactive learning environment at ViewSonic Education Solutions.
Digital transformation is affecting every industry and sector. It affects how and where people work and opens up new avenues of communication and collaboration within organizations. And visual solutions are driving a large part of this transformation to a more connected, immersive digital experience.
Read more about the digital transformation below.
“Digital transformation” is a term that encompasses an array of changes occurring rapidly across organizations of all types. A definition of the trend from i-SCOOP states that it is:
“…the profound transformation of business and organizational activities, processes, competencies, and models to fully leverage the changes and opportunities of a mix of digital technologies and their accelerating impact across society in a strategic and prioritized way, with present and future shifts in mind.”
That’s quite a mouthful. But it indicates the deep extent of change that is underway, a change that organizations must make in order to remain competitive, profitable, productive, and attractive to potential employees. In fact, many Millenials simply expect an employer to provide the latest in technology resources. And they, in turn, can be the strongest advocates of digital transformation within their organizations.
In today’s highly competitive and rapidly changing business landscape, sitting still is simply not an option. ViewSonic® visual solutions are at the forefront of enabling this shift.
According to the Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, 49% of companies surveyed in 2017 said they were being impacted by digital disruption, compared to only 15% just two years earlier. IO cites data from IDC showing that “40% of all technology spending will go toward digital transformations, with enterprises spending in excess of $2 trillion by 2019.”
The goals for harnessing digital transformation, along with the technology to support it, can and should permeate the entire organization. Results can include innovation and competitive advantage, an improved customer experience, boosted operational efficiencies, reduced costs, and ultimately additional value and revenue.
Digital transformation is a response to several factors such as changing demographics in the overall population, the development of new technologies, shifting patterns in customer behaviors, and new approaches to communication and sharing information.
It often requires breaking down a siloed structure as well as the walls between the organization and its customers. It also leads to a rethinking of data and information resources and how to push intelligence throughout the organization.
Culture change requires a comprehensive, people-centric approach to strategic direction, leadership, communication, training, and support. Everyone involved needs to experience the excitement of opening their minds and expanding their horizons while embracing collaboration and the multidirectional flow of ideas.
Research from IDC indicates that almost half of the organizations around the world “are making strategic, organizational, technological, and financial decisions that will set them up to digitally transform their organization in the next several years.” Yet the firm’s study on the future of work showed only a third having strategy, technology resources and long-term spending in place to transform their work environment accordingly.
IDC has described the future of work as a three-pronged, integrated approach built on the culture, the workspace, and the workforce. However, about half of organizations are focused primarily on culture with less than a third emphasizing the workspace.
Three essential aspects of workspace transformation are collaboration, communication, and productivity.
As digital transformation takes hold, workspace design and technology innovation are evolving along with it. This trend is evident in the adoption of open space office plans, high-tech conference rooms, and a move toward smaller meeting rooms and huddle spaces. Other practices include color-coded work areas as well as colorful signage and wayfinding solutions.
These resources are being deployed to facilitate fast information exchange, linkage of geographically dispersed teams, stronger engagement with customers, empowerment of telecommuting employees, innovation across the enterprise, and agility in the face of change.
Visual solutions to enable the accomplishment of these goals include touchscreens, interactive whiteboard displays, ergonomic desktop monitors, eco-friendly laser projectors and large format commercial displays. Together, these technology solutions create an integrated approach to enhancing the three critical facets of workspace transformation.
As one key example, traditional meeting and conference rooms were outfitted with basic equipment for telephone, projection and flat panel display. Today, they are fully dressed with collaboration hubs, video communications, pan/tilt/zoom cameras, room booking systems, wireless presentation solutions, interactive display, mini-PCs, and content/asset management systems.
Perhaps even more importantly, there are meetings and conversations happening everywhere, from huddle spaces to ad hoc areas like foyers, lounges and company cafes. Each of these spaces requires its own technology matched to its environment and purpose.
It’s an exciting new world at the center of which are advanced, interactive, touchscreen, flat-panel displays like the ViewSonic® ViewBoard®. In addition to delivering very high levels of functionality, these systems must be intuitive and easy to use for anyone in the organization as well as platform-agnostic in terms of integration with a wide range of third-party platforms and applications.
Key functions include:
These innovative features are integrated with myViewBoard™ software for a total solution that is powerful and user-friendly.
Along with these feature-rich displays, other digital transformation solutions include ViewSonic® high-performance desktop solutions that are ergonomically designed and adaptable to multiple configurations and applications, versatile large format commercial displays for communication and wayfinding, and interactive, high-brightness projectors.
Professor Michael R. Wade, who holds the Cisco Chair in Digital Business Transformation at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), has identified three core competencies for developing “digital business agility”:
Creating an interconnected, technology-rich ecosystem and culture can feed these core competencies throughout the organization from new product development based on customer input and data-driven marketing to value-based sales, customer service and to carefully selected strategic partnerships.
Visual solutions play a fundamental role in helping any organization achieve these goals.
Digital transformation is all around us. It is happening right now. To be successful and competitive, organizations must make cultural changes and embed that culture throughout their people, processes, and resources. That process begins with a clear business strategy including prioritized goals; asking the right questions to set benchmarks and KPIs; developing the right organizational structure to support the business strategy; adopting the right technologies to improve collaboration, communication, and productivity; creating motivation and buy-in at all levels of the organization; and adapting to change on an ongoing basis.
Download a PDF copy of this white paper here.
