Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/1073328
EdTech Show Daily 1 7 Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Possible fixes include the installa- tion of sound-dampening materials, such as carpets, or attempts to lower ambient noise, such as requests that grounds maintenance happen during weekends. But a more effective (and less expensive) solution is sound-enhancement which spreads a teacher's voice evenly, mean- ing there is no difference in volume between the front and back of the room. Additionally, the sound is distributed mechanically so the instructor can speak at a conversational level. Not only is this more pleasant for students to hear, it also is much healthier for the teacher's voice. The result? 2003 study shows the Stanford Achievement Test scores of stu- dents in amplified classrooms were 10 to 15 percent higher than students in unam- plified classrooms. Studies have also linked sound amplification with improved student behavior, motivation Reduce Teacher Sick Days (Cont'd. from p. 4) and general engagement in classroom activities. Sound enhancement is better for teachers too: In 1996, the Dubuque Community School District reported that teachers in classrooms with sound enhancement averaged just 19 sick days per year due to voice, jaw or throat prob- lems, compared to 52 sick days per year in classrooms without sound enhance- ment. Imagine – if a school is paying less for substitute teachers, sound enhance- ment refunds itself. So yes, it is possible for test scores to go up and teacher sick days to go down. It's one of the few examples where you can have your cake and eat it too. Visit www.buyqball.com to learn why Leslie Fisher, over 8,000 classrooms and 150,000 students trust the Qball for sound enhancement in the classroom. For more information, stop by booth #2719 or go to www.buyqball.com. Cox Digital Academy. These programs are designed to empower low-income fami- lies to build the educational, economic and social opportunities that can arise from a home internet connection. Building for a Future Looking forward, Cox has already sur- passed a significant program milestone and is expanding its commitment. To date, more than 400,000 people have been connected to the internet via the Connect2Compete program. "With convenient, reliable internet access at home, students can readily focus on their school work, explore their passions and ultimately reach their full potential in life," said Esser, announcing Cox Communications (Cont'd. from p. 4) the additional funding for the program. "We will continue devoting important resources – including discounted internet service – to bolster their success and close the digital divide." Cox has offered a low-income inter- net program for nearly two decades. Through its public-private partnerships and a dedicated focus across the entire Cox organization, the company continues to lead the way in closing the digital divide in the communities it serves. As we move forward in the 21st century, we are continually looking for ways to inno- vate and provide a leg up to those that need it most in the digital age. For more information, go to www.coxbusiness.com/education or stop by booth #1440. of portable document cameras, but don't let its compact size and lightweight body fool you – this camera is as powerful as it is petite. The MX-P captures in stunning 4K image quality at up to 30fps (in 1080p up to 60fps) and is capable of 16x digital zoom – the closest digital zoom available on the market. Not only is it lightweight and perfect for on-the-go presentations, but the MX-P has a highly flexible body. Every part of the camera arm can be angled and rotated. Multiple output options allow you to use the MX-P with almost any device – interactive displays, computers, projectors and more. For Capturing Details the Human Eye Can't See The TT series has sold over a million units worldwide, and the TT-L1 showcas- es all of the series' best features. The TT- L1 is capable of up to 96x zoom (12x optical / 8x digital) that captures unbe- lievable details with no loss of image quality, like the stitching of a $100 bill. With 1080 Full HD image quality that captures at 30fps, you'll experience absolutely no lag when doing manipula- STEM Camera (Cont'd. from p. 1) tives, yet still be able to capture the tiniest details. The TT-L1 is also a sleeker cam- era than its predecessors and will take up less room on your desk, which means more room for showing STEM activities. For the Most Powerful Quality and Widest Capture Area If you truly want the best quality out there, the PX-10 platform camera is the most powerful document camera to ever hit the market. With up to 288x zoom (12x optical / 12x digital / 2x sensor), the PX-10 is the closest zoom ever available on a document camera – with no loss of quality, either. With 2K image quality that is comparable to True 4K, the PX-10 produces its richest, most vibrant image ever. PX-10 shoots in both 4:3 and 16:9 wide screen, with a capture area up to A4 portrait and A3 landscape. The platform features sleek, easy-to-use touch naviga- tion, as well as a 5-inch LCD preview monitor. Nothing will be left to the imag- ination because the PX-10 will reveal every detail possible. For more information, go to www.elmousa.com, call 516.401.1400 or stop by booth #819. K-20 educational programs, commercial