13 YOUR TAKE NewTek
a highly replicable framework, with a dependence on commoditised, commercial o-the-shelf (COTS) IT hardware, rather than expensive, proprietary video technologies. Not only does this make IP much more manageable from a technical standpoint, but it also removes potential concerns of absorbing excessive costs, isolating new additions, or disrupting the entrenched underlying architecture when proceeding with renovations or expansion. Ultimately, as a technology and a production model, IP stands to deliver the convenience, eiciency and flexibility necessary to improve upon the current experience of e-learning and, further, to implement conceptual approaches that have been previously unattainable in the arena of education. The day has arrived where the process of bringing new gear into an ecosystem and online and, by proxy, bringing a new idea, a new method, into existence, comes with the ease of powering on, connecting to the network and opening an app – just like with our beloved laptops, tablets and mobile devices. As it, perhaps, should be. That is our new normal, after all.
infrastructure that allows for Internet connectivity, provides access to servers and enables data communications has the potential to be a pipeline that distributes video and audio within the room, throughout buildings, across campuses and beyond. The conceivable benefits of the IP production model are not only compelling, but virtually endless. Educators can expand their curricula, oer more flexible schedules and accommodate larger class sizes. Students can attend lectures, engage in discussion and present their work from virtually anywhere. Aspiring professionals can hone valuable technical skills while working with the software- driven technology that will be increasingly prevalent in their field of study. Production departments can increase their productivity by keeping equipment in place in lieu of travelling and transporting it between locations. And institutions can present attractive new opportunities for current and prospective faculty, sta and students, further elevating their status and enhancing their prestige. Equally compelling for administrators of school districts, colleges and university systems, the IP production model is also
are simply impractical. Fibre can be a consideration, but INSTITUTIONS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY VENTURED INTO THE DIGITAL SPACE generally only for new construction, as the labour and expense of retrofitting an existing facility, let alone an entire campus, is an extremely hard sell. But, with advancements in IP video technology, what essentially every classroom, oice, auditorium, athletics facility and common area already has in place can be the conduit for unprecedented educational opportunities. The same Gigabit Ethernet SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, AND OTHER ACADEMIC
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