Ed Tech Blog
![HETS 2017 sponsors logo final](https://fsrinc.com/images/ed-tech-blog/HETS-2017-sponsors-logo-final.jpg)
Four well known audiovisual and classroom technologies manufacturers, FSR, Inc, Biamp Systems, Christie Digital and Quam Nichols, have partnered to put on the second Higher Education Technology Summit (HETS). Created specifically for college and university managers of educational technology, HETS is designed to combine a day of product training, networking and peer-to-peer discussions in a fast moving format. The first HETS took place in Burlington, MA. Due to demand and feedback, the second HETS will take place in Philadelphia’s center city, convenient for eastern PA attendees and an easy train ride from NYC, NJ, DE and MD/ Washington DC.
Gina Sansivero, Director of Business Development, Education at FSR, Inc tells why an event like HETS was created. “As industry leading manufacturers, we understand that educational technology managers are technically educated and experienced and are increasingly taking on more design and installation responsibilities in house. They are also developing technology standards and specifying products for the AV systems campus-wide.”
Michael Frank, Sales Development Director, Eastern North America at Biamp Systems notes, “Technology managers typically have limited budgets for professional development, training and travel. A regional, cost- free, single day event provides the training they are asking for as well as time for time to network with their colleagues in schools throughout the region.”
Biamp, Christie, Quam and FSR strategically aligned for the May event to help technology managers expand their knowledge as they prepare for upcoming summer installations. This Philadelphia HETS will provide a cost-free venue for educational technology managers to gather for a day of:
- product training with CTS Renewal Units provided by non-competitive AV manufacturers
- peer-to-peer panel discussion focusing on the challenges and successes of faculty buy-in, pedagogical modification and student success evaluation for technology enriched classroom and public spaces.
- networking that gives attendees the ability to discuss...
Read more: AV Manufacturers partner for The SECOND Higher Education Technology Summit- Philadelphia
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Residence halls are a big profit center for colleges and universities. Typically educational technologists have had little to no technology responsibility in dorms. But when student expectations drive projects and priorities, as they often do in order for schools to stay competitive and meet enrollment goals, traditional environments seem to get turned on their heads.
The idea of a multi-use or mixed-used building is not new. In many downtown areas, retail, commercial and residential space commonly inhabit the same structure. Now, the idea of multi-use buildings are becoming common on college campuses. Often, we find that residence halls also contain classroom space, public gathering/ study areas and possibly retail, gym or food components; a sort of “feed your mind, body and soul” all-in-one building.
As the definition of a residence hall morphs to mixed use, AV and IT teams are being called into these projects more frequently. The classroom spaces will still fall under their umbrella of responsibility. Therefore planning for the technology infrastructure necessary to support the rooms will bring them to the table (hopefully earlier, rather than later). Sometimes these buildings will be in a location on campus that is easy to access, allowing for a smoother...
![DETCHE keynote 2016 1024x768](https://fsrinc.com/images/ed-tech-blog/DETCHE-keynote-2016-1024x768.jpg)
Have you been to a conference with an opening keynote that just didn’t seem relevant to the attendees, their jobs or the trends and topics that they wanted to learn about? Probably. That’s why I like to share when I attend a conference at which the keynote speaker is spot on- knowing his audience, tailoring his content and providing takeaways that make sense and are usable.
At the DET/CHE (directors of educational technology/ California higher ed) conference this year, Adam Finkelstein from McGill University took the stage on the first full day of sessions. He had a difficult task; he had to engage and education a room of about 170 attendees with clearly varied jobs. DET/CHE pulls in AV and IT department heads, instructional designers, directors of distance education programs, and even some tech-inspired faculty. They all want to learn about learning technologies, but will understand use the new concepts in diverse ways that fit their position. No matter what their focus was, he grabbed the attendees immediately by proposing that “Higher Ed is under siege. It is neither affordable nor is it a great value.” Yipes! That’s a pretty strong statement, considering just about everyone in the room makes...
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This was originally posted in the winter edition of SouthEast Education Network (SEEN) magazine:
I was fortunate enough to be able to discuss technology specific concerns for schools with multiple campuses with two experts. Jahn Westbrook, Technical Manager, Campus Media, Classroom Support Services from New York University (NYU) and Tim Cichos, Senior Audio Video Engineer from University of Notre Dame were kind enough to share some insight into the challenges and successes of managing technology and teams worldwide. In an effort to preserve the context and the authenticity of their responses, here are the Q&As from our session: http://www.seenmagazine.us/Articles/Article-Detail/ArticleId/5947/Going-Global
![NotreDame Mendoza Logo](https://fsrinc.com/images/ed-tech-blog/NotreDame_Mendoza_Logo.png)
This information was provided by Jim Spencer and Nick Page from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame:
I mentioned that we’ve been playing with the 1 button studio concept a little bit, so I wanted to share our work with you:
The first one that we did was a rolling recording cart. The concept was to invest in one deluxe mobile system that can be used anywhere, instead of installing multiple smaller systems in some rooms and not others. It’s got a camera, a PZM whole room mic, a handheld/lav pair, and 8 wireless RevoLabs ‘pucks’ that we can throw around the room for full microphone coverage. The cart has an audio DSP to handle all of the mics, and it also has a video to USB bridge and a recording appliance. We can record, and/or connect to a classroom lectern via USB for a Zoom call. Since it’s a Rolling Recording cart that can Zoom too, we call it R2-Z2. Here’s what our rolling cart looks like: http://imgur.com/a/i6MRX (I’ll try to get nicer pictures that aren’t in a storage closet tomorrow, and I’ll add some captions to the album as well)
The other system that...
Read more: The One Button Studio: A Real-Life “Roll” Out at Notre Dame
![PUPN](https://fsrinc.com/images/ed-tech-blog/PUPN.png)
Originally published in Private University Products and News (PUPN), November 2016.
Being smart and intentional when designing building infrastructure for power, AV and IT is necessary to keep up with the demand of today’s users. Whether in education, corporate, healthcare or government buildings (etc.), rooms must be outfitted to support growing technology requirements.
Increased resolution, accessible bandwidth and available charging are challenges for technology managers and space designers who are, with increasing frequency, working together to develop functional environments. Users’ expectations are typically defined by their experiences with their own consumer grade equipment like phones, home control, and plug and play systems. Simply put, they want easy to use technology for seamless meetings, classes, consultations and events. Compounding the stress on designers, installers and managers to “get it right” is the now common demand for flex-spaces; rooms that are effectively multi-purpose. Read more here