Education

CASE STUDY

University Adds Esports Impact with ViewSonic ELITE™ Gaming Monitors and LAN Center Partnership

SCHOOL

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is a private non-profit university accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Located in Harrisburg, PA, the university serves a student body of nearly 7,000 students from over 100 countries, offering bachelor and graduate degree programs in science, technology, and math fields. Every undergraduate major requires an internship, giving students real-world experiences that are valued by employers.

“In a rapidly evolving digital world, it’s essential for academic institutions to embrace emerging technologies and provide students with opportunities to learn and explore their passions through experiential learning. This stateof-the-art equipment will bring a wide range of possibilities for growth and learning to our students.”

— Charles Palmer, Program Lead and Associate Professor of Interactive Media

THE CHALLENGE

With a STEM curriculum that prepares students for in-demand careers, it’s no surprise that HU has become an esports powerhouse. A growing billion-dollar industry, esports relies on employees with a range of creative and technical skills, and HU is distinguished as a trailblazer in developing programs that connect students to these careers. The university’s esports focus began by blazing trails in esports participation.

In 2017, the university launched its fi rst (and only) varsity sports team, the HU Storm, which went on to win the Collegiate Overwatch National Championship in its fi rst two seasons. The university invested in state-of-the-art arena space, full scholarships for team members, and hosting an annual competition, the HUE invitational, the largest esports invitational competition in North America. Continuing its pioneering ways, the HU Storm was the fi rst collegiate team to employ former professional esports players as coaches. For those interested in more casual competition, HU offers an esports club open to all students.

Shortly thereafter, the university introduced a Bachelor of Science degree designed to prepare students for careers in the burgeoning esports industry. One of only a handful of schools offering a degree in this area, HU Esports Management, Production and Performance courses develop the skills needed to become a media content creator, event manager, specialized coach, organizational/team manager, marketing manager, analyst, and more. According to HU materials, this program combines three of the university’s strengths – business administration, interactive media, and technology integration – to build an industry pipeline for the next generation of esports decision-makers in management, production entrepreneurship and innovation.

Finally, in 2019, HU President Dr. Eric Darr and Professor Charles Palmer provided strategic direction and support for the launch of the Harrisburg, PA-based Soniqs professional esports team. From this winning partnership came a shared vision for the development of a LAN Center that would be the official competitive home of the Soniqs, while also providing space to support students, the HU Storm, and the surrounding community.

“We wanted to build on our successes in a way that would support the need for a growing number of esports professionals,” said Palmer, whose roles at the university include Program Lead & Associate Professor of Interactive Media, and Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Entertainment & Learning Technologies. “Our vision was to expand the ways in which we could position our students to become those professionals, and we wanted to do it in a way that supported our community.”

THE SOLUTION

That initial conversation in January 2021 triggered the formation of a development team, which Palmer worked with to develop the concept into a workable plan. Participants included HU CEO and President Dr. Eric Darr and HU CFO Duane Maun; Soniqs CEO Darren Moore and Soniqs Director of Operations and HU Adjunct Professor Luke Goodling; and Dr. Jennifer Metz, Associate Professor and Program Lead of Esports Management.

“The facilities we envisioned would not only be the home of the Soniqs, it would be like the labs in our life science departments,” said Palmer. “A place where our students can get hands-on learning about the products, services, and management of esports.”

During this phase, the working group sought partners to help bring the plan to life. A known advocate in the esports ecosystem, ViewSonic was thrilled to join the team though its community outreach division.

“ViewSonic is committed to both community outreach as part of our Empowering Future Generations initiative and to growing within esports,” said Danny Ordway, Vertical Marketing Manager at ViewSonic. “Supporting Harrisburg University and the Soniqs was a natural partnership for us. We’re thrilled to back an organization that is so focused on investing in the success of its students.”

The LAN Center team connected with Ordway who recommended ViewSonic products to meet their needs.

“We were excited to partner with HU, which shares our holistic vision for esports in education. By providing the latest ViewSonic ELITE™ gaming monitors, as well as the latest commercial displays and other display solutions, we’re helping the Soniqs’ coaches and staff develop strategies and prepare players,” said Ordway. “We’re also supporting HU in providing learning opportunities that create a pathway to careers within the esports industry.”

Ultimately, the team selected 20 ViewSonic ELITE™ XG270 27-inch 240Hz G-Sync gaming monitors to provide smooth, ultra-responsive gameplay. Nine 65-inch ViewSonic CDE6520-W premium 4K digital displays would be mounted throughout the space to showcase competitions, support the LAN Center brand, and deliver dynamic background videos, with one ViewSonic CDE8620-W 86-inch premium 4K digital display serving as a dramatic focal point.

