Teaching Technology For Education Issue 13

Teaching
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for education
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Wedgwood
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Teaching Technology
Issue 13 - 2015
In this issue...
Teaching Technology
for Education
Editor
Linda S. Adams
editor@teachingtechnology.co.uk
Editorial
Contributions should be emailed to the

editor at the above address. Every care
is taken of materials sent for publication,
however these are submitted at the
senders risk. The views expressed
within are of the contributors, and not
necessarily Teaching Technologys views.
Published by
Wedgwood AV Ltd., suppliers of

audio visual equipment to education,
government and local authorities in
the UK. sales@wedgwood-group.com
www.wedgwood-group.com
On-line publication
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Disclaimer
All information is accurate to the best

of our knowledge, at the time of writing
and is intended as a guideline only.
You are advised to consult individual
manufacturers specification sheets on
interested products.
Copyright
Copyright 2011-2015 Wedgwood AV Ltd.

All rights reserved. Corporate names
and trademarks are the property of their
respective companies. Specifications
subject to change without notice.
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Cover image and above:

Triumph Board interactive whiteboards and projectors
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Contents
04 Triumph Boards
A Triumph for collaborative education
06 Sound reinforcement and PA

Systems
Sound options for voice and sound
reinforcement and portable PA systems
08 PA Solutions for meeting rooms,

leisure and education
Amplifiers, mixers and loudspeakers for
classrooms and school halls
15 Conferencing equipment
AVer video conferencing systems,
Unicol VC trolley and Turning Leaf
lecterns
16 Digital signage at the centre

of school life
Sharing information and collaboration
between students, administration staff
and teachers, when digital signage
is at the centre of the hub, can play a
part in building and maintaining a
school community
10 Induction loops
An overview of induction loops including
portable and installed loop systems
12 Phased array induction loop system

What is a 'phased-array' loop system
and designing a system check list
13 Induction loop testers and

Outreach plates
Testers to ensure that an installed loop
system is working properly
14 Case study: Oak Park School use

Video Conferencing for CDP
"Normally you have one opportunity as a
teacher to attend a course throughout
the year that's paid for. If you use Video
Conference for such opportunities after
school, as a teacher, you have much
more variety"
WIN Rep
e
Signage at
digital
signage s
- 10 licen oftware
ces to
be won
18 Digital signage players

A look at different types of digital
signage media players and Slot-in PC's
19 Did you know about these

products
New and innovative products for the
education sector from brand
manufacturers
20 Success story: Merryhill School

proudly showcases school events
with Repeat Signage
AV Limited
02 Copyright 2015 Teaching Technology www.teachingtechnology.co.uk
Merryhill School in Roseville, California,

wanted a way to communicate a variety
of information to parents
Welcome
We hope you find Teaching Technology for Education - How
technology helps me teach, a useful resource to keep you
updated on the latest audio visual and ICT technology.
Wedgwood AV Ltd., an ISO9001 UK company, who publish
Teaching Technology, have updated their audio visual guides
which can be downloaded FREE by clicking the links below.
Repeat Signage software showcases school events
Projector and Presentation Equipment guide 2015

Interactive Whiteboard and Interactive Products guide 2015
LCD Monitor and Touch Screen guide 2015
Digital Signage guide 2015
Induction Loop, Sound Reinforcement and PA System guide
2015
In this issue we take a look at induction loops, especially
'phase array' loop amplifier, a phrase which is
appearing on architects' specifications for new buildings.
We also review a new brand of interactive whiteboards,
projectors and large format displays from Triumph Board,
which comes with software for use in
education and business.
Gyration suite of wireless radio mouse and keyboard
22 Staff development for learning and

assessment
Information and Learning Technology (ILT) is an
important aspect of college life
We welcome your feedback, especially

with ideas as to the type of ICT
products you'd like to see featured
in future Teaching Technology for
Education magazines.
Kind regards, Linda Adams
editor@teachingtechnology.co.uk
Linda S. Adams - Editor
26 Case study: Gyration suite helps

Basingstoke College of Technology
deliver ILT resources to students
For any other provider thinking of using the
Gyro suite in their own organisation, Adam
Johns from BCOT makes recommendations
28 Education equipment
Links to comparisons for manufacturers'
brochures, specifications and UK prices.
Opportunity for many leading brand
manufacturers to visit you onsite in mainland
UK for product demonstrations
30 Free prize draws
Chance to win one of 10 Repeat Signage

2015 Standard Edition digital signage
software licences in our prize draw. One entry
per person, open to entrants worldwide.
Teaching Technology for Education how technology helps me teach...

You can download Teaching Technology for
Education at www.teachingtechnology.co.uk
However, if you subscribe free (and it will
always be free) then you will automatically
be entered into monthly prize draws.
Worldwide entrants welcome.
Available free from www.wedgwood-group.com

Wedgwood AV Ltd., UK audio visual suppliers 01754 769967 www.wedgwood-group.com 03
COLLABORATION: A Triumph for collaborative education
A Triumph for
collaborative education
TRIUMPH BOARD MULTI Touch interactive whiteboards with ceramic steel surface
In the education sector,

audio visual equipment
makes a significant
contribution to student
learning by reinforcing the
work of teachers, textbooks
and practical exercises.
With the rise of the internet,
mobiles and touchscreen
technology, schools,
academies and colleges are
tasked with finding new and
innovative ways of engaging
with their students.
With products that are innovative,

easy to use and proven to enhance
teaching and learning, TRIUMPH
BOARD is changing the way students
learn, think and communicate. The
TRIUMPH BOARD education range
meets evolving user needs to ensure
education facilities, and their students,
arent left behind.
A lesson in interaction
First released in 1991, the interactive
whiteboard is a must-have tool in
schools and continues to replace
traditional whiteboards and flipcharts.
But its important they can stand
up to the task of being used day
in, day out. The TRIUMPH BOARD
MULTI Touch (available in 78, 89
and 96 screen sizes) is a best-in-
class interactive whiteboard with

a ceramic steel surface that is
antibacterial and anti-vandal with
cradle to cradle certification (materials
and manufacturing practices of
each product are assessed in five
categories).
Connecting to a computer through
a fast USB 2.0 interface or 2.4 GHz
wireless radio technology, the MULTI
Touch interactive whiteboard is literally
just plug-and-play so is easy for
the school and teachers to set up.
Allowing four users to write, draw and
move objects, or two users to resize
and rotate two objects simultaneously,
it makes the classroom more
interactive and enhances efficiency.
Ideal for use with TRIUMPH short
throw (ST) or ultra short throw (UST)
projectors.
2015 Teaching Technology

Interactive projectors, when used
with standard dry-erase whiteboards,
are an an ideal way to improve the
interactivity in lessons and make
dry-erase whiteboards interactive.
TRIUMPH UST DLP interactive
projectors are designed for use
with their dry-erase ULTRA Touch
Interactive Whiteboard range,
combining bright images and
sound for almost any educational
environment.
Officially distributed in the UK

and Ireland by The Change
Organisation, with nationwide
specialist partner suppliers
including Independent Products
Ltd and Wedgwood AV Ltd.,
TRIUMPH BOARD offer a range
of audio visual solutions for the
education and business sectors.
TRIUMPH BOARD UST interactive projector
TRIUMPH Board comparisons

software that is easy to understand
and operate. In order to run a series
of interactive whiteboards, tablets,
projectors and more, TRIUMPH Cloud
is an online annotation software that
can be used at any place with all the
major operating systems.
Hands-on learning
In recent years interactive learning
has become even more flexible and
portable with the rise of handheld
tablets. Acting as interactive
textbooks that create endless learning
possibilities, tablets like the MULTI
Touch 8 from TRIUMPH BOARD are
just as popular with teachers as they
are with students.
TRIUMPH BOARD MULTI Touch LED LCD Android Series of HD and 4K panels
The magic touch

