I often muse how things that are now trivial and taken for granted were absolute science fiction back when I was growing up. Think about it. We can now speak to someone on the other side of the planet with crystal clear video and audio on a flat panel display, installed in a wall if you like. It may as well be Star Trek. Now if they’d only invent time travel and teleportation, we’d be really impressed.

Coming from the days of overhead projectors and chalk boards, technology seems to be slowly replacing the old ways we used to do things and that includes education. No more messy transparency pens. No more asthma-inducing chalk dusters. You can almost get away with never having to write anything down thanks to the proliferation of iPads and laptops, which are now common in all sorts of places. Goodbye, 2B pencil. It was real.

But it’s not only the learner that benefits from the efficiency and ergonomics of technology. The lecturer too has access to new, exciting tools which help streamline the broadcasting of knowledge to the learner and keep things focussed on what everyone is there to do: learn.

The Tshwane University of Technology (formerly Technikon Northern Gauteng) as one would assume, is an institution that owes it to itself to stay abreast of current trends. They are, after all, a technology-driven institution. If learners want to go out there and tackle the tech world, there is no use only knowing how to use DOS if everyone’s using Windows 8, if you know what I mean?
For that reason a comprehensive upgrade of their campus facilities were commissioned in order to bolster the way lecturers are able to disseminate information.

Specialist AV installation and integration companies FROG AV and Audio Visual Center were selected for the installation, which was originally tendered for three companies. The workload, which was globally spec’d, was therefore handled by both companies albeit in separate, designated parts of the campus.

Warren Tree from Audio Visual Center comments. “The project has been going on for about a year now. It’s basically a major upgrade for the entire TUT organisation and was split between the two companies because of the sheer size of it.’

According to Kevin Gelman, Regional Sales Manager of Audio Visual Center, the original idea was to bring in another company to manufacture the podiums but since Audio Visual Center manufactures their own, they picked up the work load in that regard. In terms of the comprehensive upgrade, there are around three hundred TUT venues across the country where both FROG AV and Audio Visual Center have been commissioned for work. So, the while companies are both installing similar equipment, they work mutually exclusive from one another based on the division of work load among the venues. In terms of the challenges faced during the installation, Warren Tree comments once again.

“It’s also a case of their time lines being so tight. A lot of these venues you can only get into when they are in recess so that’s the reason they’re needing as many people as possible to work on them. For instance, the installation Kevin is starting now, we’ve only got the April/March recess to finish those auditoriums because after that they’re fully booked.’

The upgrades in general included a comprehensive upgrade of projectors and cabling centred on an Extron MLC226 IP push-button control system with the Extron MLC226 IP intercom system. Along with the control system, they have also integrated Extron’s GlobalViewer Enterprise software system whereby all control systems on the network can be monitored. This enables the user to get reports on usage of all networked components in the room and helps immensely in gathering data to indicate future plans of action. Routing and switching is handled by Extron MLS 406SA six input Medialink switchers.

Replacing the overhead projectors of old, Sony EVID70 ceiling-mountable document cameras, Dell 4220 XGA data/video projectors and a Grandview motorised screens were installed to disseminate documents to the learners. In the past, TUT lecturers have been accustomed to physically carrying all their presentation equipment to class. This including setup would take up to 30 minutes and and then a further 30 minutes for break-down. Of course, this time could have been better spent lecturing.

With the new upgraded systems, lecturers simply need a memory stick to present a class.
Full audio capabilities were installed throughout the upgrade. Beyerdynamic Revoluto microphones were integrated where necessary along with Behringer FBQ-100 feedback destroyers. For the presentation loudspeaker systems white Extron SM 3 flush mount speakers were installed, powered by the integrated stereo amplifiers of the MLS switchers.

In a few of the lecture halls where interactive white boards were not installed, smart podiums were spec’d. SMART Interactive Pen Displays were the go to choice. This enables the lecturer to give presentations and lessons while directly annotating with the magnetic pen or finger. The presentation and annotations are then reflected on the projector screen.
Of course, all the equipment had to be theft and vandalism proof so custom racks were manufactured and comprehensively installed. The podiums were also heavily secured to ensure nobody can tamper with the equipment inside.

The Wrap

Today learning does not just entail books and other archaic methods of distributing information. The internet, projection, in-classroom document cameras and networked control systems are making the accessibility of knowledge more streamlined and intuitive. I, for one, am impressed at what companies like FROG AV and Audio Visual Center are doing for our learning institutions and we can only hope that in the future more of them follow suit.