THE RESULTS

Along with additional sponsors, Intel and Zipchair, the team created a worldclass esports LAN center, with power-packed stations that feature Intel NUC PCs with 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-12900 CPUs, 16GB of RAM, and RTX 3060 Tis; ViewSonic ELITE™ 27-inch 1080p 240Hz IPS gaming monitors; and Zipchair Glide Gaming Chairs with numerous ergonomic settings. With gratitude to their partners, Palmer notes that leading tech is about so much more than feeds, speeds, and specs.

“In a rapidly evolving digital world, it’s essential for academic institutions to embrace emerging technologies and provide students with opportunities to learn and explore their passions through experiential learning,” said Palmer. “This state-of-the-art equipment will bring a wide range of possibilities for growth and learning to our students.”

The 2,000-square-foot LAN Center opened its doors on March 27, 2023, with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by everyone in the local esports community. Moore delivered a brief speech and, with HU President Eric Darr beside him, cut the ribbon that symbolized the center’s o cial opening for private events. Press and other visitors got a taste of the action ahead, as HU esports club members tested out the top-of-the-line gaming stations.

The main gaming room features a central row of tables with 10 gaming stations on each side. It is both dim and dynamic, with enough ambient light to help reduce eye strain, plus LED accent lights in Soniq-blue and purple for added aesthetic impact. Standing room behind the players, along with adjacent seating facing a large 86-inch ViewSonic digital display, will allow spectators an up-close and in-person view of esports events. Additional 65-inch ViewSonic digital displays throughout the space allow for extended viewing along with the display of stakeholder brands and mood-enhancing multimedia content.

Centrally located in downtown Harrisburg, the LAN Center is a leisurely twominute walk from Harrisburg’s Whittaker Center for Science and the Arts, the offcial home stadium for HU’s esports arena, practice space and digital locker room, as well as the hub for esports scrimmages, competitions, tournaments, conferences and meet-and-greets.

“The location meets all of our initial objectives,” said Palmer. “We can engage the community, opening the Center for people to enjoy esports as entertainment, while we provide convenient and state-of-the art facilities for our esports management students to grow their professional skills.” An additional advantage of the location, added Palmer, is its proximity to two Harrisburg high schools.

“We envision our esports management students developing and running events for the high school students,” he said. “This will be a great experiential learning opportunity for them, while adding another link in the pipeline, engaging younger students and introducing them to the broader opportunities offered by esports.”

Community members of all ages will be able to participate in educational workshops taught by esports pros, use the Center’s gaming stations during public hours, and watch games as spectators, both in person and online. The space will also be available to rent for community and private events.

“We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for helping bring our vision to life. The LAN Center not only enhances the educational experience of HU students, it also creates opportunities for networking, mentorship, and career development in the competitive esports industry,” said Palmer. “Students will be able to conceive, design, plan, produce and refl ect on their own events, and they’ll do so while increasing the understanding of esports in our community. It’s a win for everyone involved.”

ViewSonic® 135” All-in-one Direct View LED display LD135-151

ViewSonic 75-inch ViewBoard® IFP7552-1C-E1

CASE STUDY

ViewSonic myViewBoard Software Brings Streamlined Collaborative Learning to Fourth Grade Classroom

SCHOOL

Granite School District, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, serves around 67,000 students enrolled in programs ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Granite is the third largest district in Utah, with nine high schools, 15 junior high schools, 62 elementary schools, as well as several specialty schools. Jim Bridger Elementary serves approximately 478 students in grades PK-6.

“Most teachers are using it much more than they did the basic smart boards. They like being able to have more than one student at a time write, draw, or interact with the ViewBoard displays. And everyone likes the ability to get away from their desk, to be able to work directly at the ViewBoard or move around the room with their laptops.”

— Wendy Jones, Granite Technology Coach

THE CHALLENGE

Like many districts, the classroom displays at Granite School District were an assortment of aging projectors and projection-based smart boards. Then came the pandemic, and with it the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funds from the Department of Education, which the district used in part to upgrade classroom displays for enhanced digital learning. The first challenge the team faced was selecting display models to deploy.

“The Granite way is to provide building principals with options, so we narrowed the field to ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive displays and a board from another manufacturer,” said Granite EdTech Team Lead Heidi Meenen. “The other option was a holdover from an initial elementary school deployment several years prior. Once we were introduced to ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive displays, it became the more appealing choice due to the robust whiteboarding software.”

