According to Konftel, the new lecture mode feature was designed to allow end users the ability to move more freely within rooms for teaching and training. “Wherever they are located, perhaps facing a whiteboard, they can still have perfect microphone pick-up and be heard clearly by all remote participants,” says Konftel product manager, Torbjörn Karlsson.

Freedom for Teaching & Training

The new feature is available via a free software upgrade. To take advantage of the new function, an approved wireless headset needs to be connected to the speakerphone. The first release only supports the Jabra Engage 65. Support for other headsets will come with future firmware releases.

While the presenter is speaking, the Konftel 800 will automatically mute all its microphones and only keep the headset microphone open. Karlsson explains that when the person stops talking, the speakerphone microphones are unmuted and all participants in the room can be heard. But through the headset, the remote participants can always be heard.

He adds, “Lecture mode gives the presenter complete freedom to roam around a room and break free from any traditional communication barriers. Wherever they are located, even with their back to the room, they can still be heard clearly.”

Related: Konftel Cam20 Now Certified for Zoom Rooms

The Konftel 800 forms the audio centerpiece of several Konftel video kits. It boasts multi-connectivity, beamforming microphones and daisy-chain connection for audio expansion. It is linked to a wireless headset via a DECT base station, with lecture mode operating via all IP, USB or Bluetooth call connections.

Ceiling Mount Kit for Konftel 800

Konftel has developed a special ceiling mount kit for the Konftel 800, providing an appealing alternative to traditional desktop placement. According to the company, the ceiling mount kit addresses the growing demand for smarter and more flexible room configurations, where up to three devices can be connected from above.

Karlsson adds, “You can move furniture and rearrange the room every day without any technology hassle. It’s perfect for larger spaces and multipurpose rooms, where daisy-chain capabilities make sure every inch of the room is covered by audio.”

He continues, “With the speakerphones mounted to the ceiling you’re clearing the table from devices and cables, for a neat and tidy room appearance. It also elevates the video meeting experience. The user can forget about where the microphone is placed and focus on the interaction with remote participants on the screen. The audio pick-up and distribution work its magic without anyone noticing. It all comes naturally.”

This article originally appeared on MyTechDecisions’ sister-site CommercialIntegrator.com.

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The Swedish technology company manufactures high-performance, easy-to-use cameras and conference phones for videoconferencing. The company also has made sustainability core to its mission – as a Climate Neutral Certified organization.

The Tech Decision

Controlled Thermal Resources required an affordable, platform-agnostic videoconferencing solution that would allow them to collaborate with Zoom, Teams, WebEx and any other service a client or partner might utilize.

“Over the last two to three years, virtual collaboration and videoconferences have become part of our daily work process, and the consumer-grade equipment we were using simply wasn’t up to the task,” said Paul Magana, Controlled Thermal Resources’ real estate manager in a statement. “Being able to clearly see and hear remote partners is vital to our ongoing success, and between the finicky setup process, frequent issues with connections and screen sharing, and sub-par audio and video quality, we knew we could do better.”

The Kontfel Videoconferencing Technology

Controlled Thermal Resources chose several Konftel videoconferencing products, including the Konftel 800 conference phone and Cam50 1080P video camera with pan, tilt and 12x zoom capability, providing full-room coverage in one of the conference rooms.

Related: Konftel Conferencing Solutions Upgrades Marymount Cuernavaca Schools’ Hybrid Learning Experience

“We looked at various solutions, and Konftel’s wireless products that can run on Power over Ethernet provided significant benefits for our space while being one of the most affordable options,” said Magana. “What’s more, the fact that Konftel is one of the industry’s strongest proponents of developing carbon-neutral processes and products made it a perfect fit that exceeded all of our expectations.”

Some of the other solutions the client considered would have required tearing up concrete floors to lay new wiring, with some using proprietary cables. The Konftel 800 conference phone is powered by PoE (power over ethernet) and uses Bluetooth to provide simple, fast connection no matter who is running the meeting.

In addition to the cameras and conference phones, Controlled Thermal Resources’ new conference room includes an 85-inch wall-mounted digital display with an Apple Mac Mini mounted behind it. Through this combination of technologies, users are able to easily and quickly launch meetings without all the fuss of the former setup. Previously, meeting hosts had to connect their laptop to the room’s equipment and ensure everything was running smoothly before each meeting, which reduced efficiency and often required IT support.

The Client Feedback

“The new system we designed is easier and more reliable, and the quality has been fantastic,” Magana said. “The first time we had a meeting with 20 executives from all different locations, there were no glitches, no drop-outs, every word and image was crystal clear, and attendees shared their screens with no issues. The vast difference between the old solution and Konftel’s professional-grade equipment has been a game-changer for our daily meetings.”