An EdTech strategy helps everyone. It brings schools and EdTech providers together to better solve the education industries problems. The UK government is implementing its own EdTech strategy, and many schools are following their example. Below are some of the considerations that should go into your EdTech strategy (along with a digital DNA audit for your school). Find out more about your school’s digital capabilities and how to get the most out of EdTech below.
After a long wait, the UK’s Department for Education (DfE) announced its EdTech strategy in early April.
The strategy laid out the UK government’s expectations of a closer relationship between schools and the EdTech companies that supply them. According to the DfE’s statement, the new strategy “will go further by ensuring businesses are better equipped to develop products which meet the needs of educators, enabling them to build a robust evidence base to demonstrate the impact of their products; and driving demand for both innovative and proven products.”
This is a positive step. Collaboration underpins the most successful technology companies. The lessons that ViewSonic learns from supplying technology to the corporate sector, and to education sectors across the world, are applied to what we do in the UK. These lessons would be much harder to learn, and to teach were it not for a steady flow of information between us and our schools and businesses.
We can and do learn from our schools (it seems we are never too old for that) but the two-way flow of information can also help schools realise the potential of technology. Perhaps most importantly, collaboration supports intelligent development, helping to ensure that products meet the needs of teachers and students alike.
In addition to calling for more collaboration, the DfE laid out several challenges that it hopes to meet. It comes as no surprise to see workload singled out as a priority.
It’s been clear that this is high of the DfE’s agenda for some time, although perhaps not as long as many unions would have preferred. Education Secretary MP Damian Hinds called for tech to be seen as an enabler and an enhancer, rather than something that adds to a teacher’s load. The onus for this is, rightly, placed on EdTech providers.
Ease of use is a priority if we want EdTech to hit its mark. Technology gets truly exciting when the complexity under the lid is just that; under the lid, hidden from view. The complex side of EdTech should be the domain of the developers, for teachers it should just work, and it should allow them to work. Free up the teachers’ time to teach, and both the learner and the teacher benefit.
Of course, EdTech is just one factor in teachers achieving better a better work-life balance.
Another area that received attention is special educational needs. Technology can have a significant impact on all children. However, for those whose difficulties make mainstream education harder to access, its effects can be profound. Interactive and assistive technology can help to ensure that education is accessible to all learners. As the DfE stated, “Technology has the power to bring children with certain special education needs new independence in learning and communicating.”
For more on the benefits of EdTech as assistive technology, see our blog posts here and here.
Other barriers noted by the DfE include safety and data security – topics that have been front and centre even before changes to GDPR. The introduction of new regulations upped the fear factor, but we need a sensible approach to data. Analysis of data is one of the ways in which technology can offer huge benefits, but the concerns over privacy and data protection can hinder this. That’s not to say privacy isn’t important, it is crucial, but we need to get past the fear factor and fully exploit technology. Data and the high performing classroom should not be mutually exclusive.
There was recognition of the disparate infrastructure and digital capabilities of schools, which is a critical barrier for many institutions. We call this Digital DNA, it is as the ability of an educational institution to absorb and use digital information, tools, and technologies to the betterment of its educators and students. Therefore it’s important to create a strong synergy between the organizational, human, and technological factors in an educational institution.
Finding out about your Digital DNA can help a school to ensure that EdTech investments hit its mark. Knowledge is power here; without a clear understanding of what a school is equipped for, investments will carry high risk. There are several ways to determine your Digital DNA, and this knowledge should be used to inform your EdTech procurement to ensure your investments will have the desired impact. Download our free whitepaper to learn more about EdTech in the UK and Digital DNA.
We suggest a simple Digital DNA Audit:
Steps 1: Conduct an internal digital DNA analysis
Step 2: Review current and future trends in EdTech
Step 3: Define current needs and future needs
Step 4: Design a digital DNA strategy and get support from stakeholders
Step 5: Defining your implementation plan
Step 6: Create a plan for action by selecting solutions providers
Take our 5-minutes Digital DNA quiz today free to get started.
Ultimately, time will tell whether this strategy will help schools realise the benefits and potential of technology. We have long been committed to collaborating with schools and we hope this practice becomes more widespread. There is strength in numbers and if we can bring teachers, schools, students, and technology innovators together, then the future should certainly be brighter.
Educational digital DNA is an overview of how well a school or institution makes use of data, tools, and technology to improve itself. But once you understand your own digital DNA with the help of our step-by-step guide,l you’ll be able to overcome the challenges of keeping up with an ever-accelerating digital world.Keep reading to learn about your educational digital DNA and how to overcome the challenges of a digital education environment.
Is your school ready for the EdTech revolution? Edtech promises to bring learning from chalkboards to slick computer screens and more. Many transformative technologies are concentrating on education innovation such as virtual reality, online classrooms, E-books, and interactive display technologies. In the US alone $1.45 billion was raised in 2018 by EdTech startups, which will continue to inject more innovative technologies into schools. Fast-forward to today, when in early 2021 Congress passed a bill to inject $126 billion into the education sector, and it’s easy to see that this is not something that is going away. How will your school adapt? How ready is your school? Will your school be blindsided? Understanding your school’s current technology and future needs is vital. Today we will introduce you to understanding your school’s digital DNA, its components, and its impact on your school’s future.
Let us start with defining Digital DNA. It is the ability of an organization to absorb and use digital information, tools, and technologies for the betterment of its members and progress. Therefore, it creates a strong synergy between the organizational, human, and technological factors in an organization.
