Volume 13, Issue 19 — October 2, 2020

rAVe ED [Education] — Volume 13, Issue 19

October 2, 2020 | Volume: 13 | Issue: 19

Hello everyone, and happy spooky season! It’s me — your favorite host — back in your inbox with a pretty big issue of rAVe Ed! It has been quite the month in almost every AV vertical, but I don’t have to tell you guys that. From ISE being moved around to the same month as InfoComm and DSE being canceled forever as Exponation filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy — I am just trying to tread water over here.

It seems like most people agree, and the columns prove it! Let Scott Tiner walk you through some of the problems he has been having with Zoom over on the ed side — I think you all will agree with his frustrations. Also, we have a couple of features from our good pals at Futuresource Consulting. In the first, you can learn a little more about the thing we’ve been preaching until we’re blue in the face: hybrid learning. But is it our savior during COVID-19? Read to find out. The other Futuresource column is about esports education investment: another thing that Gary Kayye has been saying is important! Finally, Gary himself wrote a column for this issue that talks about some new (interesting) features that Microsoft Teams added in its most recent update.

Peep the product news below to learn about Epiphan’s latest encoder for its Pearl family, Epson’s new ultra-short-throw projectors, the update for Roland Cloud and more. Oh, and we can’t forget to give you the most recent information on Almo’s fall E4 Evolution dates. Check those out too.

Finally, there are a couple of case studies this time that I think you’ll find interesting. Catch Nureva’s HDL300 in action at Duquesne University, and Sony’s projectors at Minnesota State!

— Steph Beckett

COLUMNS

+ Dear Zoom: Love Letter or Dear John Letter? [Scott Tiner]

We began using Zoom three years ago as a corporate replacement for Skype. The technical staff and our faculty and staff absolutely loved it. Slowly, we acquired more and more licenses. Then in March of 2020, COVID hit, and Zoom went from an essential tool to a business-critical application. And that is when my frustration with it started.

+ Hybrid Learning: A Key Investment for Universities in Response to COVID-19 [Michael Boreham]

Make no mistake: COVID-19 has caused incredible disruption to higher education. As campus living is stripped from the usual buzz of freshers’ week, students are understandably concerned about how university is set to become a not-so-memorable experience. With physical lectures restricted, a 10 p.m. curfew on nightlife, and all sporting events canceled, students are either pushing back against paying full tuition fees or deferring their studies entirely. For many colleges and universities, the drop in revenue is likely to be painful, with most relying on charges levied on students to remain financially secure.

+ Microsoft Teams Playing Catch-Up With Zoom; Adds Nifty Custom Layouts, Better Breakout Rooms and Killer Meeting Recap Features [Gary Kayye]

There’s no doubt that Microsoft Teams has been playing catch-up with Zoom for months; some would argue years. But, this week, Microsoft upped its game by adding a host of features that even Zoom power-users will love. Here’s a summary look at each one.

+ Esports Education Investments Endure and Grow Amid Budget Restrictions [Chris Bull]

Throughout 2020, esports has been one of the most notable champions amid stay-at-home orders and social distancing policies. The industry has thrived, but it has certainly changed course from its pre-COVID trajectory, and even more so for its application in K-12 and higher education.