Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/136999
Monday, June 24, 2013 Ed Tech Show Daily PATHWAY INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES INTRODUCES THE SOLO 5 An interview with John Miewald, Marketing Manager of Pathway Innovations and Technologies, Inc. ESD: Hello, Mr. Miewald. Tell us a little about your flagship piece of hardware, the Solo 5. JM: The Solo 5 is our most versatile document camera. Let me first say that Pathway Innovations and Technologies, Inc. is a document camera manufacturer. Our primary goal is to give educators the best document camera. The Solo 5 is the best document camera on the market right now. The Solo 5 boasts a true 5MP resolu- tion at 12 frames per second, which means you get stunning 720p video recording from the device. ESD: What do you mean when you say 'true 5MP'? JM: Of course. So, we want to ensure that everyone is aware of the difference between our 5MP Solo 5 and our competitor's so-called 5MP document cameras. Many document cameras out there boast a 5MP resolution. For a still photo, they might be right, but as soon as you attempt to shoot any video, all bets are off. Most 5MP document cameras today offer only two NETSUPPORT: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR EVERY PLATFORM An interview with Marcus Kingsley, CEO, NetSupport Inc. ESD: Tell our readers about your company. What's your main line of business? MK: We're in the business of classroom management software. Rewind a few years, and that would have been translated as monitoring student activity on their desktops. Fast-forward to today, and the term has evolved to include not only monitoring tools but also student assessment tools, cost-saving features, instructional tools and much more to encourage greater instructor/student collaboration. ESD: Are you introducing any new products? MK: We have recently launched an updated version of our classroom management product, NetSupport School v11.20, offering a number of unique features, including full Google Chromebook support, Windows 8 (Metro) support and an Android client for students using Android devices. This complements our previously released iOS & Android Tutor Assistant, providing instructors with added mobility to interact with students while away from their desk and desktop computer. In addition, we are continuing to reposition our IT asset management solution, NetSupport DNA, to be not just a preferred choice in the corporate space but also as a viable and competitive option for the education segment. ESD: What distinguishes your products from the competition? MK: From a high level, the range of standard features is unique. No other classroom management solution simultaneously addresses the challenges of instruction, cost savings and student assessment. Equally, no other related product line offers compatibility across Win, Linux and Mac platforms nor operates in Terminal Server, Thin / Zero Client, MEMPHIS CITY SCHOOLS ADOPTS TEACHSCAPE VIDEO TECHNOLOGIES To help drive teacher improvement, Memphis City Schools (MCS) adopted Teachscape video solutions districtwide as part of its ongoing commitment to have video as an integral, embedded part of the district's professional learning and support. As part of the large-scale adoption of video, MCS will have at least one video capture device in each of its 180 schools, providing teachers with greater access to using video as part of their improvement process. One of the district's goals through this adoption is to create a video library using their own teachers to provide examples of local definitions of teaching effectiveness. Teachscape, a pioneer in using authentic classroom video for professional development and the leader in delivering Web-based professional learning content, innovative classroom observation and evaluation technologies and expert services to improve teaching practice, is collaborating with the district to provide the video solution that is being used for teacher development, support and evaluation. The use of Teachscape's video technology allows our teachers to be their own first observer," said Monica Jordan, Coordinator of Reflective Practice and Teacher Support at Memphis City Schools. "Teachers have so many ways in which they can use video to enhance their practice. They can use it for self- frames per second over USB 2.0 connectivity. This means that a video you take will end up really grainy and jittery. Think back to video cameras in the early 2000s. The Solo 5 is a document camera that shoots video up to 2013 standards. ESD: What else can you tell me about the Solo 5? JM: The Solo 5 has a large shooting area, up to the A3 standard. The Solo 5 offers auto focus and auto look focus, so an educator can be sure that the images being displayed are focused quickly and effectively. Nothing is worse than spending 10-20 seconds trying to focus on the document under the camera. It only takes Virtual Desktop and sharedresource computing environments. ESD: How do you see the next year in terms of economy, sales, technology and product evolution? MK: Clearly the economic climate is still challenging, but that has led to some unexpected positives. Evaluators are performing robust trials and more due diligence to ensure that the solution they select is the best option for their needs. Since we have the most expansive feature set and proven pedigree, we fully encourage this change in methodology. From a technology perspective, clearly we will continue to see the BYOD movement gaining pace. Gradually, the gap between device adoption and the formation of an actual strategy to best utilize that investment (leading to more effective integration into the classroom) is narrowing. Over recent months, the one area where we have witnessed an exponential growth in enquiries has been with the need to support Google Chromebooks. This is not an unexpected trend, given that Google continues to offer a very compelling argument for the BYOD concept. ESD: To what do you attribute your reflection, feedback, instructional planning, lesson prep, co-teaching, and more." MCS educators started using video-based technology for professional development during their participation in the "Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) Project," funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "The use of video as a tool for reflection and development went viral," said Jordan. "As a result of the MET Project, teachers started using video to deconstruct and analyze their lessons and saw its value in improving their teaching effectiveness and, ultimately, student achievement." Teachscape's video capture and sharing solution allows educators to capture a complete lesson or lesson segment from any video-recording device and use it to reflect on specific areas of instruc- 15 about 10 seconds for students to lose focus on what is going on in the classroom. ESD: How do we buy one? JM: If you go to our website, www.thehovercam.com/store you will find the Solo 5 right at the top of the page. At the low, low price of $299.00, you might even be tempted to buy two! ESD: Wow. I bet educators really like that price. JM: That's what we hope! And, I'd like to invite anyone who is interested in learning more to stop by our booth for a demonstration. For more information, visit www .thehovercam.com or stop by booth 13076 at ISTE. company's success? MK: First and foremost, I think we have succeeded by concentrating only on what we know best. You can't be everything to everyone, but sometimes organizations are tempted to seek new revenue streams by entering unrelated market segments before they have mastered their core competencies. We remain committed to mastering the classroom management space with continued product evolution based on customer and market feedback. We've been leading this space now for over 20 years and are proud to have secured the largest global installation base. Yet we still have a long way to go. ESD: How can our readers find out more about your company? MK: The easiest method would be to drop by our booth #9254 here at ISTE and see the product in action. Otherwise, visit www.netsupportschool.com for more information, to listen to user feedback and to download a free classroom trial license. Or talk to another district close by to you; as with more than 11 million users utilizing our technology on a daily basis, it's likely they will be satisfied NetSupport School users. tional practice as part of the ongoing professional learning process. Video is stored securely and easily accessed via Teachscape's webbased software so educators can review, comment, and share videos with colleagues anytime, anywhere. Video has also improved the way administrators and teachers interact during the observation and evaluation process – conversations are more authentic, and feedback is more valuable," said Jordan. "Teachscape's ability to work with our district's framework, in addition to their system's ease of use, has allowed us to get all administrators and educators – even those not comfortable with technology – using the system effectively." For more information, visit www.teachscape.com or stop by booth 8079 at ISTE.