Whether a small huddle room, classroom, or larger program space (think auditorium, gymnasium, cafeteria, etc.), audio-visual is found throughout elementary, middle, and high schools around the country. The smaller systems may consist of simple plug-and-play functionality (smaller huddle rooms, for example) but most classroom and program spaces will utilize some form of manual control.
Control systems differ in capability, customization, aesthetics, and scalability.
There is no single solution that is right for everyone. However, it is important for your users to have a consistent experience as they move from space-to-space around a school or from school-to-school around a district. Let’s say, for example, you have a substitute who is regularly located in a variety of classrooms. If this individual needed to learn how to utilize the presentation technology every time they walked into a room, you’d have a lot of time wasted. Now let’s assume your district has AV/IT staff that assists with these help-desk items. We now have (at least) two individuals putting 10+ minutes of attention into providing basic presentations in a classroom every time a new instructor or substitute comes into the room. This example only scratches the surface of time/money wasted due to inconsistencies in the operation of your audio-visual technology.
So, what’s one simple way to get this time/energy back?
Consistent control around the school/district. When all your classrooms operate in the same way, with the same interface, and similar features/technology, your instructors can start their lessons with confidence and you can move faculty around the district, as needed.
There are a few major types of control to consider.
For more basic rooms (single screen/display, one or two video sources, program audio), a system can be automated so that when a user connects their presentation device (via HDMI, for example), the display/projector strikes, the projection screen lowers, and the system head-end components wake up. If additional flexibility is required, simple button panels can be used for video switching, audio level control, and power control. For more complex spaces (or spaces that may scale in the future), a touch-panel controller may be the best option, providing a custom user interface with consistent layout, branding, and operation sequence.
Ultimately, there are a variety of control options available.
Which one is right for you is going to be dependent on the needs of the school/district, the budget, and future goals. It is always my recommendation that instructors, IT staff, and school administration are involved in conversations about standardization, especially when it comes to control.
Axent Solutions is happy to help guide these conversations and show the extent of the control possibilities for your classrooms and program spaces. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can assist!