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Union County College
Takes the Latest Approach to Classroom Technology
January 8, 2010
Source: Tecom
College performs large-scale modernization
using 50 uniform, user-friendly and fully integrated Tecom
podiums
Recently, Stephen Kato, Union County College Director of Media
Services, was presented with the opportunity to outfit UCC's
new Kellogg Building facilities in Elizabeth, New Jersey,
on a large scale – installing audio-visual capabilities
in 50 classrooms.
"I used to say that our multimedia classrooms were easy
to use, but not intuitive. Frankly, it was intimidating and
confusing," says Kato. "Faculty had to be trained
to operate a rack full of switches, amplifiers, and controls.
Plus, the earlier system was bulky, had a large footprint,
and was expensive to maintain."
Kato sought
an easy-to-use, intuitive, and uniform solution that could
be deployed campus wide while minimizing the variety of components
within the system. This would contain his maintenance costs
as well as reduce staff anxiety by learning to use a single,
uniform, user-friendly system.
Seeking and Finding: Tecom's TechPod
Kato chose the Tecom TPI-12 as it represented a complete solution
– furniture, control system, interactive screen, document
camera and a high-end computer. “The TechPod provides
instant Internet connectivity, video streams, and full-time
access to UCC's own network resources" explains Kato.
The TechPod TPI-12 is an all-in-one lectern that has every
multimedia capability built in. All devices, including LCD
projectors, laptops, and CD/DVD players, are run from a single
control panel. Plus, simply closing the unit’s door not
only secures the equipment, but also automatically turns off
any equipment that may have been left on, including the projector.
At UCC, automatic shutdown translates into reduced energy
and bulb-replacement costs.
A Smooth Installation: Technology and Teamwork
After deciding to purchase 50 TechPods for UCC, Kato knew
he had to have a solid partner in system integration to help
handle the logistics and installation process. His due diligence
led him to turn to Doug Cook, Sales Manager for the Video
Corporation of America (VCA).
Like Kato, Cook has been in the industry for more than 30
years. Thanks to the cooperation, coordination and communication
among the team, the entire installation took less than three
weeks. Everything that was planned actually occurred in sequence,
on time, and on budget.
The Result: Heavy Deployment, Happy Tech Staff, Happy Instructors
The last critical step was training the faculty to use the
new lecterns; this proved to be a pleasant surprise for the
instructors. "The units are robustly and elegantly designed,
yet are very intuitive and user friendly," says Kato.
"The learning curve was very short, and the staff quickly
acclimated to the point where many have abandoned the use
of the white boards in favor of using the TechPods."
Kato believes that Tecom has provided a huge step forward
for instructional technology in the classrooms. He says that
the TechPod-equipped classroom has become the model for the
rest of the College.
"We've had successful installations in many mission-critical
environments, including academic, business and military facilities,"
say Aviv Brosilovski, CEO, Tecom. "Being chosen by UCC
and working with well-respected system integrators such as
VCA furthers our ability to present our intuitive, fully integrated
lecterns for any lecture hall."
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