Putting Video Electronics Where Students Can Learn

In the worlds of audio-visual and information technology, the control of electronic content (what’s on the screen) is the center of the universe. And network-driven content is the current and future key to teaching students in the classroom.

As an architect, you don’t have to be an expert in content. But most school projects today include the installation of video monitors, projectors, and electronic networking of some sort. And where the video image is located is a critical part of how well the content is received and the lessons are learned. Whether the school’s needs are sophisticated or simple, the architect has to think in terms of allowing for the requirements of installation and power source.

Schools are moving away from the CRT television on a cart to Projectors and LCD flat-panel screens as teaching technology upgrades. And even as school budgets are tight, there is still money for technology upgrades or installations. In fact, with the advent of projector and flat-panel technologies, the market to provide mounting solutions in education has evolved into a billion-dollar industry. According to Mike Campagna, president of Peerless Industries, more than one million Peerless mounts were installed in 2007, with a large number of these going into educational institutions all over North America. And most of these mounts are product designs less than 3 years old.

Because of the rapidly-changing landscape created by the video electronics industry and the educational market, helping architects navigate what solutions match their educational client’s needs is a vital aspect of a good-vendor’s partnership. The mark of a good mounting solution is in the details … functionality, ease-of-installation, safety, security, aesthetics, cord-management, and affordability. Ironically, if the mounting solution does what it is designed to do, then it is not noticed. The students notice the video image and the message of that image. And this is as it should be.

The use of mounting solutions to augment electronic networks in schools has grown at double-digit rates for the past decade and is forecasted to continue to increase into the foreseeable future, even as the general US economy is sluggish at best. The fact is that electronic teaching methods are de rigueur in most classrooms today, yet the physical structures of most schools were not designed with the newest technologies in mind. Any time a school wants to position a video image in a place other than a laptop computer, there may be a need for a mounting solution to locate the screen optimally.

There is much talk today about screen placement, screen sizes, and screen counts for classrooms and other educational spaces. Architects need to be aware of the structural implications necessary to support these electronics networks. In schools, “content is king” and is the rallying cry of every educational trade show and software package. While this is true, the Achilles heel is functionality, dependability, and serviceability. All of these issues are partially reliant upon screen location, or “screen spotting.” Public spaces such as schools rarely have consistent ceiling structures or wall construction. In fact, they normally feature quite dissimilar architecture. So the location of video images is a challenge from both a safety and durability viewpoint. And in the Western states, seismic activity is also a part of the placement equation for electronic technology.

The biggest things to ensure in setting up a good network system in schools involve picking the right partners, planning and testing, allowing for flexible content, and screen spotting. The “architecture” of video network installations is a reality in educational institutions today. There are good partners available who know what they are doing when it comes to networking a school electronically. You need not be an authority in electronics or screen spotting, but you do need to find good partners who can help you provide for excellent system design.

Help the students see the message. Help the kids learn the lesson.


Written by Dale Smith, Director of Business Development and Digital Signage, Peerless Industries, Inc. and Tom Connolly, Managing Director of Professional Sales, Peerless Industries, Inc.