The post Konftel Videoconferencing Technology Streamlines Conferencing for SoCal Sustainable Lithium Company appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Assessing the Hybrid Learning Experience

After months of remote learning, the K-12 Catholic school planned to welcome back teachers and roughly half of students for hybrid learning. However, administrators and faculty realized that the laptop computers and webcams would not be good enough for engaging the students.

Thus, the school, with two campuses in the city of Cuernavaca serving almost 600 students, hired local integration firm Orange Tech AVA. The firm worked with technology distributor Neocenter SA de CV to install Konftel Cam20 4K Conference Cameras in every classroom and learning lab. The goal was to seamlessly integrate remote students with the in-person learning experience. In addition, teachers would also be able to teach as they had before the pandemic.

Martha Tajonar Miranda, general director of Marymount Cuernavaca, explains that the school’s technology department had urged to invest in the solution. “…Our Board of Directors [also] had the vision to see that this hybrid model could have a very positive impact,” she adds. “We have been very pleased with the results and are happy to know that we’re serving our community well.”

Integrating Remote Students into the Classroom

According to a statement, the classrooms are spacious with whiteboards or smart displays. The firm thus faced the challenge of integrating a camera platform that allowed a wide field view of the classroom. What’s more, it needed to provide a high resolution for remote learners in order to see the teachers clearly. “It was a challenge at first to divide our attention and blend the half of students who were at home with the half who were in the class. [However,] the Konftel cameras made it possible,” Jonathan Bowles, teacher and academic director at Marymount Cuernavaca, remarks.

The Konftel Cam20 offers a 123-degree field of view so remote learners can see everything. This includes teachers at the front of the classroom and multiple whiteboards or displays. Moreover, the Konftel Cam20 features 4K resolution and 8X digital zoom. Thus, the students have a crystal clear view from their laptops at home.

Related: UNLV Pilots New Hybrid Classroom Model

“The picture is very detailed, and we don’t lose any of the quality when we zoom in or out, or use one of the presets the camera offers,” Bowles adds. “In my classroom, I can use the Konftel remote control to focus on one corner of a whiteboard. [Then I can] go to a completely different view of my other whiteboard and the at-home students see exactly what they need to see.”

Orange Tech AVA ensured that the technology installation supported teachers’ preferred technology. As a result, all teachers are free to move around the classroom, just as they would normally do so.

A Feasible Integrated Solution for Teachers

In all, Orange Tech AVA installed 42 Konftel Cam20 solutions across the two campuses of Cuernavaca. The integrator also hung 32-inch flat-panel displays from ceiling mounts at the optimal distance from the front of each classroom.

Additionally, a Konftel Cam20 camera was attached below each display at roughly eye level with most teachers. Extended high-speed USB cables were also routed through the mount and ceiling. These were then attached to each teacher’s PC at the front of the class.

The display serves as the teacher’s confidence monitor. It shows what remote students are seeing while allowing the teacher to monitor them. Teachers also have a Bluetooth headset that communicates via a USB dongle in the PC. This permits them to address both in-person and remote students while moving freely around the classroom.

“It was important to the school that we be able to offer a complete solution. And that all the components worked seamlessly together,” Isaac Sedano Hernández, director comercial for Orange Tech AVA, says. “It couldn’t be difficult for teachers to connect to the system and start class. The Cam20 just works and works well with all the other components of the turnkey solution.”

Erika Franco, coordinator of the school’s technology department, prepared easy-to-follow documentation. As a result, teachers learned quickly on how to begin hybrid teaching. She says that teachers had gotten used to the Konftel solution within few weeks.

Remote Connections for More Than K-12 Students

Marymount Cuernavaca decided to conduct a pilot when all Konftel cameras were installed in early 2021. The school got dispensation from the Mexican government to have some students in classrooms once a week in May. Then, students and teachers tried out the system. The pilot emerged a success. The school states that the current hybrid model is the same as the pilot.

“Most students are in the classroom now, but we still hold remote learning for everyone one day each week,” Tajonar Miranda explains. “The teachers still teach from the classroom so it’s natural for them. And we will continue with the system because there are times when students can’t come to school, [and] they should be able to have the same experience.”

Tajonar Miranda says she uses the Konftel system for parent conferences and meetings with other community members. The Cuernavaca school even has a program for newborns. According to a statement, some parents bring their babies to class and others join remotely. “It’s fascinating how the technology helps our staff interact with those babies in their homes. They start listening to the music and the teachers and immediately respond,” she adds.

Tajonar Miranda concludes, “Being able to connect like this allows us to help students of all kinds everywhere, not just Cuernavaca.”

To view photos of the hybrid learning experience, click on “View Slideshow” on the upper left corner.

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So, the university turned to collaboration technology provider Konftel and deployed over 100 videoconferencing kits  to support hybrid learning and to connect professors and students at the university.

La Salle Laguna University, located in the northwest Mexican state of Durango and serving 1,450 higher education students, said that it wanted to be a leader in using technology to deliver high-quality education in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic which eventually led them to utilizing Konftel’s conferencing solutions.

