Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/629667
E d Te c h S h o w D a i l y 3 7 W e d n e s d a y, F e b r u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 6 Since 1983, the company has set stan- dards for audio and video technology, and made AV systems easier to install, use and support. Its efforts have resulted in solutions that meet the unique per- formance and price point requirements of the education market. Extron Products for K-12 Applications PoleVault Digital: easy-to-use classroom AV systems. TeamWork: simple, intuitive collab- oration systems for small groups. Sharelink: wireless collaboration for BYOD environments. AV Streaming: high performance H.264 capture, encoding and decoding. GlobalViewer Software: remote con- trol and management of AV assets as well as bells, paging and intercom over the network. Technical Assistance Extron understands that designing and deploying AV systems to meet demand- ing requirements can be a complex process. However, Extron has decades of experience in developing products and solutions for these applications, and it wants to share this knowledge with you. It has created a complete library of train- ing and educational materials, including white papers, technical articles, applica- tion profiles and design guides, all writ- ten for instructional technology profes- sionals and available at no charge. Extron (Cont'd. from p. 1) Contact Extron's S3 support staff with your project details and it will pro- vide guidance on solutions that satisfy your requirements. Its professional staff of application and system design engi- neers will help you with product selec- tion and system design. It also has a list of qualified system integrators all over the U.S. that employ educated and certi- fied AV professionals who can assist you to create an end-to-end solution that meets your needs. Satisfaction Guaranteed To underscore its commitment to K-12, Extron offers its Satisfaction Guarantee. This means it will work diligently to resolve any issue you have with your pur- chase until you are completely satisfied. Extron employees are prepared to do whatever it takes to make certain that the entire process of doing business with the company is a positive and professionally rewarding experience. What Customers are Saying "Extron support was a big advantage over the competition. From warranties and service to spares and easy system configuration, they really took the time to satisfy the unique needs of our district," said Benny Bello, Leander ISD, AV/Network Cabling and Infrastructure Technician. For more information, visit booth #1733, go to www.extronclassroom.com or call 800.633.9876. makes teaching easier. That's why we invented Solo 8. ESD: What makes Solo 8 so different? JS: We designed Solo 8 to deliver 4K level clarity and life-like smooth video over USB without any compression, lag or blurring. This had never been done before. I encourage TCEA attendees to visit our booth to see Solo 8's amazing performance for themselves. Seeing is believing. We also re-invented digital zoom by replacing bulky and expensive optical components found in traditional document cameras with a high resolution sensor that allows super-clear images and zooming without degradation in a com- pact form factor. Solo 8 is an 'intelligent' document camera – it's an extension of the teacher's computer with multiple uses: scanner, digital camera, HD web- cam and grading camera. It records full- motion HD video directly to the comput- er over USB, which is easier to share than video recorded to an SD card. We have advanced patented and patent pend- ing technologies inside Solo 8. ESD: Aren't there now other 8.0 megapixel document cameras on the market? Why is Solo 8 better? JS: Multiple vendors are starting to claim they have 8 megapixel document cam- eras. However, a higher megapixel count doesn't mean you get a better camera. In fact, very likely the opposite is true. The HoverCam (Cont'd. from p. 1) 8 megapixel cameras we've seen from other vendors suffer from slow, jerky video or loss of clarity due to compres- sion. Only Solo 8 delivers high resolution and smooth video over USB. ESD: What about schools that don't want to use computers with their document cameras? JS: We listened to customers asking for HDMI and VGA output and created the Ultra 8, now shipping. Ultra 8 has direct to display HDMI and VGA connectivity and is the only such camera that also includes USB 3.0 out, so it can still be used with a PC. We also added an LCD viewing mon- itor to make it easier for teachers to use. ESD: Your products incorporate cutting edge technology, but are still expensive for some schools. What are your plans for the low end of the market? JS: We recognize there's a segment of the market that can't afford to pay more than $99 for a document camera. We'll unveil the first HoverCam with a $99 price tag, the Z5. ESD: How are your sales in Texas? JS: Increasing, in Texas and throughout the country. Allen, Denton, Ft. Bend, El Paso, Cy-Fair and Klein ISDs have already deployed HoverCam. This is just the beginning. For more information, visit booth #2435 or go to