While we wait for small items to be completed in the experimental classroom, the technology is undergoing rigorous testing. The teachers' requirements for the room are:- 1. to enhance Harkness teaching by not dominating the room,
2. to be easy to use, and
3. to allow the teacher to use technology without "breaking the Harkness circle," which means to get up from the table and shift the focus from the student conversation onto the teacher.
The technology in the room includes a projector and screen with an AV rack with DVD/VCR, cable tuner, document camera, VGA and various video and audio connectors. The entire system is managed through a Crestron controller. This configuration allows the teacher to sit at the table with the students and navigate among the various sources through a web page.
The picture above shows the web page used to control the devices on a TabletPC. Through it I am able to turn on and manage what I want to present. The picture depicts the "remote" for a DVD/VCR and a movie is being displayed through the projector to the screen. Note - no ugly cables with which to contend!
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