Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/935472
EdTech Show Daily 1 3 Thursday, February 8, 2018 Troxell Provides End-to-End Solutions for K-12 & Higher Ed An interview with Mike Ruprich, Chief Executive Officer & President, Troxell Communications. ESD: Tell our readers about your compa- ny and how it has evolved over the past five years. MR: While we started in the AV space, along with a vast selection of leading products, we now offer com- plete solutions – including 1:1 learn- ing, collaborative learning spaces, campus safety, school asset manage- ment and an array of programs and services such as robust device refresh and asset buyback program, integra- tion, installation and professional development/training. So, whether Troxell is updating a single room or standardizing an entire district, we ensure the best quality and most budget-friendly education technolo- gy solutions – backed by our astounding- ly good service and support. ESD: What would you say makes your company unique? MR: In essence, we are the nation's lead- ing end-to-end solution provider for edu- cation technology and collaborative solu- tions in K-12, higher ed, government and corporate. With 65 offices nationwide and growing, we combine large-scale purchasing power with the high-touch, consultative approach of a local special- ist. ESD: What do you see as trending in education technology in 2018 and how is Troxell addressing these trends? MR: In less than two decades, the internet has gone from fun to funda- mental. Statistics show that about 2.5 billion people are connected to the internet today. Experts are even saying they expect there to be about 4 billion users by 2020. As a result, the global digital economy is growing at more than 10 percent a year – that's more than the economy as a whole. So, it's an increasingly important source of growth, and frequently, jobs. So, for educators, there can be no greater purpose than to prepare students for this fast-growing digital revolution. For Troxell, we feel it is more important than ever to make educational tech- nology solutions an indispensa- ble part of the classroom of tomorrow, today. ESD: Tell us about what type of solu- tions Troxell is introducing to meet these challenges. MR: Well, the fast-changing digital economy will require students and teach- ers to be fluent in digital technologies and highly adaptable to fast-changing technology trends. The 1:1 learning environment lights a spark for students and teachers and puts them on the path to lifetime learning and discovery using technology. We are helping empower students and teachers with our complete and integrated 1:1 Learning Suite solu- tions – featuring a wide range of devices, peripherals, management platforms and applications, as well as flexible financ- ing options, configuration services and more. As for preparing 21st century stu- dents for a global society, collabo- ration is an essential skill for stu- dents. Collaborative learning spaces enable students to work in groups to solve problems, discuss ideas and experiment with different approaches. Furniture becomes modular and movable, audio-visu- al equipment can 'pop up' as needed and STEM gear invites discovery and learn- ing. Making classrooms more collabora- tive is just another of our solutions. We provide expert guidance to our cus- tomers, helping them create collaborative learning spaces needed to meet federal mandates and develop future leaders. ESD: What is the outlook for Troxell in 2018? MR: We will continue to build deep root- ed relationships with our customers, strive to understand current market needs and technological trends, and provide end-to-end solutions for K-12 and higher ed, all with the end goal of providing best-in-class solutions and products to engage the curious mind. For more information, go to www.troxell solutions.com, call 855.TROXELL or stop by booth #2339. VEX Robots are #GirlPowered An interview with Katie Widen, Software Engineer, VEX Robotics. ESD: Tell our readers about VEX Robotics. KW: VEX Robotics is proud to be col- laborating with the REC Foundation to increase the number of girls involved with our education and competition pro- grams. We want to show everyone that VEX Robots are #GirlPowered! We know that half of all future problem solv- ing heroes will be women. It's our responsibility to make sure they're excit- ed about the opportunities they have to change the world. ESD: What is engineering/STEM? KW: At its most fundamental level, engineering is problem solving. While people typically envision engineering to be a nerdy guy with his pocket protector sitting in a cubicle, engineering is actu- ally much more than that. STEM prob- lem solvers come from a diverse array of backgrounds and find themselves in a wide variety of exciting environ- ments. While the acronym STEM stands for "Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics" the term "STEM" is no longer limited to those four words ESD: Why is it important? KW: The world faces an unprecedented need for creative problem solvers. Right now in the U.S. only 16 percent of high school seniors are proficient in math and interested in STEM careers. For every two open STEM job listings, there is only one qualified available person. The U.S. will be short three million high-skilled work- ers by 2018. ESD: Why is it important women are involved? KW: No two people see things exactly the same way. We all have different back- grounds and different approaches to cre- ative thinking. Wildly different back- grounds have wildly different ways to attack a problem. To be successful a design team needs to see problems from all sides, and as such needs people who see things in different ways. Currently products made by men seem to be made for men – women are 50 percent more likely to get seriously injured in a car crash due to seatbelts being made for the larger male frame. Companies who make products that are effective for everyone have to work a little harder, but they are more successful and benefitting more people. This is why the best companies place such a huge value on bringing in people with diverse backgrounds; they need them if they want to find creative solu- tions! For more information, go to www.vex robotics.com or stop by booth #1149. How E-Rate Funding Can Help You Address the Network Divide By Bridget Duff, Director Vertical Sales Solutions, Education Given the constant acceleration of technology and its adoption across industries, today's modern student requires a tech-focused education and the skill set to be competitive as they enter the workforce. The classroom is evolving and will require broadband to power applications and virtual learning – providing access to content and enabling a more personalized experi- ence for students. This was the thinking behind the Federal Communications Commission's decision to issue the 2014 E-Rate Modernization Order. But, despite the gains that K-12 administrators have made in bringing high-speed broadband to their schools, nearly 6.5 million stu- dents still lack this critical access. Even those that do have access may not have the bandwidth levels necessary to keep up with ever- increasing requirements. In September 2016, the State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA) recog- nized the increasing pressure on band- width requirements driven by the tran- sition to digital learning by issuing updated broadband capacity recom- mendations for districts to effectively support student-centered learning. Recommended internet access targets range from at least 1.5 Mbps per user for small districts to at least 0.7 Gbps per 1,000 users for large districts in 2017-18 and at least 4.3 Mbps per user for small districts to at least 2 Gbps per 1,000 users for large districts in 2020-21. For Wide Area Networks, SETDA recommends at least 10 Gbps per 1,000 users for all districts for 2017 and beyond. E-Rate can certainly help with funding technology for schools and libraries, but there also is the very real and challenging "home- work gap," a term coined by FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to address the fact that as schools migrate to digital learning and more personal- ized education models, the need for home internet access becomes a neces- sity for students. Students whose fami- lies cannot afford internet at home can easily fall behind. Cox is dedicated to helping our students and their families access the internet at home and under- stand how to safely navigate and use it as a tool to meet a variety of family needs. Through our Connect2Compete program, we're proud to offer reduced cost high-speed internet service to families with K-12 children who qualify for reduced school lunches through the National School Lunch Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Cox also sponsors, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of America, Community Technology Centers that enable kids to use state-of-the-art tech- nology that they may not have at home. In today's business climate, one of the best ways to prepare your students is to provide them with access to state- of-the-art content and tools enabled by high-capacity broadband networks and high-speed internet access, and to help them be aware of resources available to them if they need help with getting home internet access. For more information, visit go to www.coxbusiness.com/education.