Ridgefield Park, N.J.-headquartered Samsung Electronics America, Inc. announced it will provide a first look at its new Samsung Education Community Platform during the 2023 National Future of Education Technology (FETC) Conference and Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Convention and Exposition.
The free-to-join platform will offer educators an online discussion forum, access to peer and expert coaching and free, self-paced professional development courses. This will enable them to develop new strategies for leveraging technology that can enhance classroom engagement and learning outcomes for all students.
Building New Communities for Educators
“Nearly three years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic upended classroom teaching and learning, yet educators are still addressing the impacts of prolonged remote learning, from declining test scores to rising rates of stress and burnout. In this challenging climate, educators need more support and professional development than ever before,” says Chris Mertens, VP of U.S. sales, displays, at Samsung Electronics America.
When conceiving the idea of Samsung’s Education Community Platform, Dr. Micah Shippee, director of education technology consulting and solutions at Samsung, brought his 22 years of experience as an educator to the forefront. He and his team thus developed a collaborative, online hub that aims to meet the professional development needs of today’s educators. It does so by offering innovative lesson plans that embrace best-in-class technology.
“At Samsung, we strive to build community through technology. Educators and EdTech enthusiasts will be able to use the Samsung Education Community Platform as their go-to destination to convene and share bold ideas to reimagine the future of learning,” Dr. Shippee adds. “Through our platform, educators can embrace more innovative teaching practices and technology that solve common pain points we’re seeing in classrooms across the country.”
Features of the Platform
According to Samsung, educators who join the platform can access professional development courses led by Samsung Education Coaches. These coaches are experts in curriculum development and instructional design, the company notes. The courses will thus teach participants how to create an interactive, immersive learning environment through engaging-lesson design.
Platform members will gain access to continuing education certificates and monthly professional webinars where they can learn more tips and teaching practices from their Samsung Education Coach.
Also Read: How Schools Can Ensure Better Interactive Touchscreen Management
All monthly webinars will be recorded and made available in Samsung’s rich library of member resources. These resources will also include blog posts, tutorials, lesson plan templates and self-paced online courses. As educators complete their coursework and engage in thoughtful discussion through the online forum, they can collect digital badges that demonstrate their progress and knowledge of EdTech strategies.
Samsung adds it will identify the most active power users to become Ambassadors to create their own content, serve as conference presenters and host Samsung-sponsored webinars to inspire their fellow educators.
Samsung’s Vision for Schools of the Future
Samsung will also showcase its portfolio of Display Solutions and software designed to transform the student experience not only in the classroom but across all corners of campus life. Products on showcase will include:
- Samsung Interactive Pro: Available in 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch models, the Interactive Pro is a transformative interactive display that helps educators bring vivid learning to life with multimedia content, a real-world writing and drawing experience and wireless screen mirroring from any mobile device.
- The Wall: Helps transform any school lobby, auditorium or campus space with the Wall All-in-One. Easy to install and available in 110- and 146-inch models, the Wall helps schools make a lasting impact with spectacular, stunning visuals. Samsung notes that private and higher education institutions use the Wall to tell inspiring alumni stories to drive new student applications.
- Samsung Kiosk Windows 10 IoT Enterprise Edition: Now available in Celeron i3, i5 and i7, as well as Windows Operating Systems (OS), Samsung’s new Kiosk brings the same convenient self-service experience that’s revolutionizing retail and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) into schools. Per the company, the new product is suitable for transforming food service, front-office sign-ins and campus events. The secure self-service display solution thus includes a touch display with a speaker, printer, scanner and payment solution in a sleek design.
Additional Products
- QBH Smart Signage: Featuring state-of-the-art UHD picture quality, Samsung’s QBH series of displays provide captivating digital signage that schools can incorporate into high-traffic areas to share important announcements and promote clubs and events. They can also highlight student achievements and raise school spirit among the student body. Per the company, Stevens Institute of Technology has embraced its digital signage in the design of all buildings across its campus.
- XPR-B Outdoor LED Signage: Samsung’s outdoor LED signage works for reliable outdoor operation and clear visibility in virtually any weather conditions. School leaders can easily and dynamically control on-screen content with time-sensitive information. These include school closings, sports events and parent-teacher conferences.
- MagicINFO Software: At the heart of the connected school is Samsung’s MagicINFO software which provides full remote-device management and control of the content published to all Samsung displays. In the event of an emergency, schools can thus use MagicINFO to automatically push alerts to all displays with on-screen content to direct students and staff to safety.
- Gaming Monitors: For schools with eSports programs, Samsung’s gaming monitors offer a next-level gaming experience. They feature an ultrawide DQHD screen for maximum immersion and minimal eye strain. Additionally, its Incredibly low input lag can provide the millisecond advantage for teams to seize victory.
Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on January 24, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.
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