businesses, healthcare and governmental programs. By creating intricate processes and recreating them virtually for an inter- active, safe learning environment, Vizitech solves the biggest conundrum of the social education tools outpacing the traditional ones. "Today, there exists a disparity between the understanding lev- els of different students. While some stu- dents are quick learners, others are unable to read at the same pace," explains Rodeheaver. "The processes and teaching modal- ities provided through our 3D and virtual technologies have been tested in a myriad of areas and professions and have improved learning capabilities, and the students' standard test scores by as much as 33 percent," said Rodeheaver. Creating a virtual reality desktop with 3D glasses and a stylus that enables users to interact with a virtual object or environ- ment, the firm's zSpace is an engaging and exciting technical solution used in several career development and health care programs. "This tool provides a deeper and more complete view of com- plex ideas and concepts for subjects such as biology or history and offers an inter- active platform to experience advertise- ments or articles in magazines," points out Rodeheaver. By developing creative solutions for everyday complexities, Vizitech's key to success is to merge solid business tactics with a creative team. "While most firms focus on just augmented reality images, we at Vizitech build hardware, software, custom content and live filming to create Vizitech (Cont'd. from p. 1) comprehensive and effective content," says Rodeheaver. The company's 3DAV Rover – a portable 3D theater system – projects videos, images and interactive lessons into the classroom, offering top- notch, customized new content for an engaging experience. As textbooks fade away and the need to create an exciting learning experience becomes crucial, Rover not only helps teachers immerse their stu- dents into a 3D learning environment but also guarantees a stable, simplified and a highly interactive learning expe- rience. As a case in point, in a universi- ty in Kentucky, Vizitech replaced a high percentage of their cadaver lab with virtual people through zSpaces provided by Vizitech USA. Vizitech's virtual reality solution helped the optometry school reduce the number of cadavers, curb the amount of refrigera- tion, storage and chemicals, thereby saving a significant amount each year. "This is a combination of education and industrial methodology," Rodeheaver explains. Strongly believ- ing that "content is king," General Rodeheaver is on a mission to drive Vizitech to be a leader in the content development arena. Furthermore, the firm will continue to create novel prod- ucts to simplify lives through virtual reality. "We have a plan, focus and an imagination that will help us stay ahead of the competition. We just have to steer the business to be able to support this revolutionary development in edu- cation," he concludes. For more information, go to www.vizitechusa.com. That's important to kids, because over time they develop relationships with their robots. ESD: How did you first hear about UBTECH Education? CS: It started with our kids – we bought them JIMU robots for Christmas. I have a background in computer electronics engineering, and JIMUs were so superior to other robots in terms of their technological sophisti- cation and usability. When we decided to start an after- school robotics program to teach robotics and coding, we went looking for UBTECH's education solutions. ESD: What do you like about the UKITs? CS: As a small organization, we don't have the time or resources to create a cur- riculum for all our courses. The UKITs are exciting because they come with their own high-quality STEM curriculum. While there are other robotics kits out there, the price points are high and the curriculum, if they have any at all, is static. UKITs are affordable, higher quality and the materi- als evolve as students grow their skills. ESD: How can after-school programs support more equitable STEM learning opportunities? Code4Bots (Cont'd. from p. 1) CS: It's about early exposure – leveling the playing field by giving younger kids in public schools access to robotics and engineering education. Parents under- stand the need for it, and they want STEM education for their children as early as possible, so we need to create more opportunities. Elementary students who go through programs like Code4Bots are better prepared to take advantage of middle and high school opportunities. ESD: What are your plans for the future? CS: We're opening up a learning center in early 2019, and we plan to add more classes and expand our curriculum. Our hope is to be able to provide robotics and coding education opportunities to kids from pre-K through high school. For robotics, we'll start as young as preschool-aged children, who can begin by working with gears. We think the UKIT Beginner, which was built for ele- mentary students, can extend to younger children, because it's a robotics system that includes all the parts and have a downloadable curriculum. For middle schoolers and high schoolers, we're going with JIMUs and UKIT Intermediates, enabling kids to start coding with Scratch Jr, Scratch, Blockly, Java, Raspberry Pi and other languages. For more information, visit www.ubtecheducation.com.