Interactive touchscreens provide an
effective presentations tool for showing
images, data, presentations and ideas.
With student interaction such a crucial
element in modern education, teachers
can easily include their audience in
the lesson with direct computer control
through an LED LCD MULTI Touch.
Android Series offers all the benefits of

traditional interactive touchscreens as
well as new features including ULTRA
HD (4K) and FULL HD resolution,
an embedded Android board and
integration with TRIUMPH CLOUD
software. Optional mini PC's are
available for Windows based software
applications.
Gaining increasing popularity in

the education sector are FULL HD
resolution LCD LED large format
displays, both for use in the classroom
and for digital signage applications
in reception, library and college
restaurants. The advantages of
these display screens is that, unlike
projectors, there is no on-going cost of
replacement bulbs, no shadow caused
when the teacher stands in front of
the display screen and being LED,
are energy saving. The TRIUMPH
BOARD MULTI Touch LED LCD
For any audio visual system to be

effective, it will be reliant on high quality
TRIUMPH BOARD 8" Tablets
Easily fitting into a childs hand, the

8 Tablet is extremely lightweight,
user-friendly and can meet the needs
of students of any age. Specifically
tailored to meet the needs of the
education market, it also delivers all
of the most important technological
advantages to support effective
learning. With 5000 mAh battery life,
this allows additional time for learning
without needing to be regularly
recharged.
AUDIO: Sound reinforcement and PA systems
Sound reinforcement
and PA systems
Chiayo range of portable PA systems
There are so many

terms to describe sound
systems that it can
become quite confusing.
Here we look at sound
and voice reinforcement
systems, soundfield and
portable PA systems.
PA systems mean different things to
different people. Ask a supermarket
customer services manager what
a PA system is and youll no doubt
be informed it is the public address
system they use, where the ALL
button (to broadcast across all zones)
is pressed and you speak into the
microphone and ask the manager to
come to customer services.
Ask an airport announcer what a PA

system is and you will probably be told
similar with perhaps added info that
there is a choice of zones that can be
paged, perhaps to alert people in the
shopping zone of todays promotional
offer, or to ask certain passengers
in the departure lounge to hurry to a
gate as the plane is due to leave in five
minutes.
School sports day may see the sports
teacher using a weather resistant,
portable PA system in the school field,
to make announcements about the
next race or to give instructions to
pupils and announce the winners, so
that pupils, teachers and parents can
hear what is going on.
PA stands for public address and
simply means you want to announce
something, be it at a school sports day
or a College open day with a 1,000+
crowd.
Portable PA systems are those that

are, as the name implies, designed
to be moved from one place to
another. Aerobics or dance teachers
are likely to use a portable PA system,
comprising of the combined speaker
and amplifier with either a lapel or
headset microphone or handheld
microphone, wired or wireless, as
shown opposite.
Small hand-held portable PA systems
can also be used for a primary school
field trip on the school playing field, so
that all students can hear the teacher
clearly.
Voice reinforcement is raising the
volume of the natural speaking voice
so that anyone in the room can hear
clearly what is being said, without the
teacher or presenter having to raise
their voice or shout.
For example, the teacher talks
naturally to the class, whilst his or her
wireless lapel microphone picks up the
sound of their natural voice, which is

amplified and comes out through the
loudspeakers into the room. Voice
reinforcement systems may be referred
to as PA systems, and often comprise
loudspeakers, amplifier, or powered
speakers with in-built amp, and a
wireless microphone, either hand-held,
collar, headset or lapel mic.
Sound reinforcement is the use of
amplifiers, mixers, loudspeakers,
microphones and signal processors
that makes the sound louder, be that
of a live band, orchestra, etc., and
distributes the amplified sound to a
much larger or more distant audience.
Some people use the term sound
reinforcement to mean complex sound
systems, such as might be used in
a large arena, for example, in the
opening ceremony of the Olympics.
Other people use the term sound
reinforcement to mean a portable
PA system comprising a microphone
which is connected to an amplified
loudspeaker.
Soundfield is a term normally
associated with educational
establishments. In the US for
example, schools and colleges have
long had PA systems around the
campus for school announcements.
A survey was undertaken in the US
which proved that pupils grades
increased by up to 45% when the
teachers voice could be heard clearly,
especially by pupils who sat towards
the back of the classroom and also
those who had some form of hearing
difficulty. Even having a bad cold can
cause some temporary hearing loss.
Also, teachers benefited from being
able to use their normal voice, which
was amplified within the classroom
or school hall, without having to raise
their voice or shout.
I can only assume here, that the term
soundfield was derived to mean a
field of sound around a classroom
and to distinguish it from the PA
systems which are already in use.
When the school receptionist wanted
to remind pupils throughout the
school about an after-school activity
or to inform parents to make their
way to the school hall for the PTA
meeting, then the PA system would
be used, and this would be different
from the loudspeakers, amplifier and
microphone used in each classroom
by individual teachers.
However the term soundfield came
about, legislation was introduced in
the UK as a result of Health & Safety
concerns over teachers voice fatigue

and children under performing, as a
result of not hearing teachers clearly,
especially those pupils sitting at the
back of the class.
The legislation in the UK requires
specific levels of acoustic
performance. One of the easiest
ways to achieve this is via sound
reinforcement. However, acoustic
performance can also be improved
through passive conditioning such as
non-reflective materials, for example,
carpets, or acoustic ceiling tiles, or
even double/triple glazing to reduce
external ambient noise.
Voice reinforcement system must be
provided in all new school buildings,
and I quote:
Government Specification of Acoustic
Performance in Schools: Section 1 of
Building Bulletin 93, the Governments
Specification of Acoustic Performance
sets the standards for the acoustics
of new buildings and explains the
requirements and solutions to...
provide acoustic conditions in schools
that facilitate clear communications
of speech between teachers and
students. The key aim of a (speech
reinforcement) system is to increase
the loudness of the direct sound,
particularly for more distant listeners,
whilst keeping sound as natural
as possible. The distribution of
loudspeakers and their directional
characteristics is a key issue in
achieving high speech intelligibility.
For large teaching rooms and lecture
theatres, loudspeakers can be
distributed in the ceiling...
To recap, all new school buildings, in
the UK, MUST include acoustic
conditioning to provide high
performance voice clarity. So
what actually constitutes a
speech (voice) reinforcement
system? This seems to me to
be a rather ambiguous area.
For further information

on audio products
with comparisons and
manufacturer brochures,
please see links below:
Portable PA Systems
Amplifiers Mixers
Loudspeakers
Microphones
Music source
School amps
School speakers
According to the extract: key aim of

a speech reinforcement system is to
increase the loudness of the direct
sound, seems to indicate the teacher
would need some form of microphone
to speak into, an amplifier and
loudspeaker. It also says that for large
teaching rooms and lecture theatres,
loudspeakers can be distributed in
the ceiling. We recommend that you
check out regulations for yourself as
this is intended to be a guide only.
Chiayo portable PA
16-channel UHF USB
player and wired
handheld mic.
Wireless mic option.
Soundfield System including IRX2 Rec/Amp, 4 wall mount speakers, IR microphone
AUDIO: PA solutions for meeting rooms, leisure and education
PA solutions for
meeting rooms,
leisure and education
Amplifiers and mixers
are available as separate
units, however, you can
also purchase mixer amps
which are ideal with a pair
of loudspeakers, for basic
PA or background music for
rooms catering for up to 30
people. For room sizes of 50
people and above, then most
installations include a mixer
and an amplifier or mixer and
pre-amplifier.
A pre-amp is the signalling part of an
amplifier and lets you plug in sources
such as a tuner and CD player, as well
as allowing you to change volume,
treble and bass settings. The power
amp is the section of the amplifier that
drives the loudspeakers.
InterM 4-channel amplifier
Here we give you ideas for PA

solutions based on audience sizes.
There are numerous manufacturers of
audio equipment and Wedgwood AV
are able to obtain most makes and
models to suit your individual needs.
For larger installations, businesses
may employ the services of an audio
consultant, sometimes costing several
thousands of pounds. Wedgwood AV
have built up relationships with most
of the leading brand audio equipment
manufacturers and their distributors,
and thus are able to offer no-obligation
audio consultation and quotations as
part of our customer service, offering
solutions as to what is available
without being tied to any specific
brand. Please contact us.
For comparisons please visit:

