District Administration - January 2011 - (Page D2)

K12 Guide to audio/visual solutions Making The Most of Technology Audiovisual tools continue to advance in education, and a new study shows part of the reason why. By Kurt eisele-dyrli A midst the Adversity of budget cuts and personnel losses in K12 education in the past year, there is good news for innovative school district administrators who are advocates of education technology and still willing to inject new audiovisual tools into their schools. in October, the research team Project red, endorsed by nearly a dozen education associations, released the results of its yearlong study of the effectiveness of education technology, the first of its kind. After surveying some 997 K12 schools in detail, the researchers announced their findings: the study proved that when properly implemented, technology raises achievement, saves money and reduces dropout rates, highlighting the vital importance of professional development. “We are delighted to be able to help policymakers and schools move toward greater academic success and cost savings by revealing these previously unknown connections,” says Project red coauthor Thomas Greaves, CeO of the Greaves Group (For more about the study, go to www.projectred .org). Clearly, audiovisual tools in education are worth the investment. Of course, the industry didn’t wait for this positive report to release a wide range of new products. 2010 saw continued growth in every segment. interactive whiteboards continue to be one of the most popular audiovisual technologies in K12, with new models recently released from the heavyweights of the market, as well as a number of newcomers. several of these manufacturers are also branching out into other technologies that complement their interactive whiteboards, developing audio systems, document cameras, tablets, student response systems and more, broadening their focus to providing products for the classroom as a whole, not just a whiteboard at the front of the room. 2 January 2011 Doing More With Less education technology companies also responded to the economic realities faced by districts in a variety of ways this year. A number of new document cameras, for example, were released that were designed and marketed as inexpensive, entry-level models, emphasizing the value they provide, rather than expensive new features. Providing computers can be an expensive challenge for schools, which is one reason why netbooks, which are small, less powerful and less expensive versions of laptops, were also popular in schools this year. several “student netbooks” came onto the market as well, designed to be more durable and with education applications included. Other products also helped make desktop computing more affordable, as desktop virtualization, thin client and zero client solutions enable multiple users to share one desktop unit or many users to work from a central server instead of individual PCs, reducing hardware, energy and maintenance costs. The rapid turnover of corporate computer fleets also enabled more schools to purchase inexpensive refurbished units as a way to get more computing for the dollar, and this segment continued to grow significantly this year. similarly, mobile technologies continue to expand in K12, as smartphones and other mobile devices can provide tremendous computing power for the money, particularly if they are owned and maintained by students. digital signage, once mainly a corporate and higher education solution, is another area of growth in K12, as prices continue to fall for commercial-grade televisions. These displays can help schools communicate everything from events, announcements or cafeteria menus to emergency messages and student-produced video segments with students and staff throughout a school or district. These and a wide variety of other education technologies continue to be released at a rapid pace, and the number of options available can make choosing assets a challenge worth researching. Kurt Eisele-Dyrli is products editor. DistrictAdministration.com http://www.projectred.org http://www.projectred.org http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - January 2011

District Administration - January 2011
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Conversations
Crisis Response
Going Mobile
Online Edge
Professional Opinion
K12 Guide to Audio/Visual Solutions
Product Focus
What’s the Value in Value-Added?
The Politicization of Bullying
Holding On to Parent Voices
Tough New Issues Refocus Health Education
New Products
Books

District Administration - January 2011