Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

InfoComm 2011 reveals the future of AV technology

InfoComm brought more than 33,000 people to Orlando in June.

The 2011 InfoComm conference and exposition, the nation’s largest trade show devoted to the audio-visual (AV) industry, in June brought more than 33,000 people to Orlando, where several hundred companies demonstrated their latest AV products. Here are some of the highlights from the conference (click on each headline to learn more).

Companies reduce barriers to school video production

Many schools are building high-quality video production studios to give their students valuable experience in recording, mixing, and producing video broadcasts—from live coverage of concerts and athletic events to student-run news programs. Using professional-grade video equipment in these efforts can be costly, but at InfoComm 2011, several companies exhibited products designed to make live video production easier for schools.…Read More

New classroom furniture facilitates 21st-century instruction

Soft, comfy chairs contain a built-in electrical outlet and USB port at their base, so students can plug in their laptops while they sit.

Those bland, standalone classroom desks arranged in neat rows could become a relic of the past, replaced by stylish tables and chairs with built-in power sources and wireless charging capabilities, if furniture maker Bretford Manufacturing has its way.

In a growing number of schools, classroom instruction is changing from a passive experience in which students sit and listen at their desks to a more social activity in which they learn in groups, often with an electronic device at hand.

Recognizing this shift, Bretford has introduced a new line of furniture that helps educators implement a more social and technology-rich learning environment in their schools.…Read More