23 Notable Technologies and Solutions from TCEA 2016

Bulb-free projectors are a rising trend in edtech. To help save schools money and energy, Casio developed its EcoLite Projector to provide schools with a budget friendly display solution. Using LampFree Technology,the EcoLite projector delivers long term operation and high quality images, saving schools from having to spend money on replacement bulbs and projectors.

Storing devices is a challenge in itself, but when students are bringing in their own devices, finding the right storage place for each and every device can seem impossible. With Bretford’s new EVER Cart, schools can store and charge any and all devices. Its adjustable shelves enable each device to fit into each shelf, no matter their sizes. If you’re looking for a flexible storage solution for a BYOD environment, consider an adjustable storage cart such as EVER Cart.

This new virtual reality headset provides students with true 360° virtual reality. By snapping a Samsung Galaxy phone into the Gear VR headset and choosing content from the app store, students can easily be immersed in a 3D virtual reality experience. Students can turn their heads and look up and look down without their vision ever leaving the 3D world. This is a great tool for teachers looking to engage their students with virtual field trip experiences to learn more about different environments, such as in science and social studies classes.

Mimio’s new Ultra-Wide Projector brings something new to the table. Along with bringing 10-touch interactivity to classrooms, this interactive display solution allows for images as wide as 11 feet. With more space to interact with and more classmates to collaborate with, this solution can help increase student activity and be a valuable tool to utilize in active learning environments.

If you’re looking to provide your students with an engaging and fun learning experience, look no further than Nearpod’s virtual field trips. Through its partnership with 360cities, Nearpod has made it possible for students to become immersed in 3D experiences through the use of any device that can be connected to the internet, linked to a Nearpod account, and fit into a cardboard 3D viewing piece. With Nearpod’s virtual field trips and 3D cardboard headsets, students can immerse themselves in the heart of major cities, historical lands and famous geographical landmarks.

D-Link’s various IP cameras showcased this year provides schools with an abundance of options to protect school grounds and students. Indoor cameras such as D-Link’s 2 MP Full HD Indoor D/N Dome IP Camera enable schools to capture high quality video footage during the day and at night, while outdoor cameras such as D-Link’s Full HD WDR Outdoor Bullet IP Camera delivers high quality video outside under a wide range of lighting conditions. With a variety of cameras to choose from, D-Link offers multiple security camera solutions for every school’s unique needs.

If you’re looking to increase interactivity in the classroom, interactive flat panels not only allow for interactivity, but also display high-quality images that boost readability and engagement. Promethean’s ActivPanel delivers full HD and 4K Ultra HD picture quality and is coupled with engaging interactive software. Promethean’s ActivInspire and ClassFlow software offer an abundance of tools and free resources for teachers to create and deliver interactive multimedia lessons and assessments, helping to enhance and differentiate instruction.

BoxLight’s DeskBoard is a unique collaborative and interactive solution that combines a P8 or P10 ultra short throw projector and tilt and height adjustable work surface. The surface is also mobile, allowing teachers to bring the DeskBoard to different classrooms and teaching spaces. If needed, the DeskBoard can be adjusted to become a completely flat surface, enabling students to interact with content on a table-like surface for long-term lessons and projects.

Lenovo IdeaPad 100S Chromebook

For schools looking to go 1:1, Chromebooks are an affordable and easily manageable device. Lenovo showcased its 100s Chromebook at TCEA this year. This Chromebook features secure and fast browsing and doesn’t take long to boot up. Furthermore, the IdeaPad has a long battery life, enabling students to spend less time charging their Chromebooks and more time using them in class and after school for homework and projects.

Microsoft OneNote is a note-taking software and app and can be used on any device. OneNote allows students to take digital notes, and with Microsoft’s new Learning Tools for OneNote, students can now space out different content to help improve their reading and writing skills. The tool allows students to adjust the spacing of the reading material and enables them to highlight grammatical focuses such as verbs and nouns. An audio feature also enunciates the sounds of words for students as well, helping them to learn proper pronunciation. Learning Tools for OneNote help personalize students’ reading and writing learning experiences and can help them build these skills both at home and in the classroom.

AirWatch provides enterprise mobility management solutions. Its BYOD Solution enables schools to manage their assets, enforce policies, and distribute profiles, apps and other content based on device ownership type. Airwatch supports all major mobile platforms, allowing schools to easily manage all students’ devices in a BYOD environment.

Lynda.com is a provider of online video courses aimed to help students learn 21st century skills such as web design and photoshop. Teachers can leverage Lynda.com’s online content for blended learning and flipped classrooms, Lynda.com courses are taught by recognized industry experts, helping to provide quality learning experiences for students.