Understanding an organization’s digital DNA is key to understanding where you are now and creating a plan for the future. It is even more vital for educational institutes to understand their digital DNA as education is a major driving force in bringing up pupils who are ready for major technology disruption at their future jobs. McKinsey & Company estimates automation technologies alone will affect 1.2 billion employees in the near future. Schools need to be ready to accept and adapt to technological trends.
Digital DNA applies to educational institutions in similar ways as to any other organization. Educational Digital DNA is defined as the ability of an educational institution to absorb and use digital information, tools, and technologies for the betterment of its educators and students for a strong synergy between the organizational, human, and technological in an educational institution.
Many factors in education need to be understood for a school to comprehend its digital DNA profile. Each digital DNA component is created by the linkage of many other factors interconnected to create a whole sequence. There are three main components: administration technologies, classroom technologies, and individual teacher/student technologies. These are further broken down into smaller components including:
● Student devices● Teacher devices● Classroom software● Classroom hardware● Course management programs● Campus internet connection● Campus security (cyber and location) ● Online/digital learning platforms● Assessment solutions● Digital course content● Administration technology
To understand your school’s current educational digital DNA you need to assess where each component currently stands and how they work together to build your educational digital DNA. Only afterward can you start to think about your strategy for future changes.
To be ready to create change at your school you must first create a clear understanding of your school’s current educational digital DNA. This starts with an internal assessment of your school’s digital DNA building blocks. Once this analysis is completed you can start to take steps to edit and transform your digital DNA makeup.
Our suggested Educational Digital DNA Editing Sequence:
Step 1: Conduct an internal educational digital DNA building block analysis. Step 2: Review current and future trends in EdTech and their likely impact on the school.Step 3: Define current weak points, missing components, and other needed changes.Step 4: Come up with a total educational digital DNA strategy and get support from all stakeholders including administration, teachers, students, parents, and outside partners. Step 5: Start defining the implementation plan of your educational digital DNA changes. This can include the additional needed for human resources, budgets, expected results, and timelines. Step 6: Create a plan of action by selecting solutions providers and partnerships
It is not a small feat to implementing change in how a school is managed, how teachers educate, and how students learn. There will be many setbacks and arguments.
Some challenges schools face will come from:
Before starting any major EdTech projects your school should start by clearly understanding your current educational digital DNA. ViewSonic offers a free 5-minute online quiz to start you on your journey. Start today!
Learn more about Digital DNA by downloading our Whitepaper.
ViewSonic takes its role as a green company very seriously. Between less wasteful packaging, energy-saving features, and reduced use of harmful chemicals, our company works hard to reduce its impact on the environment.
Learn more about ViewSonic’s green company commitment below. To visit ViewSonic’s global website, click here.
What is a green company? It’s one that cares about the environment and understands the meaning of stewardship. Green companies find ways to improve the lives of their customers, employees, and communities by instilling eco-friendly practices into everything they do. They’re driven by an ethic of responsible planning and efficient management of resources.
Being green is part of the ViewSonic core mission. When it comes to how we conduct our business and develop our products, we take the long view. We ask: How will what we do today impact our world tomorrow? How can we design our products and optimize our business processes to protect and sustain our Earth?
We’re proud to be an industry leader in promoting eco-friendly business practices. Striving to protect and sustain our environment is a given at every stage of our product lifecycles, from development and production to customer use and disposal.
Our green vision goes beyond delivering environmentally sustainable products. Helping customers sustain their businesses, classrooms, lifestyle, productivity, and passions is at the core of our mission as a green company.
We ask: How can we design products to help businesses, schools, and individual users save time, reduce costs, and safeguard health and comfort with minimal environmental impact?
The newest ViewSonic® business monitors exemplify how our green company vision informs product development. We’re proud to call the largest auto manufacturers on the planet our customers, and working with them has improved our impact on the environment.
Partnering with these manufacturers, we learned the importance of 100% recyclable packaging. Customers need to be able to quickly dispose of any packaging, without harming the environment. Designing foam-free packaging was a challenge, and it costs us more, but the environment is worth it!
A complete, ground-up redesign for two of our flagship monitors was carefully engineered to support the needs of large enterprises. Our VG48 and VG55 packaging are now 100% recyclable, so our customers can rest assured knowing they’ve reduced their impact on the environment. We’re expanding our foam-free packaging to even more product lines.
Our packaging is carefully designed to reduce material waste in other ways as well. Cartons are slim and stackable to reduce shipping and storage requirements. They can also be packed two-to-a-box (without stands) to further reduce packaging requirements.
We also use biodegradable, paper-based materials to reduce landfill waste instead of bulky foam fill or plastic bubble-packs. In addition, we print the cartons with single-ink hues to reduce the use of chemicals. We encourage the eco-friendly disposal of these completely recyclable materials.
Lastly, we developed these monitors to meet stringent eco-certifications. They’re EPEAT certified to ensure reduced environmental impact over the complete product lifecycle. And they are ENERGY STAR certified to deliver reduced energy consumption, enabling users to save on energy costs while reducing greenhouse gases.
Traditional projection bulbs contain mercury, a toxic heavy metal that the World Health Organization considers a major public health concern. Choosing lamp-free technology results in less toxic chemicals in landfills.
Our LED projectors can last up to 30 times longer than their lamp-based ancestors, with a life of up to 30,000 hours*, to significantly reduce disposal and landfill waste. Our laser projectors offer long-lasting, fade-free brightness and virtually zero maintenance needs. These projectors sustain the environment with lower energy consumption, less heat output, and a mercury-free design.
Other eco-friendly practices include using the same tooling to make the bottom cover for nearly all of our projectors to reduce material waste as well as packaging same-sized models in identical cartons with brown-box packaging printed with single-color ink.
