Commercial Integrator May 2021 - 9

SPONSORED CONTENT

4 Requirements for Next-Generation
AV Solutions in Classrooms
By Gabi Shriki - SVP, Head of Audio-Video Business, Valens - Inventors of HDBaseT

When COVID-19 hit, schools all around the world
were forced to grapple with an unfathomable situation of long-term virtual classrooms. And none of
them were set up to handle this new reality.
During 2020, in a scramble to set up their virtual
capabilities, some schools purchased video conferencing
equipment that did not meet their needs.
Let's learn from their mistakes and analyze what
other schools can do to make sure they are ready for
the future of hybrid education.
Software surged, but
infrastructure lagged behind
COVID-19 brought about the era of cloud-based
collaboration platforms like Zoom, Teams, and
Google Classroom. Software companies forged
ahead, pivoting with agility, to create substitutes for
in-person interaction. But the hardware and connectivity infrastructure lagged behind, in terms of availability, quality and flexibility.
When the pandemic hit, schools rushed to purchase and install
these sub-optimal systems. Without proper planning, schools ended
up buying off the shelf USB/web cameras that lack the necessary
capabilities like optical zoom, microphones and speakers without
proper coverage for large-size classrooms, and even equipment that
only functions with a specific collaboration platform.
Slow and steady wins the race
Now, looking at this from the point of view of the school administrator - I can fully understand why they made these decisions. In a
global pandemic, with the education of our future generations on
the line, it's only too obvious why schools would hurry to purchase
equipment that could enable the new virtual or hybrid normal they
were facing. But sometimes, slow and steady wins the race.
For many schools that made these ad hoc purchases, their decisions will become a major pain point for years to come. For example,
schools that purchased equipment operating only on a specific platform like Zoom, Teams, or any other software, could be locked into
their pricing model and rate of technical advancement. And others
might have to repurchase webcams, speakers and microphones to
meet the AV standards students will expect in the virtual/hybrid
post-pandemic future.
So let's at least be sure not to make the same mistake again, and
instead plan it out: What should schools look out for when revamping their AV equipment for hybrid education?
Our top 4 requirements for next-generation AV
solutions in classrooms
First, it's clear to everyone that the future of collaboration will

depend on cloud-based platforms. This means that schools must
expand and improve their cloud connectivity as soon as possible by
increasing the classroom IP network quality and bandwidth. The
network quality will be the number one factor impacting the learning experience of the students.
Second, as mentioned before, it is essential to have softwareagnostic hardware and connectivity infrastructure. School administrators should be able to switch from Zoom to Teams and back
again at their own convenience. This flexibility is simply paramount
in maintaining low costs and keeping up to speed with the latest
technological advancements.
Third, schools must insist on a true plug and play experience.
Classrooms are changing, from in-class to hybrid and broadcasting
teaching. Teachers are already overloaded by having to incorporate
new gadgets into their workflow. As much as possible, we want
teachers to focus on what they do best - teaching. If it takes them
5-10 minutes each class to set up the Zoom meeting and fix connectivity issues, we are wasting their time, that of the students, and
disrupting the overall flow of the class.
Fourth, devices need to be reliable and safe. Professional installation is required. There should be no exposed wires for children
to get caught up in and no free-standing equipment that can fall
and break. This should preferably be wire-based- we simply cannot
afford to compromise the quality or reliability of the lesson.
Recognizing the importance of streamlined, plug & play, software-agnostic connectivity solutions will bring the education system
into the post-Corona world. At Valens we are proud to play our part
in providing the long-range audio, video, and USB connectivity
functionality in these solutions through our HDBaseT technology.
So no more slow and steady - now is the time to transform our
classrooms, without delay.

If you want to chat about HDBaseT solutions, contact the author at gabi.shriki@valens.com

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4/6/21 4:51 PM

Commercial Integrator May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Integrator May 2021