Knomadix is a digital platform that provides teachers with integrated learning tools for the classroom. Knomadix allows teachers create individualized, interactive and engaging lessons using existing static PDF and video resources, helping schools integrate older materials with a new digital teaching platform. The platform also provides teachers and students with instant feedback, granting them insight to student progress and helping teachers to individualize the learning experience for each student if needed.

STEM technologies are greatly helping schools create interactive, fun and engaging learning experiences around STEM learning, and Vernier had plenty of innovative products to support numerous STEM subjects, lessons and courses. The CO2 and O2 Gas Sensors and SpectroVis Plus are just a few tools showcased by Vernier that give students insight to data and information they never could leverage before. By placing the CO2 and O2 sensors over a plant, the SpectroVis can track photosynthesis and provide students with valuable insight regarding a plant’s rate of respiration and photosynthesis

Video tools enable lecture capture and flipped classroom instruction, and it’s important teachers have reliable and high quality cameras to film instruction and lessons. Lumens showcased its VC-B20DU Video Camera, a Full HD 1080p high definition video camera solution that can help teachers provide high quality, clear videos to students for instruction and other classroom activities. This camera also features up to 128 user-defined preset modes to allow for ease of use in all environments, and USB 3.0 Plug & Play. The VC-B20DU solution is compatible with Windows and Linux MAC OSX, allowing it to integrate with various devices.

Pearson’s Connections Learning is an online curriculum that offers online courses and activities led by teachers skilled in online instruction. Connections Learning’s various online solutions can be customized to fit students’ needs and schools’ resources, helping to create a personalized learning experience for students. For schools looking to implement blended learning, Connections Learning is a flexible solution that provides students with high-quality instruction and activities.

Epson’s Brightlink interactive projectors have become a popular interactive learning tool in K-12 classrooms, and for good reason. Not only do these interactive projectors allow students to interact with different media with just the touch of their fingers, Brightlink also provides a fully integrated system that eliminates the need for an electronic whiteboard, helping to simplify the installation process and save schools money. Brightlink also supports BYOD environments, where students can connect up to 50 devices and wirelessly share and compare work from multiple devices at the same time.

BenQ’s RP Series of interactive flat panels help to increase collaboration and activity in the classroom. With up to 10 touch points, a 5 ms response time, and full HD 3840 x 2160 Resolution, these interactive displays are bright and decrease eye fatigue, helping to maintain students’ focus and engagement while learning. Furthermore, these displays can be placed on a mobile stand, as pictures above, allowing teachers to move the displays to different classrooms or to various areas of the room.

Aimed to help increase collaboration and communication in the classroom, ViewSonic’s interactive displays allow for 6 point or 10 point simultaneous touch functionality. With its ViewBoard software, users can write, highlight, edit an transform documents and images in real time. These HD and 4K displays can also be used for wayfinding and as message boards and can be installed in hallways, lobbies and cafeterias to help visitors and students stay informed on school events and find their way around campus.

With gaming on the rise in K-12 education, Califone developed its gaming and learning headsets to enable students to communicate and listen clearly when participating in online courses and gaming activities that require them to listen and speak. The headsets pictured above, the GH507 (larger) and the GH131 (smaller), are ideal for blended learning environments using digital curricula as well as ESL/ELL online courses, as students can listen and communicate with one headset rather than using a separate microphone and listening device.

Black Box’s storage and charging carts, such as the #LCC30H 30-Device iPad, Chromebook, Tablet, and Laptop Cart, enable schools to charge and store their devices with ease. Carts are equipped with a sliding door, making it easy for teachers and students to access their devices even if stored in a tight space. Furthermore, the cart’s shelves can be adjusted to create more space as needed for devices. These carts are also mobile and can easily be moved around from classroom to classroom, making it ideal for schools who are trying out 1:1 in various classrooms.

Vivitek’s DU8090Z projector displays vivid colors and a high brightness of 8,000 ANSI lumens, helping to provide students with a clear, bright image no matter where they are seated in the classroom. Furthermore, this projector requires minimal maintenance due its bulb-free technology, and gives a stable, high-quality projection for up to 20,000 hours. For schools looking for a long-term economical solution, a lamp free projector such as Vivitek’s DU8090Z is an optimal choice.

With so many schools utilizing devices that require Wi-Fi and internet access, it’s important schools have enough bandwidth to support these devices. EnGenius’s Indoor Access Points/Bridges feature high transmit power for longer range and enhanced wireless coverage, and can easily mount to ceilings or desktop deployments. EnGenius’s Neutron Series features dynamic channel optimization, guest network, band steering, fast handover and roaming, and supports up to 100+ users. Along with various other features, Neutron Series access points have the ability to support the various devices being used in BYOD and 1:1 learning environments