Along with the benefits of higher brightness and longer life, all ViewSonic projectors are RoHS compliant. This eco-directive specifies maximum levels for 10 substances known to be hazardous to the environment and to pose occupational exposure.
Our projectors are also designed to meet the stringent European Energy-related Products (ErP) Directive for standby power consumption by incorporating low-power-use modes and adjustable automatic shut-off features.
Our ViewSonic large-format and interactive displays are designed to sustain big ideas and across-the-globe collaboration. We continually improve our technologies to lessen the environmental impact of these big-screen solutions.
Reducing power requirements is key, and our efforts to improve backlight efficiency and power unit performance are nonstop. First of all, our interactive displays use 40% less energy than plasma displays. In addition, we recently reduced the average power consumption of our 40” – 49” digital displays by nearly a third, while increasing the number of ENERGY STAR certified models by close to that amount.*
We’re also proud to do our part to reduce waste. Not only are all ViewSonic large-format displays RoHS compliant for restriction of hazardous materials, but they also meet WEEE international regulations for waste collection, recycling, and recovery.
Moreover, we are looking at how we can help shape the next generation. As our interactive displays are being installed in classrooms across the planet, one of the greatest things they’re capable of is teaching our youth about the importance of the environment.
We formalized our green company vision by implementing an ISO14001 environmental management system. And we continue to show this commitment in everything we do, from managing our local operations to meeting international standards.
Each year, we define our social and environmental policies and track our progress. The results are published in our Corporate Social Responsibility report. We also set expectations for our suppliers by requiring, among other things, that they follow fair labor practices.
Celebrate Earth Day every day with these eco-aware Ted Talks and stay-in-your-seat trips around the world. For more engaging, interactive learning that’s all about sustaining our world here’s Common Sense Media’s list of Excellent Ecology and Environmental Science Apps, Games, and Websites. Or check out these ecology-focused interactive learning games from the Science Game Center.
Great things happen when we work together. Help sustain our collective green aspirations by taking care to appropriately dispose of your electronics. For our part, we’ll help make it easier with a free recycling return label. Want to take care of things locally? Here’s a list of recycling resources by state.
Read More about how green packaging can reduce your environmental footprint, or visit ViewSonic’s global website to take a look at our range of eco-friendly products, here.
*Light source, product lifespan, energy, and power consumption may vary based on actual usage and other factors. Specifications and availability are subject to change without notice. Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright® ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.
If you’re considering a smart projector for your home theater, you’re not alone. They feature a number of functions even the best smart TV can’t replicate like portability and versatility. They also contribute to the viewing experience with easy setup and immersive audio and visuals. We’ve even included a handy little buying guide for you.Read everything you need to know about adding a smart projector for your home theater.
Smart projectors for your home theater are here!
Do you find simple questions to be preferable? Yes or no? Good or bad? Black or white? it’s incredibly easy to break things down when confined to two possible categories. The same goes for technology, where products these days are categorized as ‘smart’ or ‘dumb’.
Smartphones and smart TVs may be the first products to come to mind, but they certainly will not be the last.
Recently, home theaters have undergone a ‘smart revolution’ of sorts, where the debate between TVs and projectors has escalated.
Enter smart projectors and lamp-free smart theaters. They’re on the cutting edge of consumer-level technology and have brought new meaning to the home theater landscape.
With that said, since most people prefer to be educated on a product prior to purchase, we are here to help. By learning about the benefits, both functional and emotional, associated with smart projectors, as well as about their relevant shopping tips, we hope that everyone will be able to make the most informed purchase possible.
Functionally, smart projectors greatly outmatch their technical competition, from other projector variants to televisions. That said, it requires more than a simple comparative victory to win the hearts and minds of consumers. Therefore, when it comes down to it, smart projectors’ actual specifications and features must be addressed. Herein, you’ll discover that that entails specifics regarding their lamp-free design, their so-called ‘smart’ features, and their contributions to the viewing experience.
When most think of projectors, the first thing to come to mind is often the overhead projectors used in their childhood classrooms. In that time, those projectors functioned by way of a massive lamp and mirrors. At the time, the cost of ownership of extravagant, thanks to necessary lamp replacement and other maintenance hassles. Today’s smart projectors are a far cry from the iterations of old. First and foremost, the total cost of ownership is much lower, and they can be found in a variety of settings, including lamp-free smart theaters.
Therein, the important point to note is that modern smart projectors have done away with the old means of projection and are now lamp-free. This is achieved via what is known as solid-state illumination, which includes LED and Laser light sources to yield projected images. As a result of this lamp-free setup, smart projectors are granted longer lifespans and greater color reproduction abilities, to say nothing of the environmental impact that comes with being mercury-free.
Although one technically makes a product ‘smart’ simply by naming it so, that’s not usually the case. Instead, smart products usually go hand-in-hand with smart features. These often include Bluetooth and streaming capabilities. Smart projectors are, by design, no exception.
Smart projectors, and by extension lamp-free smart theaters, have it all. Entertainment application hubs. Their smart features often include Bluetooth speaker connectivity, streaming services, and enabled voice control thanks to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. As a result of these smart features, your home theater will never be the same.
No matter how a smart projector is designed or how many neat features it has, it is all for naught if the viewing experience comes up short. Fortunately, that is not an issue in the case of smart projectors in home theaters. Given the nature of projectors, first of all, they can project on any surface, both large and small. Moreover, with smart projectors on the rise, they are increasingly integrated with visual features that were previously limited to televisions and science fiction.