Along with the deployment of the ViewSonic® ViewBoard® 86-inch IFP8650 interactive displays came the typical challenges of getting teachers acquainted with new tech. As is also often the case, one teacher was particularly enthusiastic about scaling the learning curve. At Jim Bridger Elementary School, enterprising fourth grade teacher Heidi Ritchie and her tech-savvy students challenged the ViewSonic® myViewBoard® software to deliver collaborative group learning.

THE SOLUTION

The ViewSonic ViewBoard displays were deployed at Jim Bridger Elementary over winter break. By mid-January, Ritchie had reached out to Granite Technology Coach Wendy Jones.

“Everyone was in the very early stages of learning what they could do with the displays, but Heidi was already thinking about how to use the panel in more expansive ways,” said Jones. “She wanted to do more than just display content or write on the screen.”

ViewSonic myViewBoard software is included with every ViewBoard display. So Jones downloaded the app and she and Ritchie began exploring, guided by the mantra, “Let’s see what we can do!”

Their esports led them to the Classroom component of the myViewBoard ecosystem, which provides students with their own canvas that can be shared with classmates to form team “huddles.”

Available as a browser-based app for Windows, Android, and iOS, Classroom can be used on any teacher or student device with a web browser.

One of Ritchie’s aspirations was to use the app to facilitate small group projects. The myViewBoard Classroom software provided the (almost) perfect solution.

Imagine a typical elementary classroom. The teacher has just shown an informational video or slides about a topic. Now students arranged in small groups, each working on one part of a lesson, such as identifying components of the water cycle. Some work together to agree on what they want to say; some are less involved. Invariably, one student takes control and begins to fill in the paper diagram provided by the teacher. When the groups are finished, the teacher may simply collect the sheets or capture each one with a document camera and project them onto the classroom screen.

Now consider a classroom such as Ritchie’s, equipped with a ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive display and myViewBoard software. Using the Classroom component of the software, the teacher can start in lecture mode, which shares her canvas – such as the informational videos or slides – onto the ViewBoard screen, and/or to each student’s Chromebook. Next, she can switch seamlessly to huddle mode, which enables her to arrange students into groups that each receive segments of the work. The student Chromebooks replace the paper documents and students use tools like text, pen, and sticky notes to add content to the digital worksheet.

The teacher can track each groups’ work on her laptop and provide feedback digitally or verbally to each student and/or huddle group. When everyone is finished, students share their group canvasses to the big screen with a click. Everything is quick and seamless – and can accommodate hybrid learning for students that are unable to be in the classroom.

These huddle capabilities were exactly what Ritchie was looking for. Working with Jones to master setting up huddles, Ritchie developed lesson plans that leveraged this collaborative functionality.

Ritchie’s first huddles involved creating images and diagrams then assigning students to add labels.

“My students and I learned how to use it together, and it was an amazing journey,” said Ritchie. “To start, I created pictures of a plant, or an animal, then put them in groups to label the various parts. They were so enthusiastic about doing lessons this way.”

Then one day, the students were midway through a huddle-based lesson when class time ended and Ritchie realized that the only way to save the huddle was by using the snippet tool to grab a screen shot. This captured the students’ progress, but would not allow them to manipulate the content. When students returned the next day to complete the project, they had to start from scratch.

Jones and Meenen reached out to their ViewSonic rep Max Green, who worked with the company’s development team on a fix.

“We contacted Max on a Wednesday,” said Jones. “By Monday, the problem was fixed and huddle content was automatically saved to Google Classroom; the students didn’t have to do a thing. It was a game changer for us.”

THE RESULT

On any given day, Heidi Ritchie’s fourth grade students can be seen gathering in groups to huddle over a science, social studies, or language arts assignment. Students view teacher-created canvases on their Chromebook web browser, individually or as a group. Ritchie can pre-select huddle teams or allow students to choose and create their own group of huddle-mates.

Ritchie can customize lessons to fi t learning objectives, providing students with a pre-built chart, graphic organizer, or diagram, or giving them a blank canvas with instructions on what she’s looking for. Either way, students view the canvas on their individual Chromebooks, sitting together with their huddle companions. To encourage collaboration each student has a role in completing the assignment.

“Every student in each huddle sees the full canvas, but they each are responsible for completing one particular part,” said Meenen. “Each of them can add content, attach a sticky note, create a drawing, or pull in an image, but Heidi sets it up so that they can only create and edit in their own content area. This helps encourage everyone to participate.”

To reinforce concepts covered in a literacy unit, for example, Ritchie created a graphic organizer for the key components of a story.

