This week, TFC Info announced the completion of its latest report entitled “The Use of Projection and Interactive Whiteboards in Education 2011.”  TFC Info’s report examines and provides detailed information on the use of projectors and interactive whiteboards in both K-12 and higher education settings in the U.S.

Display technology has long offered improved methods of presentation and education. Until recently many of these multi-media tools were largely unavailable to educators due to the combination of high prices and limited budgets of non-profit educational institutions. However, the need to improve the learning process and enhance the educational experience has been driving AV purchases in educational institutions.

Video displays are more attainable now at their current prices, and AV technology is now a possibility for more and more schools, even in price-sensitive markets such as K-12. As more schools begin incorporating video displays in their technology initiatives, there is clearly a lot of business potential in the education market. This is why TFC Info has conducted this important research that compares and contrasts display usage, preferences, and purchasing habits of the most important user groups within the education market.

This research has revealed some very interesting insights into the competitive interaction of the different display technologies. Projectors perform well in comparison to other display devices, especially among those in higher education.   Projectors currently dominate in higher education due to screen size, and in K-12 due to price.

There is a strong interest in interactivity, especially in K-12. “Interactivity has progressed greatly, despite its additional cost. K-12 has made the most use of interactivity and thus gives a significantly higher priority to interactive features of video displays,” states Tanya Lippke, TFC Info Manager of Survey Market Research. “75 percent of those in K-12 state that on screen interaction is extremely/very important to them, compared to 46 percent in higher education.”

Currently interactive whiteboards are highly desired for K-12, but are not available in very large numbers yet partly due to price. Interactivity can be reached in all three technologies (projectors, whiteboards and flat panels), but right now interactive whiteboards dominate. Since a major obstacle to the acquisition of interactive displays has been price, the current emergence of lower priced interactive projectors and flat panels has the potential to have a major impact on the market position of interactive whiteboards and the rate of adoption of interactive displays in the education market.

This 260+ page report provides readers with the answers needed to more fully understand this market segment, and will enable them to approach this market in a more informed manner. Along with research conclusions of the overall education segment and usage of the displays, some important topics covered include: the install base for video displays, brand usage, future purchasing and important product characteristics, the purchase process (influencers, decision makers, frequency, and training), and much more.

Please contact Tanya Lippke, by email tmlippke@tfcinfo.com or by phone at (207) 783-0055 for a brochure and outline of the research report.