From 4K UHD to 3D and HDR, the big screen viewing experience when using a smart projector is unmatched. Furthermore, between the frame interpolation and the wide color gamut 125% Rec.709, not only will the visuals be more seamless than ever, their colors will be unforgettable. That said, unless you have a television that is over 75 inches, 4K UHD is not entirely practical, since its number of pixels will not be positively distinguishable.
When purchasing a brand-new product, technical specifications will only get certain consumers so far. For many, the deciding factor will be the feelings and emotions that come from ownership. As a result, many look at the emotional benefits that come with a product. When it comes to smart projectors, those aiming to set up lamp-free smart theaters will look at how they compare to other televisions and projectors, with a focus placed on how they stack up in terms of their audiovisual, spacial, and usage factors.
No matter how great television is, its audiovisual experience will always be constrained by the factors inherent to its existence. At the end of the day, television will always be a physical object that cannot change its size, nor can it be freely moved.
Smart projectors, on the other hand, suffer none of these limitations. Given their portable nature, the resultant audiovisual experience can be much more immersive. This is most evident in a smart projector’s ability to be used in a variety of contexts, from outdoor gatherings to lamp-free smart theaters, lecture halls, and beyond.
Moreover, given that projectors, obviously, project, the size of their output is dependent on where they are placed in the viewing area. The farther away they are to the projection site, for instance, the larger the resulting projection will be. With that customizability in mind, no audiovisual experience is more immersive than one that can be tailored to one’s surroundings.
As much as we, as a consuming populace, feel the need to own ‘stuff’, there’s definitely something to be said regarding a minimalist mindset. This can be especially true in one’s home, where some may find clutter to be anxiety-inducing. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the living room.
Couches, armchairs, a big-screen television, a coffee table, a side table or table, a wall unit, and a bookshelf. These items essentially comprise a living room in the western world. With all that stuff though, where is there room for minimalism? In baby steps, the answer is to free your space, wherever possible.
The large television only serves to take up space, especially when turned off. Luckily, an easy alternative lies in smart projectors, which are quite small. Whether it projects onto a bare wall or a retractable screen, the fact remains that the spatial footprint of such a set up is greatly superior to that of the TV.
There’s very little that’s more satisfying than being able to take a product home and, within minutes, enjoying its full range of functionality. While smart projectors will provide you with that satisfaction, older projector models will not. In their case, set-up times could be lengthy and cumbersome, to say nothing of the time it took to simply turn them on.
Smart projectors, on the other hand, display their modern sensibilities at every step. From a cordless design to instant on/off and a short throw distance, set-up and usage have never been easier. Combine that with features that include automatic keystoning and focus, and you’ll never find yourself missing the older models.
Once you’ve decided that a smart projector is the best product for your home theater, it will then be time to go shopping! Unfortunately for you, the consumer, the process is not as simple as picking the first one you see and hoping for the best. Instead, consider the following questions. Once you do, you’ll be ready to buy a smart projector for your home theater. We wish you luck!
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) describes all the costs – both obvious and hidden – that go into owning a particular object or resource. The total cost includes the initial price, use, maintenance, and disposal of both physical and digital assets. But certain surprising factors like green packaging and ease of setup save money and resources in the long run.
Read more about total cost of ownership below. To check out the range of solutions on offer from ViewSonic, click here.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis helps determine all the costs involved in making a decision. For many big purchases, the price tag only tells part of the story. Things like enterprise hardware, a fleet of delivery vehicles, or even buying a new car have hidden costs.
And hidden costs add up over time. TCO analysis provides clarity on the full range of expenses related to a purchase. TCO analysis – also called life cycle cost analysis – reveals the subtle, indirect costs. The price is obvious. Hidden costs often come as a surprise unless you actively seek them out.
TCO calculations enable big savings by uncovering the total economic value across an item’s entire span of use. It can uncover big differences between the purchase price and overall costs across an asset’s life cycle.
The TCO concept became popular in the late 1980s. At first, it was used for assessing computer hardware and software purchases. Now, businesses (and consumers) use TCO analysis to make informed purchase decisions about many types of items.
A Total Cost of Ownership analysis defines value across the complete life cycle of an item. It digs deep to uncover all possible costs related to an asset. These include costs related to procurement, installation, use, and disposal of an item. Each category typically contains many indirect costs.
For this example, assume that the number one priority is value. Emotional factors like color, make and model don’t apply. To assess total cost across the ownership period, compare vehicles based on the expected cost of:
At first, a used vehicle may seem like a better proposition. After assessing the Total Cost of Ownership, however, new is often a smarter choice. The indirect costs of used-car ownership can add up quickly. Pre-owned vehicles need more repairs, sooner.
New cars come with a warranty. Taking a car in for repairs exacts opportunity costs. Consider: what else could I have been achieved during that time? To maintain productivity, you may have to rent a stand-in vehicle. These costs add up. Here’s a real-life TCO example for car buying:
We often think the more expensive option makes it a worse value. With TCO analysis, you have to take in depreciation value, as well. Even though Car B costs more, it has a better resale value. It depreciates less. This makes Car B a better value, despite costing more.
Total cost of ownership analysis is a valuable management tool. TCO analysis provides cost-saving insights when choosing vendors, manufacturers, and products. It’s also useful for setting priorities for capital acquisitions and budgets.
In business, TCO analysis helps companies get the best value when deploying a large number of assets. It helps accurately assess costs for items with major operating costs. Or recurring maintenance costs across the useful life cycle.
