Extron Middle School 351 helps the University of Connecticut adopt hybrid learning

The center has expanded its infrastructure to capture classes and transmit them by streaming with the multimedia processor Extron SMP 351 and the Cloud Kaltura video platform.

The University of Connecticut (UConn) teaches more than 30.000 students in their 17,8 km² del campus Storrs, plus four regional campuses in Connecticut. With the arrival of the pandemic, The center adapted by teaching distance classes, hybrid and in-person.

To achieve this, leveraged and expanded your training session capture and streaming infrastructure with the streaming media processor Extron Middle School 351 and the video platform Cloud Kaltura.

Founded in 1881, the University of Connecticut (USA) is integrated by 14 schools and colleges, that grant university degrees in 119 specialties, postgraduate in 88 areas of research and professional practices, y 6 types of law and medicine degrees. It is rated the best public national university in New England and is among the 25 best public universities in the United States.

Because part of the academic year 2021 would still require social distancing, and on-campus attendance would be limited to 30% of student body, UConn implemented a plan to maintain a robust distance and hybrid learning capacity that would meet immediate needs and also provide a valuable addition to future teaching options..

To support this plan, the Campus AV Technology Services team, headed by the IT manager, Steven Fletcher, equipped the majority of classrooms and a selection of seminar rooms on all campuses with more than 200 SMP streaming media processors 351 additional.

Training areas

Learning spaces, equipped with SMP 351 allow UConn instructors to record and live stream any AV source used during class presentations. Distance learners participate in classes in real time or at any time through on-demand access to the Cloud Kaltura video platform.

Each AV learning space is equipped with a touch screen TLP Pro 725T from Extron and an IPCP control processor Pro 250 xi, 350 xi o 550 xi.

The touch screen graphical interface guides users through the process of streaming and recording a class. Users can select fonts, connect or disconnect to live streaming and pause recording.

In every AV-equipped learning space, A single user command turns on or off all AV system components under the control of the power management units IPL T PCS4.

In standard classrooms, presentation switches IN1608 some MA 7 from Extron send selected AV content from document cameras, BYOD screen mirroring from laptops and Miracast receivers to room projectors and ceiling speakers FF 220T.

AV content is also transmitted to SMPs 351 for recording and sending via live streaming. The switch drives the room speakers with a built-in power amplifier. The switches SW4 USB Plus Route USB signals to instructor computer from laptops, keyboards, mice and clickers.

In large learning spaces, switching and distribution is performed by DTP matrix switches Crosspoint 108 4K together with distribution amplifiers and DTP transmitters and receivers.

Digital Matrix Processors ProDSP DMP 128 Plus select and mix program audio and adapt the sound to the room's acoustics. The amplifiers XPA U 2002 SB y XPA 4002 transmit to the speakers.

UConn implemented the software GlobalViewer Enterprise from Extron to manage, supervise, Monitor and troubleshoot your AV system centrally.

Using the software's Web browser interface, UConn campus technology team can provide support to users in real time.

GlobalViewer Enterprise also helps UConn manage the durability expense of its AV equipment investment by automatically scheduling all rooms to turn on and off following custom schedules., thus saving time, energy and consumables such as projector bulbs throughout the campus.

Results with Extron SMP 351

In a normal week, El Middle School 351 supports recording and streaming educational content for 150 class sessions.

Go SMP 351 issued to dedicated Kaltura web pages that are listed online for students to access on demand.

Easy-to-use AV systems built by the UConn Campus AV Technology Services team eased the transition to a hybrid teaching and learning style. Jeffrey Albright, UConn AV Team Member and Audio Visual Technician, is the main designer and programmer of the interactive GUI that makes operation so intuitive.

“We strive for simplicity, standardization and reliability. We want our rooms to work whenever a teacher comes in to teach a class. This is one of the reasons we use Extron for switching, distribution and control, explica Albright.