Portable PA Systems
Audio products
PA solution for up to 15 people

Mixer amplifier
60 Watt compact, 3 inputs, 100v line and
low impedance switchable, optional rack
mount kit.
Pair wall mounted loudspeakers
One pair of 2-way wall mounted
loudspeakers in black or white, includes
mounting brackets. Suitable indoor or
sheltered outdoor, for example on a pub
cafe patio.
Lavalier (lapel) UHF microphone kit
Includes beltpack and lapel mic. UHF radio
frequency. Handheld or headset options
available.

Mixer amplifier
120 Watt, 6 inputs, 5-zone speaker selection,
telephone input, priority telephone, mic 1, mic 2,
chime and siren, optional rack mount kit.
2 x Pair wall mounted loudspeakers
Two pairs of 2-way wall mounted loudspeakers in
black or white, includes mounting brackets. Suitable
indoor or sheltered outdoor.
Includes beltpack and lapel mic. UHF radio
frequency. Handheld or headset options available.
2-channel amplifier
2 x150 Watt stereo (2-channel), low impedance amplifier.
Ideal for silent PA systems in recording studios,
broadcast, AV and live performances.
Pre-amplifier/mixer
Two output pre-amplifier mixer allows any of the 10 input
signals to be routed to Output 1, Output 2 or both. Ideal
for dual zone public address or audio visual installed
applications such as factories, leisure centres and hotels.
2 x Single loudspeakers
120 Watt, low impedance cabinet speaker in black or
white, can be wall or stand mounted, ideal for portable
or permanent installations in audio visual, presentation or
educational applications.
2 x speaker brackets
Includes beltpack and lapel mic. UHF radio frequency.
Handheld or headset options available.
PA solution for up to
100 people
4-channel amplifier
4 x120 Watt 4-channel amplifier, low
impedance, 2U high for rack mounting.
Pre-amplifier/mixer
As per PA solution for 50 people.
4x Single loudspeakers and 4 x speaker brackets
120 Watt, as per PA solution for 50 people.
As per solution for 50 people.
AUDIO: Induction loop systems
Induction loops
Although fitting
an induction
loop system isn't
UK law, making
provision so
the hearing
impaired aren't
disadvantaged
is...
Legalities aside, it shows you
care when you ensure that your
establishment is helping staff, students
and visitors with special needs to
use your facilities and educational
programmes.
A person in a wheelchair will find it
easier to enter a building when there
is a ramp. For the hard of hearing, a
portable induction loop or a room loop
kit, enables them to participate more
fully in activities.
According to Action on Hearing Loss
(formerly the Royal National Institute for
the Deaf), over 10 million people (one
in six of the UK population) are deaf or
hard of hearing. An estimated 2 million
of these people have hearing aids.
Lobbying by such organisations has
led to increased awareness of the
difficulties faced by hearing impaired
people and, as such, numerous UK
Standards, Acts and Schemes make
recommendations for the provision of
auxiliary aids such as induction loop
systems for the hard of hearing.
SigNET, a manufacturer of
induction loop systems, has a free
AFILS guide on its website:
SigNETs free AFILS guide
http://signet-ac.co.uk
Wedgwood AV's Induction Loop,
Sound Reinforcement and PA
System guide 2015 is available
free from:
In the UK, the installation of induction

loop systems is governed by
BS7594 (The Code of Practice for
Audio-Frequency Induction Loop
Systems) and EN60118-4 (Magnetic
field strength in audio frequency
induction loop systems for hearing
aid purposes), copies of which are
available from the British Standards
Institute, 389 Chiswick High Road,
London W4 4AL. Tel: +44 (0)20 8996
9000. Web: www.bsigroup.com
SigNET's portable induction loop kit
Portable induction loops

The simplest and most cost effective
way to provide a service for the
hearing impaired, especially on a one
to one basis is to use a portable loop,
which is placed between the two
people speaking.
Audio-frequency induction loop

systems (AFILS) allow hearing impaired
people to hear more clearly.
Most hearing aids have a T or MT
switch that allows them to pick up the
electromagnetic field generated by an
induction loop system. The hearing
aid converts this signal to a sound
suited to the users specific hearing
requirements.
Any person with a hearing aid
positioned within or near the loop can
hear the loop signal by switching their
hearing aid to the correct position,
allowing them to participate more
effectively in general conversation, take
part in lessons, listen to music and
videos, etc.
Although you will

have seen the ear
symbol with the
letter T, on stickers
in restaurants, bank
counters and other
public areas, you may
not have been aware
of any legal
requirements

Counter loop kits
These are also available on the market
and you may have seen these installed
in banks and railway and bus station
ticket offices, where the customer
services person sits behind a glass
counter.
Counter induction loops
For information on
Induction loops including
manufacturers' brochures
please click the links:
Induction loop system

An induction loop system comprises
the following main elements:
Induction loop kits and loop

amplifiers
Audio source - typically a

microphone, television or other
audio input (sometimes more than
one)
Induction loop amplifier
The loop - typically one or two
turns of wire usually run around
the perimeter of the room or a
special counter loop fixed to the
underside of a table or desk
Receiver(s) - any hearing aid with
a T or MT switch or a specially
designed loop listening device.
In addition to the many benefits for

hearing aid users, induction loop
systems can also be used for other
limited area broadcasting applications
such as museum walk through
guided tours and surveillance talkback
systems.
Some induction loop systems may
require additional audio sources
such as multiple microphone or line
level inputs. To facilitate this, for
example, many of SigNETs PDA
range amplifiers include a patented
Outreach socket which allows the
connection of multiple inputs via a
range of specially designed single
gang audio connector plates.
Installed induction loop room kits

There are various types of induction
loops available; portable induction
loops; counter loop systems; audio
bridge system with loop facility and
installed induction loop kits such as:

Meeting room kit

Place of worship kit
Health & Fitness club kit
Waiting room kit
TV or music lounge kit
Small room kit with plated mic
Small room kit with tie desk mic
Microphones
The most common microphones
used in induction loop systems
are electret lectern, handheld,
boundary and lavalier microphones
as they have the highest tolerance
of magnetic feedback. Best practice
(though not always possible) is to
place the microphone(s) as close as
possible to the speaker. Dynamic
microphones should not be used as
they contain moving coil magnets
which can be affected by the
magnetic field generated by the loop.
SigNET's loop amplifiers
Microphones
AUDIO: Phased-array induction loop systems
Phased-array induction
loop system
SigNET's DLR Dual induction loop amplifier kits for Phased Array loops
What is a phased-array
induction loop system?
A phased-array induction
loop system works by
producing two AFILS signals
that are 90 out of phase with
each other. These signals are
connected to two induction
loops laid out in a special
overlapping pattern. The
resultant magnetic field
is evenly spread within
the covered area and the
field strength falls off very
quickly outside the loop.
This solution is ideal for sites
where minimal overspill and
consistent coverage, i.e. no
dead spots, is essential.
Comparisons, UK pricing and