TCO analysis is useful for guiding cost-saving decisions about IT hardware and software, fleet vehicles and facilities, lab and medical equipment, factory machines, and private aircraft. Calculating the Total Cost of Ownership is useful for lease vs. buy decisions. Here’s an example regarding enterprise software:
We often see “free software” as a bargain. Subscription costs don’t matter, as it becomes a chore to calculate the math in our head. But, TCO analysis requires we take all costs into consideration. Looking at 5 Year TCO, we see that Plan A becomes cheaper due to not having any subscription costs.
TCO analysis saves companies money. It helps businesses purchase the best, most cost-effective assets to meet their needs. Getting the full TCO picture guides buyers to smart purchase decisions. It should be used to gauge the viability of most major purchases.
Your purchasing manager, however, may want to base purchase decisions on up-front price alone. It’s tempting (and seems easier) to look at the immediate cost of an item. Taking the time to do a detailed TCO analysis uncovers less apparent indirect costs – preventing unnecessary future losses.
Consider all the factors. Then compare the bottom line. The option with the lowest TCO will be a better value over time. Start by asking: what is the expected ownership life for this item? Next, ID essential cost categories that will have an impact on the overall cost.
Within these, probe into all possible costs: obvious, hidden, immediate, and indirect. Hidden costs can have a big impact on overall cost across an asset’s life cycle. Costs to consider include:
Total cost of acquisition & preparation for use
Here’s an example of TCO analysis when buying enterprise hardware:
We typically think the cheaper option is usually better. But, cheaper hardware typically comes with hidden costs.
Total cost of operation (operating costs)
End-of-life costs
The procurement and use of computing workstations include many indirect costs. Operating costs and opportunity costs can have a huge impact. Looking beyond the purchase price will save companies money in the long run.
Assessing these four categories provides a more accurate picture of hardware life-cycle costs:
Deployment costs include more than meets the eye. First, the hardware needs to be transported to the deployment site. Packaging and weight make a difference here. Once the product has arrived, install time impacts IT staffing assignments.
Easy install means more time to achieve other goals (For lower opportunity costs.). When installation hits roadblocks, other tasks can be delayed, leading to opportunity costs. Products designed to reduce unnecessary parts and labor deliver a better TCO.
User experience can be an overlooked aspect of Total Cost of Ownership. Hardware that’s difficult to figure out or isn’t comfortable to use can send costs skyrocketing. Poor workstation ergonomics can lead to repetitive strain injury.
Ailments range from headaches and eye fatigue to muscle pain severe enough to keep employees home from work. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that around 30% of lost work time is due to a work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD).
Workers who push through the pain and stay in the office are undoubtedly less productive. The opportunity costs can be huge. When new equipment is easy for users to adapt to, productivity is preserved. The shorter the learning curve, the better.
Intuitive setup and use let employees learn as they go, minimizing training and support costs. Reliable products reduce service and maintenance needs. Knowing the average failure rate can help businesses estimate future costs for shipping replacement units.
Will your IT staff be able to troubleshoot the equipment on-site? Or will there be costs to ship units to the vendor for repair? Either way, the costs of employee downtime is another potential hit to your bottom line.
With large quantity rollouts, storage and recycling costs can add up quickly. Is the product smartly packaged to reduce materials you’ll need to dispose of? Consider a supplier’s packaging materials and whether they can be easily recycled. Or whether they’ll have a negative environmental impact.
Some manufacturers take TCO more seriously than others. ViewSonic designs and packages products with your overall costs in mind. The latest ViewSonic® enterprise displays reduce indirect costs across the entire product life cycle. Every model reduces TCO beyond the initial purchase price.
Bottom line: ViewSonic® VG48 series and VG55 series displays save businesses money.
Here’s how: Decreased deployment time
Imagine saving five minutes of time for every monitor your IT team deploys. Not, much, right? Think of it this way: For every 12 monitors, that’s an hour saved. For every 100 monitors deployed, it’s a full day’s worth of work. Time saved that can be spent on accomplishing other tasks.
Fast, easy deployment reduces IT opportunity costs and minimizes user downtime. ViewSonic VG48 and VG55 series monitors arrive in frustration-free packaging that’s fast and easy to open. A quick-release stand enables instant, out-of-the-box setup. No tools needed. Deployment is achieved in four fast, rinse-and-repeat steps.
Integrated cable management lets IT staff or users easily tame cable clutter for tidy, productive workspaces. A built-in stand mount allows for quick install of client devices on the back of the monitor. Versatile connectivity options facilitate fast setup.
To learn more about choosing the right monitors for your business, click here. If you’d like to keep reading about how choosing the right monitor can reduce hidden opportunity costs, check out our post on monitor ergonomics.
Product certification acts as an indicator of that product’s safety, reliability, and quality, but it can be difficult to make sense of all the different certifications. Many of the most common certifications are those recognized by OSHA, which we include below. And of course, we list what certifications we get for all of our own products.Continue reading below for more on product certification and why it matters.
Value-branded products are everywhere. New companies seem to pop up overnight. Product certification is one of your best tools to tell the quality from the questionable, or reliable from the risky.
Buying on price and availability can expose users to avoidable risk. Product certification lets you know that a product is safe and reliable. It’s a benchmark for product quality, a guidepost leading you to reliable manufacturers.
Reputable companies work to minimize and eliminate risk. Product certification demonstrates their commitment to quality and safety. It affirms that products have passed specific performance and quality assurance tests.