www.thehovercam.com. recently, MackinVIA updated the pro- gramming to give teachers the ability to assign materials to students and give direct access to digital materials pur- chased from other companies within the MackinVIA platform. MackinVIA has also been certified as Section 508 com- pliant, recognizing its ability to provide access to the resources for those with dis- abilities. "MackinVIA has been gaining in popularity and usage as more and more schools are discovering its wide-reach- ing capabilities aligned with its user- MackinVIA (Cont'd. from p. 4) friendly interface," states Mackin's Director of Digital Services, Mesa Heise. "To receive this recognition from the professionals at Tech & Learning who review educational technology products all the time has been added affirmation to how good this product really is." Mackin will be providing on-going presentations throughout the conference on the MackinVIA platform, with class- room and library experts demonstrating how they use MackinVIA effectively in their schools. For more information, visit booth #311. and digital support resources help students solve problems independently. You and your students access these solutions through Renaissance Place™, Renaissance Learning's consolidated digital platform. Renaissance Place is compatible with both wired and wireless environments and a range of technology, including laptops, Chromebooks, iPads and other tablet and mobile devices. To maximize efficiency, Renaissance Place securely shares student data with learn- ing management systems, student infor- mation systems and data warehouses. Renaissance Learning (Cont'd. from p. 4) By providing instant access to stu- dent data, Renaissance Place gives you actionable insight to track progress and intervene effectively to help struggling students catch up. Digital content and curated instructional resources stream- line lesson planning and help you target specific skills effectively. A range of features, including encryption, redun- dancy and regular back-ups, ensure that data is both secure and available instant- ly to inform instruction and accelerate student learning. For more information, visit booth #1038 or go to www.renaissance.com. Anthro DNA. Whether a school is using Chromebooks, iPads ® or Windows tablets today, or a new device platform tomorrow, the newly combined line of charging systems now offers educators and schools the most diverse and "future-friendly" furniture and charging systems all in one place, with the charg- ing and managing capabilities schools require. The combined strengths and resources of both Ergotron and Anthro manufacturing, design and distribution capabilities help ensure devices will be secured, stored and charged efficiently and safely, in high-quality and attrac- tive formats for any environment on campus. ESD: How has the education community been responding to the "active class- room" concepts introduced over the last several years with your LearnFit™ Standing Desks for students? BH: The response has been fantastic from teachers, district leaders, student and parents. "Game changer" is one term used in describing not only the stu- dent response to having the opportunity to choose whether they sit or stand throughout the day, but also how educa- tors teach with it. They declare that there is more time for teaching, less dis- ciplinary time, quicker classroom recon- figuration, more focus and less fatigue as students self-manage their sleepiness. The experience is intuitive for teacher and student alike, and the ramp-up time for classrooms to be productive with the desks is fairly short. We've been grati- fied to see the reaction of the communi- ty as well, in the form of three awards Ergotron (Cont'd. from p. 1) since its launch, including an International Interior Design Association Award (IIDA) and a Teaching & Learning 2015 Award of Excellence. Hear what is being said at www.ergotron.com/spotlight. ESD: What is the primary benefit of the LearnFit Standing Desk for students? BH: Introducing low-level physical activity into the classroom, such as stand- ing, has a positive impact on student health, classroom engagement and aca- demic performance. Standing more throughout the school day increases blood circulation, burns more calories and helps maintain muscle tone and insulin effectiveness. This means the LearnFit format can be an integral part of a school environment designed to improve student health and academic outcomes. ESD: Is there any new research being released about standing desks in schools? BH: Study findings published by the Journal of Public Health, from pilots con- ducted in the United Kingdom and Australian primary schools, confirmed incorporating Ergotron's sit-to-stand desks into classrooms effectively reduced class- room sitting time in a diverse sample of children. The combined research in schools is proving that getting students moving more throughout the day encour- ages the kind of healthy behavior that leads to physical and academic improvements, better metabolic health and consequently, to more alertness and engagement. Learn more at research.juststand.org. For more information, visit booth #1333.