manufacturers' brochures:
Induction loop kits and
phased-array loop kits
SigNET's DLR Dual induction loop amplifier kits are designed to simplify the
installation of a phased-array induction loop system. Suitable for areas up to
200m2, 500m2 or 1000m2 (depending on the model), each pre-wired DLR kit
features two PDA Pro-Range induction loop amplifiers, an APPS Phase Shifter
and two outreach plates providing one XLR mic and one dual phono input, all in a
4U height enclosure. Ideal for use in high-profile professional AFILS applications
where minimal overspill and consistent loop coverage is essential.
Before designing a system you may like to

answer the following questions which may
help you in finding the correct solution...
What is the area used for (reception, meeting room,
lecture theatre, etc)?
Do you require an audio input from a TV/video?
Do you require an input from an existing PA system?
Do you require fixed or mobile microphones?
Do any rooms next or close to the area require a
separate system?
What are the dimensions of the area - length, width
and height?
Where can the loop cable be installed - ceiling / floor
void, in floor screed, under floor covering or wall?
What is the ceiling height and how is it constructed?
Is there any steel or other metals around the building?
Does it need to be a secure system with little
overspill?
If you would like a PDF copy of SigNET's AFILS guide
which features a variety of induction loop solutions,
please contact us
Induction loop testers
Magnetic field strength meter
Induction loop testers are available that

allow you to test that a loop is working
properly.
Locating the loop at ear height can
cause an uncomfortably strong signal
for the user when they are too close to
the loop cable.
Loop cable is normally run round the
perimeter of a room, either at ceiling
height, ideally 2.5 3m from the floor,
or can be run under the carpet. It all
depends on the room, acoustics and
application. The loop doesnt have to
cover the whole room, just an area, as
in a church or a bowling alley. Where
there are doors or windows, try to
run the loop cable at one level above
or below the obstruction and if this is
not possible ensure the amplifier has
sufficient coverage to compensate
for wasted power. A competent loop

installer will advise on the best way
to install your loop kit and test it after
installation.
SigNET's FoSmeter Pro induction
loop test kit, which includes a signal
generator complete with pre-loaded
test tones and a set of headphones,
simplifies the setup of an induction
loop system to the latest BS EN
60118-4 (Magnetic field strength
in audio-frequency induction
loops for hearing aid purposes).
As well as checking the magnetic
field strength of an induction loop
system, it also measures background
noise, frequency response, metal
compensation and allows you to listen
to the loop signal. Powered from a
9V PP3 battery, it is supplied with a
protective canvas carrying case.
Outreach plates
Wall mounted, ceiling or desk
mountable single gang audio input
plates are specifically designed to
increase the audio input capability of
an induction loop system. Covering
most of the common variants of audio
connector, they work by mixing the

signals from various input sources into
one balanced line level input which
can be fed into the line input of a
compatible amplifier.
SigNET's induction loop receiver
SigNET's FoSmeter induction loop test kit
Wedgwood AV supply
induction loops and testers
to education, healthcare,
hotels, churches, retail,
leisure and hospitality venues
and businesses in the UK.
For details please visit:
Outreach plates
Mountable on 25mm back boxes,

each Outreach plate features a builtin mixer, pre-amp, input level control
and balanced output. As they can
be installed at the most convenient
point on an installation, it overcomes
the need for long and potentially
hazardous microphone or audio
leads. Typically, any mix of up to 10
Outreach plates can be daisy chained
to one balanced line level input with
cable lengths of up to 100m easily
achievable using standard two-pair
audio cable with no recognisable
degradation of audio signal quality.
CASE STUDY: Oak Park High School use Video Conferencing for CDP
Oak
Park
High
School
use
Video
Conferencing for Continuing
Professional Development
Oaks Park High School (OPHS) in
the London Borough of Redbridge
have been using video conferencing
to support professional development
opportunities for their Geography
Department by connecting directly via
secure, interoperable video link to the
Geographical Association (GA) based
in Sheffield to learn about progression
and assessment at KS3 in the new
Geography curriculum.
Faizaan Ahmed, Head of Geography
OPHS, Using video conferencing
(VC) works for Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) because its a
cheaper option; easy for more people
to attend instead of only one person
who then needs to feedback and we
would certainly like to get involved and
do more. Compared to any face to
face CPD event you still get the same
response especially since we were
emailed all the materials beforehand
and you can see the shared screen as
a group so it is even more effective.
The Yorkshire Humberside Grid
for Learning (YHGfL) and the
Geographical Association have
had a close relationship for many
years in the use of Geographical

Information System (GIS) and mapping
technologies in the Yorkshire and
Humber regions schools.
As YHGfL have been delivering on-line
CPD for some years they have started
working with the GA to help them do
the same. It was decided as more
schools were taking on VC and the
availability of the no cost to school
JANET Desktop system that they
would deliver CPD via VC. This would
give them the opportunity of a talking
heads connection with the ability to
deliver content like images, slideshows
and videos. As they would be using
the JISC (v-scene) system it would
also give them the ability to connect to
more than one school at a time, crucial
for inter school discussions and the
ability to record any sessions for future
use.
The help from YHGfL came first in the
form of demonstration and training
followed by discussion with GA staff
about starter pilots. The GA resources,
normally delivered face to face need
adjusting slightly to enable delivery
over VC. YHGfL then organised a
demonstration system of AVer Class

HD to be loaned from AVer and
advised and tested the infrastructure
at the GA headquarters to support the
VC links.
When installed, a number of training
sessions was organised with the
GA staff and the registration of the
system on JANETs video conferencing
booking system. Working with the GA
they are now setting up more sessions
with the regions schools.
YHGfL feel most CPD suppliers will
benefit greatly from the use of VC,
schools are finding it harder to release
teachers for face to face meetings,
both in time and cost and totally
wipes away those travel and venue
costs. VC CPD can be delivered
to a single or multiple site. As some
content may need to be paid for, it
gives schools the ability to split the
cost. Through the booking system
all links can be scheduled with all
participants receiving an email which
helps to manage the link up, the
booking system also has the ability to
set up recurring bookings and record
any sessions. VC also allows those

ad-hock sessions, where a session
can be started immediately maybe to
discuss a problem or look at a change.
Andrew Lickley, E-learning manager,
YHGfL quotes: "Through using AVer
Class HD and the JANET booking
service both video and content can be
delivered bringing a near face to face
experience to the participants. The
Janet VC Services (JVCS) also allows
participants to connect via a number
of technologies from full H323 video
conferencing, Janet desktop, and
Phone. Because its connected to the
education network it will give a safe
and secure connection to schools,
other systems may not be able to
connect to schools in the same way."
Conferencing Equipment
AVer video conferencing multi-point
Jessica Pugh, Humanities teacher,

OPHS, .normally you have one
opportunity as a teacher to attend
a course throughout the year thats
paid for. If you use VC for such
opportunities after school, as a
teacher, you have much more variety.
What OPHS did to connect to the
GA
The school wanted to video
conference using a secure,
interoperable, high quality video link,
one that they could use regularly
and reliably to connect with content
providers to bring professional
development opportunities from
experts into classrooms. The solution
had to offer high quality audio and
video for speaking and listening.
1. They used an affordable VC codec
(for the cost of only 3 iPads) the AVer
ClassHD
2. With installation support from AVer
and their Schools IT unit, the school
installed the hardware onto their
network.
3. With support from (Video
conferencing for Learning) VCfL the
school registered with Janet VC
Services and booked conferences
to local schools via JVCS booking
system.
4. OPHS contacted the GA through
Janet content providers and the
YHGfL.
What your school needs to
connect securely to experts for
CPD via video conference
1. VC hardware - affordable, secure
and providing a high quality, reliable
connection - see - AVer ClassHD from
VCfL.
2. A broadband connection that
supports VC - see DfE guidelines
3. Registration on JISC v-scene
AVer video conferencing point-to-point
Turning Leaf lecterns
For information on video

conferencing systems
with manufacturers'
brochures please click
the links:
Video conferencing systems
Unicol Axia trolley with VC shelf
AVer video conferencing

