Ed Tech Blog
A version of this post was published at Systems Contractor News (www.avnetwork.com)
The Takeaway: Yes, I am starting backward, but I think you need to hear this. You’ve heard it before but, like moving a big machine, our industry takes time to adjust and seems to need some coaxing from time to time. Here it is: we are very poor educators, marketers and ambassadors. Wait, let me clarify that before you jump to the comments section to defend why we have some of the best cheerleaders of any industry (you rabble-rousers know who you are)…
I was given the privilege of presenting, as an NSCA Ignite! Ambassador (learn more here), to two high school business classes- a total of about 40 students. These classes include mostly junior and senior students. They are the students that COULD alleviate industry wide hiring challenges. Yes, some of them mentioned they want to be a chef, fashion designer, or hospitality manager. So I spent a bit of time explaining how technology impacts each of those seemingly non-related fields because, overall, they are a group we know we should be targeting.
Not surprisingly, when asked what audiovisual and commercial technology meant to them, the three top answers were:
- Phones
- TVs
- Face time
Don’t kill the messenger- I can show you the supportive feedback reports I received from the students.
This, however, very well set the stage and gave me an opportunity to blow their minds with what AV is, what it touches and how seamlessly integrated it is in their lives- so much that they don’t even realize that there is an entire industry- or combination of industries- that make it all happen! We are truly the wizards behind the curtain. (Don’t use that statement when talking to them- they may not understand the...
Read more: Changing the Dialogue: Ignite-ing Interest in AV and Commercial Technologies
Guest post written by Mario Maltese. Reposted with permission from AQAV at aqav.org.
What is “Third Party Commissioning?”
In legal terms, the word “party” refers to a person taking part in a transaction or contract. An AV Company engaging in a contract with an AV Buyer forms two parties in the contract. When the AV Company completes a battery of tests themselves (using the AV 9000 Commissioning Checklist) intending to certify what they just installed as being compliant with that contract, we call that “First Party” commissioning. It is similar to an internal audit. Personnel specifically trained in the tests, with the required instrumentation, should perform the tests and that personnel should not be the same personnel who installed the system.
When the AV Buyer uses its own trained and equipped personnel to perform the AV9000 Commissioning tests that is called “Second Party” commissioning. Many organizations that have the specialized personnel and instrumentation resources to do this have done so.
When the AV Buyer brings in a disinterested party, one not part of the Project Team who designed or installed the AV system, one who simply applies the AV9000 Standard to gather the evidence of compliance (or non-compliance), that...
Read more: Third Party AV9000 Commissioning – The Obvious and the Not-So-Obvious Rationale
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...
Read more: AV Manufacturers partner for The SECOND Higher Education Technology Summit- Philadelphia
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...
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...
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