Government purchasing standards usually require product certification. Businesses, schools, and other groups are following suit. The availability of low-cost, quick-to-market products is increasing, making it more important than ever to affirm product certification.
Many electronic devices are well-made and reliable. Many others are made using shortcuts with quick profits in mind. It can be difficult to tell the difference. Product certification is an important clue.
Products without certification marks may function as intended (for a while). But they’re more likely to be cheaply produced. Uncertified products are more likely to be made from sub-standard components. Components that would fail product safety and quality standards if they had been submitted for testing.
Confirming that electronic and computing products are certified:
Health and safety. Electronic devices that qualify for product certification are safer to use. They’ve been tested to meet the highest standards for protecting user health and safety.
Productivity and profit. According to OSHA, providing a safe work environment saves companies money. Safe workplaces are more productive. Employees are more comfortable. And motivation and morale are higher.
Work-related injuries and illnesses sap company resources. They increase workers’ comp claims and retraining costs. They lead to lost workdays and lower productivity. And they impair the efficient delivery of products and services.
Liability. Using safety-certified products and components is often required by law. Government agencies are a case in point. Another example: the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires the use of UL-listed products.
Product certification is a good idea even when it’s not required by law. Using a product tested and certified for safety reduces the risk of legal action. Product certification signals that a company has confidence in their product. And cares about customer safety. It protects against potential liability in the event an injured employee files suit.
Failing to use certified products can result in denial of insurance claims. Even when it’s not required by law. This can result in costly legal battles.
Reliability. Getting products certified is a lengthy, costly process. Certification marks identify whether a company is committed to the market. A certified product can be counted on to perform safely. It’s also a good bet that the company can be counted on for support, too. That’s important for ensuring reliable customer service in the long run.
Meaningful product certifications come from legitimate, qualified test labs. This can be a government organization, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Most often, it’s a private, organization recognized as an authority in product safety.
Test labs are themselves “certified” by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA assesses and qualifies these labs to be a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).
OSHA developed the NRTL program to ensure that equipment was tested and certified for safe use in the workplace. This program oversees the certification of the certifiers. It ensures that these private-sector companies meet stringent requirements. These companies must:
Each NRTL offers a range of test standards. Each has its own unique registered certification mark(s). These marks designate compliance with the applicable safety test standards. The safety standards are developed by organizations like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
Reputable manufacturers submit the product to an NRTL for testing. After successful completion, they can use the certification mark. An NRTL certification mark on a product, packaging or related materials is a sign of quality and safety.
It’s important to note that OSHA’s authority is limited to employers. OSHA does not require makers or suppliers of products to obtain NRTL certification. But ethical, reputable and concerned companies usually do anyway, especially when products require approval under OSHA standards. Some go above and beyond and certify non-OSHA required products for safe, reliable use.
OSHA currently recognizes 19 NRTLs. Among these are the familiar UL and TUV certifications. A certification mark from any of these organizations means that the product meets OSHA’s stringent requirements. It ensures buyers that it’s been tested by an accredited, competent and objective third party.
The range of possible product certifications is extensive. Key certification marks to look for on enterprise-grade technology products include the following:
ViewSonic is dedicated to developing products that maximize safe use. We regularly assess products to understand their potential impact on user health and safety. From there we seek continuous improvement to promote comfort, health, and wellbeing.
At a minimum, ViewSonic products comply with all applicable state, federal and international laws. Often, we set our standards higher than those required by law. We ensure that our suppliers uphold our high standards for safety, quality, and performance.
All ViewSonic products are OSHA-approved and certified compliant with all applicable safety standards. ViewSonic product certifications come from leading NRTLs UL and/or TUV of North America. This includes ViewBoard interactive flat panels and large format displays, desktop displays, projectors, and VDI clients.
TUV and UL product certifications ensure that every ViewSonic product is rigorously tested and safe to use in any conference room, classroom, auditorium, business, IT or consumer environment. All ViewSonic products are approved as required by the FCC for safe, efficient electromagnetic transmission.
ViewSonic products have earned a wide range of additional product certifications. These vary by product category, market, and other variables. Below is a roundup of key certifications and health and safety-related features for ViewSonic’s major product categories.
All ViewSonic® displays are FCC approved and NRTL certified to meet OSHA safety standards. This includes ViewBoard® interactive flat panels, digital signage, and other large-format displays. Design features for safe, comfortable use include curved corners and shatterproof glass. Flicker-free mode, blue light filter, and adjustable backlight.
All ViewSonic desktop monitors are FCC-approved and NRTL certified to meet OSHA safety standards. We carefully design our desktop monitors for ergonomic comfort. Features include our adjustable, ergonomic stand to maximize comfort and minimize user muscle strain. Automatic brightness control (ABC) minimizes eyestrain.
All ViewSonic projectors are FCC approved and NRTL certified to meet OSHA safety standards. They are RoHS compliant with the restriction of hazardous materials.
ViewSonic is committed to the immediate safety of those using our products. We are also deeply committed to protecting the long-term health of our planet and its inhabitants. As such, a majority of our products are certified to the highest U.S., European and international environmental standards. ViewSonic products conform to Energy Star, EPEAT, CE, CB, RoHS, WEEE, ErP and CoC mandates.
To maintain our high standards, ViewSonic regularly updates our quality management systems. We ensure continual compliance with current ISO 9001 standards and ISO-14001 standards for environmental management systems.