Conferencing equipment
DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Digital signage at the centre of school life
Digital signage at the

centre of school life
Repeat Signage displays staff information
Sharing information and

collaboration between
students, administration
staff and teachers, when
digital signage is at the
centre of the hub, can
play a part in building
and maintaining a
school community that
involves everyone
and gives a sense of
belonging to 'our school'
Looking back at my teacher days
I remember one of the biggest
staff room moans was lack of
communication. Staff absences,
replacement teachers, last minute
changes to timetables, cancelled sport
events due to inclement weather,
all and more of these played a part
in causing little annoyances - and
that's before the school day had even
started!
Nowadays, the buzzword is

'collaboration' with more emphasis
on sharing information and looking at
ways of working together, be that staff
to staff, teachers and students and
teachers to parents and visitors.
I attended a morning staff assembly
recently at a local academy where
the headteacher not only gave out
notices of what was happening that
week but also congratulated specific
staff members on their achievements
and school activities. That was great
but how much better if there was a
large LCD LED screen in the assembly
hall displaying all the relevant daily
notices and upcoming events using
digital signage software. Take this a
stage further, and have display screens
around the campus and not only do
you keep the staff involved in the
assembly meeting informed, but the
whole school community. I'm sure
the dinner ladies would have loved to
know a little more about school life too!
With display screens showing same
content in some areas and different
content in others, for example, staff
notices only in the staff room, you
keep control of displayed information.
Let's assume that schools and

colleges think it's a great idea to
have digital signage presentations
not only in the reception area, which
many schools have, but also around
the campus, in the staff room,
the adminstration office, college
restaurants and student areas
including the library and sports centre.
This then raises the question as to
who is going to take ownership for
creating the content. After all, isn't
digital signage software just another
piece of software to learn! And many
teachers are busy already. Then why
not make it a whole school project and
generate income from it as well.
Most schools have PowerPoint
presentations and digital signage
software such as Repeat Signage,
has a PowerPoint scheduler control
that will allow existing PowerPoint
presentations to be displayed in the
signage presentation.
However, Repeat Signage can do
so much more - displaying visitor
welcome messages, alerting attention
to fire drill practice, wayfinding and
information for visitors, scheduling

reminders to parents of times and
dates of after-school clubs and PTA
events, showcasing achievements be
that of staff or students and happy
birthday announcements. Videos can
be displayed of past events, such as
sports day or open days.
Schools and colleges can also
generate revenue by advertising,
for example, local fitness instructor
using the school hall for aerobics;
piano teachers offering lessons; local
educational book supplier, etc.
Repeat Signage digital signage
software includes advert templates
and makes it easy to insert pictures,
add text (even over the picture itself)
and save as a Repeat picture. Then all
you do is bring all the Repeat pictures
into a presentation play list and leave it
to play out on a display screen.
You can schedule your playlists of
presentations to be displayed at
different times of the day or week,
useful when you want to plan ahead.
Repeat Signage 2015 Standard
and Professional editions include
database support which allows
content to be collected and displayed
from a database, opening up many
opportunities, such as displaying
country flags for a school geographic
project. Repeat Signage
Isn't digital signage software
expensive?
Repeat Signage software licence
is a one-off fee, per PC playing a
presentation. For a primary school,
for example, who just want to display
presentations in the reception area
and update content from a shared
network drive, then Repeat Signage
Standalone, with basic features, is
ideal and costs 145+VAT, with no
on-going costs.
Repeat Signage Standard edition has
full features and is all-in-one software
in that you design, schedule and play
your presentations onto a display
screen. Licence is per PC playing the
presentations and costs 245+VAT.
In addition, you can easily create RSS
feeds, update your presentations
remotely over the Internet and
access 3,000+ images to use in your
presentations at www.repeatserver.
com which is a free online portal.
Repeat Signage Professional is
designed for up to 4-screen video
Repeat Signage 2015 edition includes database support
walls and has the same features as the

Standard edition. Licence is per PC
attached to 4-screen video wall, at a
one-off cost of 345+VAT. All editions
have touch screen support and trial
edition download is available.
Can students create digital
signage content?
When Repeat Signage was launched
in 2009, they threw open a challenge
to primary school children to design
a presentation in 15 minutes. It was
tested by 10 year old Stephanie, who
followed the simple 2 minute video
and created a basic presentation in
minutes. Then left with a few images
and her imagination, she designed her
own presentation, only asking how to
make the clock pink!
All Saints' Primary School in
Thurlestone, then took up the
challenge for their pupils to design
a new display for their foyer. They
wanted something that would be
dynamic which they could personalise
and eye-catching for parents.
Their IT teacher, Richard Haysom,
commented: "It was fun and easy to
use, online videos helped. It worked
on our standard school laptops and
PCs, looks professional, has many
great tools. The team liked the clocks,
analogue for the little ones in the
school, backed up by a digital clock,
we also liked the date being built in
too. We shall extend the use of Repeat
Signage software to Year 5 and Year 6
in the next school year and know it willl
serve the school well. It was a good,
fun task in a busy week with a good
outcome." See full story
Building communities with digital

signage
Too often, one or two teachers are
tasked with the responsibility to create
digital signage presentations and
what happens when they leave? By
creating a whole school or whole
campus community with everyone
contributing to the content by taking
photos and videos and creating
presentations, either as part of the
school curriculum or project, this all
adds up to greater sense of feeling
involved in school life and collaborative
working.
Repeat Signage, developed in the UK
by Repeat Software, and used in 27
countries, offers outstanding support,
including free email support, free online
training videos and help menu. Plus
free online portal at www.repeatserver.
com for easy RSS newsfeed creation
and remote updating of presentations
from anywhere in the world.
Repeat Signage trial download
Credit account available for schools,
academies and colleges in the UK.
All Saints' Primary School, Thurlestone
DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Digital signage media players
Digital signage
media players
Not everyone wants
Cloud based SaaS
(Software as a Service)
for their digital signage
solutions, so here we
look at some options...
Stand alone signage players

Digital signage software can be
installed onto a media player (mini
PC) or Android player, depending
on compatibility with your display
screen and signage software chosen.
Some players include pre-installed
digital signage software. The player
connects to your display screen to
play your digital signage presentations.
Digital signage software licences vary,
depending on brand. Media players
are available for use with single or
multiple display screens.
All-in-one solution
Samsung MagicInfo is an intuitive
content creation and management
solution with an embedded player
built into Samsung's Display Solutions
Large Format Displays (LFD). The
embedded software enables you to
schedule and play media files, which
can be stored on the screen's internal
hard drive, a remote server, a set-back
box, or a USB, depending on your
requirements.
Digital signage players

Digital signage software
Large format display screens
NEC Slot-in PC is a complete PC

solution, compatible with NEC Large
Format Displays (LFD) featuring the
OPS slot and also NEC PX and PH
Series installation projectors.
Cloud based SaaS solutions

There are digital signage software
publishers offering cloud based
Software as a Service (SaaS). The
software is licenced on subscription,
normally payable monthly or annually,
with content being centrally created,
scheduled and published to your
display screens, over the Internet.
OPS Slot-in PC's
Large format displays are available with
OPS (Open Pluggable Specification)
expansion slot for a Slot-in PC, which
eliminates the need for an external
PC and its cabling and power supply.
NEC Display Solutions's large format
displays (LFD) V-Series, P-Series and
X-Series include an expansion slot for
separately purchased Slot-in PC.
For comparisons please visit:

