Author: John Hulen

On your mark... get set... oh wait, hang on a minute...

Will the fall 2021 semester be a series of fits and starts? Will AV teams be sprinting to ready classrooms for a full capacity, in-person return to campus, only to then be dragged down by restrictions on activities and limited room capacities? Which will then result in AV departments rushing to finding technology band-aids?

In both cases, the technology experts on campuses and in school districts might be destined for a marathon-length run at a sprinter’s pace. The best indicator of your workload over the next four months will likely depend on how your institution has chosen to deal with the obstacles that might arise this semester and beyond.

Over the last year, I’ve heard a range of answers about the return to campus this fall. Some have told me, “We want to be back to the traditional on-campus, in-person experience our students have come to expect.” Others have said, “We’ve updated our spaces and are ready for anything.” But I don’t see these two responses as opposite ends of the spectrum.

After all, since when does the design and implementation of future-flexible technology standards dictate that the normal experience and strong traditions of student/faculty interactions must change? The fact is that many students have now experienced a year of their education in ways they never dreamed possible.

Let me highlight two examples of how institutions have navigated the challenges:

University of Southern California

“Back in 2018 and 2019 we couldn’t have predicted a pandemic would shatter our vision of education, but we perceived a shift was happening in the way students, faculty, and staff learned, taught, and engaged with the campus and each other,” said Joe Way, Director, Learning Environments for USC. In response, Way and his staff designed a transformative campus-wide AV technology ecosystem that enhances the learning experience for students and faculty.

They deployed more than 800 DM NVX® AV-over-IP endpoints campus-wide, which enables faculty and staff to transmit video, with flawless quality, to any other display on the network, while multiple Crestron Virtual Control servers provide USC IT managers with a convenient single point of control. In addition, they chose the Crestron Flex platform for Zoom Rooms™ software, so remote students and faculty can enjoy a premier video conferencing experience.

With these technology enhancements, USC feels they can now offer the type of education for which they are renowned. Derek Williams, Technology Operations Supervisor, states, “USC is shaping our students to be modern-day renaissance men and women. With Crestron as our digital transformation partner, we’re able to innovate and elevate the student, teacher, and employee experience.” It certainly doesn’t sound like they’ve had to change their “normal experience” in any negative way.

To watch a short video or read the full case study, follow this link.

Central Connecticut State University

“To create HyFlex learning environments, we needed to drop PTZ cameras, microphones, and demonstration tables into classrooms across campus. We turned to Crestron to be the hub, or brain, of a new, advanced, set of interconnected technologies. Leveraging an intuitive interface and pre-programmed code, we were able to provide professors with a familiar way to use tools such as projectors, document cameras, and connected HDMI, devices. They can also turn on HyFlex cameras, microphones, and set up scenes for teaching or demonstrating to students at home. Many of our classes include student presentations, so students similarly began using these technologies in classrooms and specialized group spaces across campus,” said Dr. George Claffey, CIO of CCSU.

With the working world now turned hybrid, the skills graduates will need are the very same ones they’re applying within these newly “hybridized” environments: technology fluency, remote collaboration, an understanding of automation tools, and a familiarity with a digitalized learning and working experience.

CCSU has created learning environments for their students in which they communicate constantly across the campus’ digital infrastructure. With these tools in place, as well as new teaching and collaboration spaces, students will develop comfort with the technology. The experiences and processes of a hybrid learning environment prepare them perfectly for the hybrid working world that awaits. This example makes it clear that CCSU has prioritized preparing students for what’s next, rather than sacrificing their “normal experience.”

To read the full case study, follow this link.

While these two schools set excellent examples for how to move forward without compromising their unique on-campus experiences, what happens if they encounter unforeseen obstacles? Clearly, their teaching technology platforms provide them with the flexibility to overcome them and, thus, a clear advantage over other institutions.

What about the not so “unforeseen obstacles” which are becoming more common, even for schools which want to return to their traditional experiences? If they choose to act now to update their ed tech, they’ll be prepared to accommodate:

Guest lecturers from around the globe
Overflow situations
Collaboration between different departments across campus
Alternatives in case of adverse weather conditions
Quarantined or sick students learning remotely

For the schools that are ready and flexible, they’ll be off and running no matter how the fall semester starts.