Your business or school district may not require the use of safety-certified products. Nonetheless, it makes good sense to protect users. Poor workmanship and failure to meet safety standards can jeopardize health and safety. It can expose your school or company to liability. It can decrease morale, and make users less productive. Using products certified by a nationally-recognized testing lab is an easy safeguard. For your users and your bottom line.
SCALE-UP classrooms use traditional education in reverse. Instead of teachers lecturing and students doing assignments on their own time, students learn the core materials on their own time and do reinforcement tasks during class. The teacher or instructor circulates offering help and feedback, and students are encouraged to collaborate often through the use of technology. And the social experiment has yielded some impressive results. To learn more about how SCALE-UP is changing education, read the full article below.
How can we scale up the technology in our classrooms?
Despite the dramatic impact technology has had on education, many classroom structures and teaching methods haven’t changed much over the years. The education industry has often evolved slowly when it comes to major change and innovation. But with digital transformation extending its reach into every industry, that tendency may be changing.
Learning environments are becoming more flexible, teaching methods are changing to accommodate different learning styles, and student collaboration is playing an increasingly important role in the classroom.
The SCALE-UP classroom is one example of these dramatic shifts. SCALE-UP, which stands for Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies, is a popular new approach to teaching and learning—one that places heavy emphasis on student collaboration.
SCALE-UP is turning many aspects of the traditional classroom upside-down, including how technology is used. See the Complete Guide to SCALE-UP in Education here.
As more schools begin adopting SCALE-UP and other more collaborative teaching models, IT professionals in secondary and higher education must be ready to support them, providing the technology needed to help students perform their best in these new environments. The SCALE-UP classroom places heavy emphasis on student collaboration.
SCALE-UP classrooms work very differently from traditional ones. Rather than receiving course content via lectures and then working on problems and projects on their own time, students are responsible for digesting core content before coming to class. This approach frees up class time for next-level group activities that allow students to apply that information to problems, projects, and discussions.
Where are the instructors? They are circulating among them, gauging understanding, helping students with more difficult concepts, and providing guidance on group activities. Instructors are “hands-off” enough for teams to work at their own pace, but “hands-on” enough to give feedback when and where it is needed to facilitate learning.
The environment itself looks very different as well, looking more like a restaurant than a classroom. Rows of seats are replaced by roundtables, and key technology components are placed in strategic locations around the room. The SCALE-UP approach—and room setup—applies equally well to both small and large classes.
Developed in the mid-1990s by Robert Beichner, a physics professor at North Carolina State University, SCALE-UP is currently used in secondary schools, colleges, and universities, and adoption continues to increase as more results of student success are published. The SCALE-UP approach frees up class time for next-level group activities.
Those observations are backed up by research. At North Carolina State, the failure rate for introductory physics has dropped from 30% to 10%. Failure rates for African-American and female students dropped even more. Test results show learning gains of up to 16%.
In addition, attendance in SCALE-UP classes over five years averaged 93%, without attendance ever being required. Students gave SCALE-UP learning modules very high satisfaction ratings—a mean of 4.37 out of 5.5
With these success rates, it’s little wonder that today’s classrooms are starting to transition to more collaborative learning environments like SCALE-UP.
Average attendance of a SCALE-UP class, without attendance, ever being required.
Many different activities occur in a SCALE-UP classroom, including group discussions, hands-on projects, multi-part problems, interactive modules, demos, simulations, experiments, presentations, labs, competitions, and “clicker questions” that check for understanding or otherwise engage students. All of these activities can impact the technology required in the classroom—and the way the components are arranged.
Incorporating the right technology into SCALE-UP classwork facilitates the learning process, enabling independent research, audio and video presentations, interactive activities, class-wide sharing, and more. For example, students can use projection and screen-sharing technology to share ideas or solutions with their teams or with the whole class. Instructors can use technology to essentially combine a lecture hall, A/V room, and lab into one space.
SCALE-UP classrooms are typically arranged in tables of nine students, with the instructor’s workstation in a central location. Students may be divided into three teams, each of which shares a computer, or a computer may be shared among the whole table. Whiteboards and/or flat-panel displays are strategically arranged on perimeter walls, so every student has good access and visibility. Ideally, every student can see every other student as well. Of course, Wi-Fi, adequate charging stations, and whiteboards are critical. For larger spaces, microphones and other audio equipment may be required.
A recent study shows that whiteboard space, in particular, is the single most critical component in the SCALE-UP classroom. SCALE-UP students themselves have indicated in surveys that whiteboards have enhanced their learning experiences. Whiteboards also top the list of key SCALE-UP components as ranked by the American Association of Physics Teachers, followed by student computers, and projection and screen-sharing equipment.
While SCALE-UP classrooms may not seat as many students as a lecture hall, the entire space is dedicated to student learning. Technology that is well chosen and well placed enables the most productive and efficient use of that space. It also provides students the opportunity to develop technological skills, particularly when it comes to facilitating presentations and collaboration.
Given the importance of whiteboarding, projection, and screen-sharing capabilities in the SCALE-UP classroom, ViewSonic® ViewBoard® technology is uniquely suited to these and other collaborative environments. When paired with cloud-based ViewSonic myViewBoard™ software, the solution can boost communication and collaboration in a wide range of learning spaces.
Whether you’re dipping your toe in SCALE-UP, going full-scale SCALE-UP, or just heading toward something more collaborative, ViewSonic ViewBoard technology can play a central role in bringing classrooms to life.
A well-designed, well-equipped classroom can enable exceptional learning experiences that can encourage problem-solving, foster creativity, and increase knowledge-sharing. Find out how ViewSonic ViewBoard displays and myViewBoard software can help.