NEC P-Series Professional LFD

AOPEN DE3250
AOPEN specialises in ultra-small form

factor computing and digital signage
hardware, software and services.
Nexcom B323 digital signage player
Edis AV mini PC player
Edis AV manufacture media players

(mini PC) and comes stand alone
or preloaded with Repeat Signage
digital signage software.
Nexcom, a global company,

manufacture players for industrial use,
transporation and for digital signage
applications. Compact and fanless
design, the players are almost silent.
The Nexcom NDiS B842 supports
4 independent HDMI displays.
SpinetiX high-end media

players, non-PC based,
therefore no moving parts nor
maintenance. Comes with
Fusion software.
Spinetex HMP-130
Did you know about

these products...
Poster board signs and
concierge desks?
A thing of the past
Replace drab notice boards and desks
with Peerless-AV's sleek digital signage
kiosks. Designed to best support an
ultra-thin display, this kiosk is sure to
make an impact with your reception
visitors. Whether
you're advertising,
displaying a digital
directory, or way
finding, this solution
offers a versatile, up to
date option.
Click the
images for
more details
Elo Touch
Solutions
Elo Touch Solutions
specialise in touch
screens with choice of
touch technologies to
suit specific applications.
Their Large Format
Display Interactive Digital
Signage Touchscreen
(IDS) range in sizes 32"
to 70" from 2-point touch
to 10-point touch. Compatible with Intel Open Pluggable Specification
with optional adapter kit. Ideal for education and meeting rooms.
Unicol Rhobus
Huddle for
collaborative
working
Huddle together for
group learning and
team meetings. Various
shapes, corporate colours
with single or multiple
screen mountings.
Leisure meets learning

Sony's 60" BRAVIA professional Full HD LED display offers students
the ideal combination between a learning and leisure tool. Plentiful
connections and on-board WiFi networking mean students have easy
access to a wide variety of online tools, plus, the U-Touch overlays turn
this screen into an engaging 6-point interactive display.
Service innovation
at your fingertips
Toshiba WILLPOS A20 is a 15" Point of
Sales (POS) display for those looking to
serve student needs. The powerful, low
energy processor gives Point of Sale
peformance whilst reducing running costs
and CO2 emissions.
SUCCESS STORY: Repeat Signage digital signage software
Merryhill School proudly

showcases school events
with Repeat Signage
Merryhill School, in Roseville, California, is part of the
Nobel Learning Communities, Inc., a network of more than
180 private schools with a commitment to outstanding
preschools, elementary and middle schools. Our schools
around the country are all supported by the Nobel Learning
Communities Education Department, a team of highly skilled
experts in curriculum design, instruction and assessment.
We wanted a way to communicate with our

parents a variety of information. We are a small
school and we wanted to be able to provide
information on our various events and at the
same time have the ability to show images and
videos of events passed. We have a great
close community feel on campus and Repeat
Signage is a powerful tool to help us show
how great our community is.
The decision to move to digital signage from
PowerPoint was easy. We wanted something
that would be dynamic, customization and
eye catching for our parents. We wanted
more flexibility when it came to how to display
content and what types of content we wanted
to display.
With Repeat Signage digital signage software

we are able to display vital information for our
parents such as upcoming events, student
information and information about our school
community. Digital signage gives us the
ability to display current events using an
RSS feed from our schools online calendar,
display a ticker of information for quick
notices to parents, a way to recognize our
students birthdays each month and a slide
show of our students at various events.
The flexibility of the software makes it easy
to create screens that can be themed for
holidays or to show our school colors. The
ability to add music playlists allows us to play
festive music for our holidays without having
to manage an audio player.
Being a small school we wanted something
that was easy to use, fit in our budget and
could be implemented with ease. For us
this was simply hooking up a television to
a PC and running the software on that PC.
The setup was pretty easy and the results
have been extremely positive. Our parents
are amazed and love being able to come
in and see what is going on in our school
community."
Easy to use digital signage software

Repeat Signage is easy to use digital signage
software for Windows. You can create, edit
and play a simple presentation in minutes.
View our 2 minute video to see how easy it is.
www.repeatsoftware.com/Training.aspx
Repeat Signage 2015 released and free
upgrade for existing customers. Now includes
database support. Download a trial edition of
Repeat Signage www.repeatsoftware.com
"Repeat Signage not only met our

needs it has given us other options
to think about that we did not know
were possible. We had originally
planned on just using a PowerPoint
presentation, but Repeat Signage
has expanded our abilities and has
us looking into other content that we
could use to showcase our school.
Aaron Kinz, Technology Teacher,
Merryhill School, Roseville, CA.
Unicol AV lectern
Optoma projectors
Staff development
for learning and assessment
How technology
helps me teach...
Information and
Learning Technology
(ILT) is an important
aspect of college life.
'Digital native' students
use technology as a
matter of course with
smart phones and
tablets fast becoming
the norm, making it
even more important
for staff development
and training to keep
up-to-date with
technology and
incorporate it into
teaching, learning and
assessment.
The days of classrooms, where the

teacher stands at the front of the
class, are all but gone, as technology
changes the way you teach.
I'm sure you'll agree it's important
for teachers to keep abreast of new
technology, especially in higher
education - you only have to look at
the technology students are using,
from smart phones and tablets and
now the latest trend of wearable
technology which includes gadgets
for tracking information for health and
fitness to smart watches.
and also SMART Board systems

comprising a SMART Board with
short throw (ST) or ultra short throw
(UST) projector on a fixed or height
adjustable wall frame.
The SMART LightRaise interactive
projector is especially designed for
use with dry-erase whiteboards.
Interactive whiteboards
Although you may have an interactive
whiteboard at the front of the
classroom, there is no need for
you to stay in one place, nor your
students. Teachers can, depending
on their interactive whiteboard, use
their tablet to annotate and change
what is on the whiteboard from
anywhere in the room. Multi-touch
boards now mean that 2, 3, 4 or more
students can come to the board and
interact simultaneously, promoting
collaboration and team work, whilst
helping to build student confidence.
SMART Board has dual touch and
multi-touch interactive whiteboards for
both education and corporate sectors
SMART Board system with UST projector
SMART Board interactive whiteboard
Promethean ActivBoard range of

interactive whiteboards, available
in sizes 78", 87" and 95" diagonal,
includes ActivInspire software.
ActivBoard6 Touch is both a dry-erase
and 6 user touch whiteboard so you
have the functionality of both traditional
whiteboard and interactive touch.
Promethean has an extensive range
of ActivBoard systems with choice of
projector and fixed or height adjustable
wall mount. Interactive whiteboards
can be given a new lease of life by

adding an eBeam or mimio device,
which when affixed to the board or
even a plain wall, turns a large area
interactive. eBeam Edge, for example,
is a small straight device, and along
with a laptop and micro size LED
projector, gives a complete interactive
solution for peripatetic teachers.
Portable interactive solutions
Interactive tables
In primary schools, rather
than children sitting at
traditional tables, they can
seat themselves in small
groups around interactive
tables. It was interesting,
at an exhibition, observing
both teachers and visitors
having great fun trying out
an interactive table, playing
educational games using
pinch and zoom gestures,
so familiar with smart
phones these days.
Promethean ActivTable, for
primary education, has 12
point touch for up to 6 children to use
at once to access a wealth of readyto-use educational activities, tools and
resources. Interactive tables
For primary education, the SMART
Table encourages small groups of
children to collaboration, encouraging
them to work together as they access
educational activities and resources.
Turn dry-erase whiteboards
interactive with portable devices
Even traditional dry-erase whiteboards
SMART kapp provides the same walkup and use experience, writing on the
board with a dry-erase board marker,
yet it has the built-in capacity to save
and share content. Up to 250 people
can be invited to share information
using the premium app (subscription),
or 5 with the regular app.
Taking this idea a stage further,
SMART kapp iQ is a multi-way,
interactive display that combines the
simplicity of a traditional
whiteboard with the
power of a 4K display. It
lets everyone, whether
in a meeting room or
classroom, see what is
written in real time.
Anyone can contribute
from their device, and
when they do, whatever
they write appears not only
on the kapp iQ, but is seen
by everyone instantly on
their own device and work
can be saved at any time
to a storage service.
Promethean ActivTable
Digital flip charts and dry-erase