Addressing the Hybrid Experience at La Salle Laguna

Although the university initially supplied professors with laptop computers and web cameras at the start of the pandemic, they soon realized that laptop conferencing wouldn’t be enough as some students returned to campus while others remained at home.

“The laptop computers and cameras worked fine when everyone was at home, but when we decided to bring back half the students at a time, we needed technology that would create a better experience,” explained Luis Arturo Dávila de León, dean of La Salle Laguna. “We wanted something that was easy to use and that allowed remote students to see professors and students in the classroom and interact as if they were in the same place.”

The university revealed that for effective hybrid learning, the solution needed to fit seamlessly with the university’s commitment to exceptional education. According to the university, the conferencing technology had to not only make hybrid learning possible under the circumstances, but also match the learning experience expected by professors, students, and their families before the pandemic.

Determining the Needs of La Salle Laguna

“We needed a service that everyone would be happy with so that all our classes would retain their same high quality,” said Dávila. The university leadership said they turned to local technology integrator Orange Tech AVA and Konftel distribution partner Neocenter SA de CV to identify the best hybrid learning solution.

Orange Tech AVA began testing the Konftel C20Ego to see if it would meet the university’s needs, and determined that it could support the seamless, integrated, easy-to-use classroom experience required by the administration.

According to Kontfel, the C20Ego is an all-in-one solution featuring a Konftel Cam20 4K conference camera, Konftel Ego speakerphone with OmniSound® audio quality, and Konftel OCC Hub for connecting everything to a laptop with a single USB cable.

“Along with La Salle Laguna, we found that having a camera with a remote control, digital zoom, and presets is very useful in classrooms,” said Isaac Sedano, commercial director for Orange Tech AVA. “The speakerphone that comes with the Konftel C20Ego kit has the perfect reach for the classroom size, and teachers really appreciate the unique hub that allows them to easily connect everything to their laptop.”

Installing the Conferencing Solutions

According to the company, the Konftel solution also supported easy, flexible installation, an important factor considering Orange Tech AVA had two months to integrate more than 100 systems. The company stated that they closely mimicked an in-class experience at La Salle Laguna where the Orange Tech AVA technicians hung ceiling mounts in the center of classrooms and installed the C20Ego components, as well as a flat-screen display. This allowed professors to address remote students onscreen who could also see everything taking place in the classroom.

“We took measurements so that the Konftel cameras and speakerphones are at the right height for professors and ran cables up through the mounts, so they aren’t visible,” explained Sedano. Additionally, Orange Tech AVA said they ran acoustic and visual tests to maximize the high-quality sound and video from the Konftel solution for all participants.

According to the company, La Salle Laguna installed 107 Konftel C20Ego videoconferencing kits throughout the campus, controlled and monitored from a central location, and after a week of faculty training, the university was ready for hybrid learning.

“Using the conferencing technology is very comfortable,” remarked Samuel S. Ramírez Cortéz, a professor at the university. “It allows faculty a perfect combination of a virtual space with a physical classroom. It is easy to speak to remote and in-person students at the same time and use the blackboard or in-class computer very naturally.”

Furthermore, the university uses Google Classroom and Google Workspace as its primary online learning and collaboration platform, but Cortéz added that the staff occasionally used Zoom and other services. Konftel stated that their technology is agnostic, thus allowing education institutions to use collaboration platforms of their choice for high-resolution conferences with ultra-clear sound quality.

“Feedback has been very positive,” mentioned Cortéz. “The students at home don’t feel alone; teachers are still able to teach the way they know best; and parents trust the university because the technology proves our commitment to high-level teaching.”

As professors and students began using the Konftel solution, university officials acknowledged that the technology had an even greater impact by helping unite the surrounding community.

Connecting to the Community

The university revealed the solution’s success where they said that not only did enrollment increase, but local associations, business groups, and others also became more engaged with the university due to the collaborative features of the technology. According to the university, some even asked to use the university’s Konftel-enabled spaces for their own virtual meetings.

“We don’t just focus on academics. We play a role in fostering the broader society,” said Ivonne Escalera Leyva, who oversees external relations.

La Salle Laguna added that it has now opened its physical and virtual doors for meetings, exhibitions, workshops, trainings, work meetings, and more. It also has an innovation park to connect students with local companies and collaborate on projects that benefit the region.

“The technology helps keep activities going and maintains connections with the community,” says Leyva. “We want to be in touch with other sectors that need to optimize their resources and adapt to the new reality.”

Dean Dávila credited the university’s adaptability for its success in navigating the pandemic.

“The university continues to reinvent itself and does not remain static,” he said. “If we are going to use new technology, we are going to use it well. That’s why we incorporate technology not only in the educational process, but also in academic monitoring processes, teaching performance, and above all, the time scheduled for the teaching of classes,” concluded Dávila.

This article originally appeared on our sister site Commercial Integrator. 

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