whiteboards
SMART kapp have reinvented the
traditional dry-erase whiteboard by
combining a sleek, modern version of
a dry-erase board with a powerful app
that lets you save and share content
as it unfolds. You could replace your
flip chart with the 42" portrait model or
your dry-erase whiteboard with the 84"
landscape model.
You can host live sessions between

multiple SMART kapp iQ boards
across remote locations. Anything
written or shared on the SMART kapp
iQ is viewable on connected boards,
and participants are able to share right
back. Connect any Android or iOS
device to the SMART kapp iQ and you
can share and save in real time to any
connected laptop, tablet, smart phone
or other SMART kapp iQ boards
connected to a web browser. Available
in sizes 55" and 65".
Dry-erase whiteboards
TECHNOLOGY: Staff development for learning and assessment
InFocus BigTouch
Giant touch screen tablets

Large interactive touch screens, such
as the InFocus Mondopad series, in
sizes 57", 70" and 80" diagonal, are
effectively giant tablets enabling you
to present, annotate and collaborate
with students in the room and around
the world. You can share, view and
control from your notebook, tablet or
smart phone. Includes a full version
of Microsoft Office and has built-in
Windows PC.
Also in the InFocus range is the Big
Touch Series, a giant touch screen
PC with Windows 8 to combine the
fun of a tablet with the productivity of
a PC. JTouch interactive displays are
just touch in high definition (HD), whilst

for smaller working areas, the Q Tablet
with its 10.1" touch screen has long
battery life up to 8 hours, to easily get
students through the school day. The
Q Tablets also work seamlessly with
InFocus displays and projectors.
Sharp's Big Pad, in sizes 60" and 70",
with Full HD resolution (1920x1080),
uses infrared (IR) technology with 10
point touch for up to 4 people to use
the touch screen at any one time.
Sharp's 80" Big Pad has integrated
touch screen with easy to use pen
software, a module slot system and
streamlined communications via MFP
connection. Touchscreens
Unicol SMART kapp trolley
Unicol and Loxit have both designed

trolleys to fit the SMART kapp 42-inch
portrait digital flipchart. Kapp trolleys
Touch screen tablets and charging
solutions
You have only to look around a
college or university campus to see
all the tablets in use by students and
teachers, many of whom bring their
own devices into class. It then raises
the question of charging tablets and
perhaps offering a tablet loan service
to students. Tablets belonging to the
establishment need to be stored and
recharged overnight.
There are many leading brand
manufacturers offering tablet and
laptop storage and charging trolleys,
including AVer, Loxit, TOP-TEC
and Unicol, whilst ErgoMounts and
TOP-TEC offer laptop desk and wall
mounting solutions.
Loxit TabStand
Loxit Tabstore desk rack
AVer TabSync tablet sync and charging cart

Wireless radio mice
Wireless radio mice gives teachers the
freedom to wander around and control
their laptop or computer. Gyration
have a suite of solutions including
radio mice and/or radio mice and
keyboards. Radio mice
Visualisers
Visualisers, or document cameras as
they are also referred to, allow images
of documents and small 3D objects
to be captured and saved to either
an internal memory or SD card for
distribution by email or insertion into
documents. Ideal for use both in the
classroom and library, in lessons such
as Science, some models have the
ability to record experiments.
AVer Tabcam has a video capture
and streaming solution for tablets,
allowing teachers to stream,
present, annotate, record and share
live images via an iPad, Android
Windows 8 tablet, or PC/Mac.
The wireless TabCam camera and
TabCam app form a mobile teaching
and learning solution, again a useful
piece of equipment for peripatetic
teachers. Also, recorded information
can be shared via the Internet,
so lessons are available anytime,
especially useful for absent students to
catch up or for revision. Visualisers
Video conferencing systems

I visited an academy to discover
how a French teacher was teaching
A-Level French to a small number of
students in both her own classroom
and classrooms in other schools
within the education county, via video
conferencing (VC).
to connect to a PC, Mac and iPad

ensuring no conferences are missed.
Equipment used was a large format

display screen on a Unicol stand with
a shelf to place the VC camera and
codec (the part that connects the call
to other locations). The other locations
could be seen on a picture-in-picture
on the display screen, however a
second display screen on a twinscreen trolley would have allowed her
to view her other students 'as though
they were in the room'.
Large format displays

Large format displays (LFD) in the
classroom, such as NEC's E-Series
or V-Series, designed for commercial
use, are Full HD with LED backlight for
energy efficiency. The E-Series, in sizes
32", 42", 46", 55" and 65" diagonal,
are designed for 12/7 usage, whilst the
V-Series, in the same sizes but with an
additional 80" display, are designed for
16/7 usage and has an OPS slot for
optional Slot-in PC. The NEC P-Series
of professional displays are designed
for 24/7 usage and ideal in video
walls, as are the X-Series, the latter
having ultra-slim bezels especially
designed for video walls.
AVer TabCam visualiser
The EVC900 connects up to 10 sites.

This opens up many possibilities for
teachers and students to collaboration
with other establishments anywhere in
the world. Video conferencing
Samsung has a wide range of

large format display screens for
displaying information around the
campus and includes MagicInfo
Lite, basic HTML5 browser digital
signage software.
Large format displays over 30"
Digital signage
To encourage collaboration and
sharing of information, both in the
classroom and around the school
campus, of forthcoming school
activities with videos of past events,
student's course work, fire drill
and emergency messages, 'happy
birthday' messages, real-time clocks
and date and play lists of pictures and
other media can be displayed on large
format displays (LFD) and desktop
monitors in the classroom, reception,
restaurant and library using digital
signage software.
Lumens HD camera
HD cameras
Lumens, who also manufacturer
visualisers for the education and
business sectors, have high definition
(HD) pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ)
cameras in their range. The VC-G50,
for example, has high frame rate
supporting 60 frames a second, with
up to 128 user-defined preset modes
to allow ease of use. Compatible with
major video recording and lecture
capture codec. HD Cameras
The French teacher told me she was

pleased with this technology as it
allowed the schools to share teacher
resources and money saved on extra
staffing paid for the video conferencing
equipment.
AVer have two HD video conferencing
solutions, especially for the education
market, the EVC300 for small to
medium size organisations for
connecting up to 4 sites and their
Open Client-AV software allows you
Some signage software, such as

Repeat Signage, allow you to insert
existing PowerPoint presentations,
collect and display information from
a database, and supports touch
screens. Repeat Signage offers free
access to online training videos, help
menu, sample presentations and email
support. Trial download
RepeatServer.com is a free service
that allows you to create and host
RSS feeds online, free of charge. This
online portal provides a way for Repeat
Signage digital signage software on
display screens to be updated from
anywhere in the world. Digital signage
CASE STUDY: Gyration suite helps BCOT deliver ILT resources to students
Gyration suite helps

Basingstoke College of
Technology deliver ILT
resources to students
For any other provider thinking of using the Gyro
Suite in their own organisation, Adam Johns makes
the following recommendations:

Roll out the Gyration Air Mouse Suite with

training
Demonstrate Gyration Air Mouse Suite
with suitable software and learning objects
to illustrate its strengths (2Connect and
Interactive PowerPoint slide shows are ideal)
and supply staff with ready-to-use templates
Get some suitable bags for transport and
storage
Create your own user documentation,
particularly instructions for setting up and
connection
Encourage tutors to start with small teaching
groups. Use the Gyration Air Mouse Suite
selectively (in the right place it will really add
interest)

Basingstoke College of
Technology (BCOT) needed
to find a cost-effective way
of ensuring its significant
investment in ILT resources was
made available to its students
whilst continuing to operate
in an aging site before the
much anticipated move to its
new build. In discovering and
implementing the Gyro Suite,
the College found much more
than just a low-cost alternative to
the interactive whiteboard.
About Basingstoke College of
Technology (BCOT)
BCOT is a general further education (FE)
college in the North Hampshire Borough
of Basingstoke and Deane. BCOT is
largely based on a single campus close
to centre of Basingstoke. In addition, it
has one IT Community Learning Centre
at Chineham, an Engineering Centre
(BETA) on the outskirts of the town
centre and a lease on an industrial unit
which is the centre for brickwork and
painting and decorating provision.
The College offers courses in 14 sector
subject areas (based within eight
curriculum departments, plus Adult
Education) at all tiers from entry level to
higher education programmes. The vast
majority of the Colleges courses are
employment related. BCOT is also a
key provider of work-based learning
(WBL) which is organised through the
Apprenticeship Department. The College
employs approximately 668 staff of
whom 338 are permanent.
The challenge
BCOT has ploughed a huge amount
of effort and resources into the
development of its ILT infrastructure,
as evidenced by: the installation of
one projector and whiteboard in every
classroom; the addition of at least
one interactive whiteboard within
each curriculum area (making a total
of 20 throughout the College); the
appointment of an ILT Coordinator; and
the creation of its dedicated ILT resource
centre.
However, because the site is quite
old and many future plans have to be
structured around the new build (now
completed), many classrooms only have
one PC. The burning issue was how
to make all the Colleges extensive ILT
resources available to its students before
the move to the new build? For Adam
Johns, IT/ILT Manager

and Lesley Beasant, ILT
Coordinator, the answer
was the Gyration Air
Mouse Compact Suite,
a wireless mouse and
keyboard combination
allowing remote
interface to a PC up to
a distance of 9m.
The activity
the College purchased
20 Air Mouse Suites
as a direct result of a
demonstration given
by the JISC RSC South
Easts Accessibility
Gyration Air Mouse suite
Advisor, Artie Vosel
Newman, during an ILT
In order to encourage tutors to use the
Health Check at the beginning of the
Gyration Air Mouse Suite, Adam Johns
year. After a brief trial carried out in the
and Lesley Beasant were careful not
ILT Resources Area, Johns and
to simply hand the devices out to staff
Beasant were impressed with what
and run the risk of letting them gather
they perceived was robust,
dust in various cupboards.
simple yet effective technology.
Initially, the ILT Support Team used
The Gyration's wireless RF Keyboard
the Gyration Air Mouse Suite when
has a 30m range and, unlike infrared
demonstrating 2Connect mind
models, has no line-of-sight limitations.
mapping software to all curriculum
The keyboard is lightweight and
areas, emphasising to staff just how
durable and includes conveniently
well they operate
placed Internet and multimedia keys
together. Following this, each
allowing users to perform common
department was offered a Gyro Suite
tasks with one push of a button. The
providing it booked training with
mouse doubles up as an advanced
the ILT Support Team that involved
motion-sensing GyroRemote 'in air'
uploading departmental resources
controller or desktop optical mouse
onto the Moodle VLE. Johns feels that
(also with a 9m range). The complete
this strategy has been successful. It
Gyro Suite comprises the keyboard,
had the desired effect as we have
mouse, RF receiver with USB
trebled the number of courses on
connector and mouse charger.
Moodle from 60 to 180 in the six
months since the Gyration Air Mouse
According to Adam Johns and Lesley
Suite has been available.
Beasant, the advantages of using the
Gyration Air Mouse Suite include:
The Gyration Air Mouse Suite is very
The ability to take the keyboard
easy to use, so in theory doesnt
and mouse to the student
require any specific or dedicated
(addressing mobility and
training. However, each keyboard/
accessibility issues)
mouse combination is supplied with a
Encouragement of participation
written guide for simple housekeeping
due to its mobility
and troubleshooting.
Providing a non-threatening
method of encouraging students
The outcome
to participate (compared to asking
Adam Johns sums things up: "Its a
students to come to the front of
cost-effective tool and a viable lowthe class)
cost alternative to using an interactive
Speed of collaboration (compared
whiteboard, particularly where
to getting students to come to the
inclusion, participation and
single classroom computer one
interaction are priorities. However,
by one)
what we are also discovering is the
Increased inclusivity, particularly
positive impact that the Gyro Suite
for shy students
is having on many other areas of
The fact that the wireless mouse
teaching and learning.
doubles up as a projector remote
This case study was produced by JISC
controller
RSC (Regional Support Centres) South East
Helping to eliminate hiding
on behalf of the Excellence Gateway, with
places for students in class
permission of Gyration. Gyration products
Education equipment
Comparisons
Optoma projectors
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Comparisons
SMART 8070i and SMART Podium
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Teaching

How technology helps me teach...

Contributions should be emailed to the

Wedgwood AV Ltd., suppliers of

Teaching Technology for Education is

Free prize draws

Thank you to manufacturers for providing

All information is accurate to the best

Copyright 2011-2015 Wedgwood AV Ltd.

Cover image and above:

06 Sound reinforcement and PA

08 PA Solutions for meeting rooms,

16 Digital signage at the centre

12 Phased array induction loop system

13 Induction loop testers and

14 Case study: Oak Park School use

18 Digital signage players

19 Did you know about these

20 Success story: Merryhill School

02 Copyright 2015 Teaching Technology www.teachingtechnology.co.uk

Merryhill School in Roseville, California,

Projector and Presentation Equipment guide 2015

Gyration suite of wireless radio mouse and keyboard

22 Staff development for learning and

We welcome your feedback, especially

Linda S. Adams - Editor

26 Case study: Gyration suite helps

30 Free prize draws

Chance to win one of 10 Repeat Signage

Teaching Technology for Education how technology helps me teach...

Available free from www.wedgwood-group.com

COLLABORATION: A Triumph for collaborative education

In the education sector,

With products that are innovative,

04 Copyright 2015 Teaching Technology www.teachingtechnology.co.uk

class interactive whiteboard with

2015 Teaching Technology

Officially distributed in the UK

TRIUMPH Board comparisons

The magic touch

Android Series offers all the benefits of

Gaining increasing popularity in

For any audio visual system to be

TRIUMPH BOARD 8" Tablets

Easily fitting into a childs hand, the

Wedgwood AV Ltd., UK audio visual suppliers 01754 769967 www.wedgwood-group.com 05

AUDIO: Sound reinforcement and PA systems

Chiayo range of portable PA systems

There are so many

Ask an airport announcer what a PA

06 Copyright 2015 Teaching Technology www.teachingtechnology.co.uk

Portable PA systems are those that

2015 Teaching Technology

concerns over teachers voice fatigue

For further information

According to the extract: key aim of

Soundfield System including IRX2 Rec/Amp, 4 wall mount speakers, IR microphone

Wedgwood AV Ltd., UK audio visual suppliers 01754 769967 www.wedgwood-group.com 07

AUDIO: PA solutions for meeting rooms, leisure and education

InterM 4-channel amplifier

Here we give you ideas for PA

For comparisons please visit:

2015 Teaching Technology