“Students logged onto myViewBoard and clicked the URL that Ritchie sent them, which linked them to their huddle groups,” said Meehen. “Each student was assigned an area, such as setting, plot, or character development, which they could complete using their choice of tools.”

Along with the collaborative, paper-free learning that her ViewBoard display and myViewBoard Classroom bring to her students, Ritchie also loves the ease with which she can create and deliver lessons.

“I can build a lesson on my laptop, save it to Google Drive, then pull it up on the ViewBoard display without needing to attach my computer,” she said. “It’s fast and convenient; everything is seamless with Google.”

The ViewSonic solution has also streamlined the process of prepping for days off - often a great source of stress for teachers.

“I created a PowerPoint with an entire day laid out to guide substitute teachers, which I save to a USB drive,” said Ritchie. “The subjust plugs the USB into the ViewBoard and opens it on the large screen. Having this template makes creating a sub plan so much easier. I just love it.”

Another important benefi t of this method, added Jones, is that it eliminates the need for subs to get content from teachers’ personal Google Drives. Plus, she said, the substitutes that have been the benefi ciaries of this system so far have been big fans.

“They don’t need to worry about compatibility or connecting their laptop,” said Jones. “They just open the file on the ViewBoard and all the lessons are right there, step by step, with instructions for the students. So far, the subs who have used it told us that it was one of the easiest days they’ve had as a substitute teacher.”

Similarly, said Meehen, instructors at district high schools, like those who teach upper-level math, use the Record feature to save lessons for use by substitutes.

“When a sub comes in, they don’t need to actually know calculus,” said Meehen. “They can plug in the USB drive and show the recorded lesson on the ViewBoard. It’s a huge win for everyone.”

Word of Ritchie’s successes using the ViewSonic solutions are spreading through the school, as instructors at various points along the learning curve find ways to integrate the new tech into their teaching.

“Most teachers are using it much more than they did the basic smart boards. They like being able to have more than one student at a time write, draw, or interact with the ViewBoard displays,” said Jones. “And everyone likes the ability to get away from their desk, to be able to work directly at the ViewBoard or move around the room with their laptops.”

Jones has been holding PD sessions on advanced features like pop quizzes and the huddles, and anticipates that teachers across the district will begin using them throughout the remainder of the school year, and beyond.

As for students, just about all of them appreciate the integrated learning games embedded in the myViewBoard software, said Jones. When it comes to huddles, said Ritchie, virtually all her students like working together in this way.

“My kids love using it, and they absolutely love the save feature,” said Ritchie. “They know they won’t lose their work, that they can pick up where they were the next day and keep working on their huddle project. We all very much appreciate the way ViewSonic jumped in and figured out a fix for this so quickly. They’ve been just great to work with.”

ViewSonic Manager Advanced™ subscription

ViewBoard® IFP7550 interactive displays

CASE STUDY

High School Principal Broadcasts Positivity with ViewSonic Manager Advanced and ViewBoard Interactive Displays

SCHOOL

Robert E. Lee High School is a public secondary school in Montgomery, Alabama, serving grades 9 - 12. Operating since September, 1955, the school is one of 10 high schools in the Montgomery Public Schools system. According to U.S. News & World Report data, among the student population of 1,386 the total minority enrollment is 95%, and 86% of students are economically disadvantaged.

“Students can interact with text on the board, which allows them to annotate, highlight, and request audio readings, which is an outstanding way to improve vocabulary and comprehension.”

— Dr. Antjuan Marsh, Principle at Robert E. Lee High School

THE CHALLENGE

When Dr. Antjuan Marsh became principal at Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Alabama, one of the first things he did was assess the school’s education technology. The classroom displays, he discovered, were aged, underutilized, and included a difficult-to-manage mix of models that included ViewSonic^® ViewBoard^® interactive displays. Teachers reported that they preferred the ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive displays because they were easier to use and enabled them to do much more digitally than the Promethean boards.

After assessing the ViewBoard interactive displays, Marsh and the school improvement team agreed to purchase current-model 75-inch ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive displays for every classroom. It was a wise investment. Teachers use the ViewBoard displays daily for instruction, Dr. Marsh said, and are well-versed in using the included myViewBoard^® software tools to boost collaboration and engagement.

“For example, one English teacher breaks students into workstations, with one group working at the ViewBoard display,” said Dr. Marsh. “Students can interact with text on the board, which allows them to annotate, highlight, and request audio readings, which is an outstanding way to improve vocabulary and comprehension.”

With the instructional technology upgrade behind him, Dr. Marsh turned his attention to finding innovative ways to build a stronger school-wide community. The leader of a school where 80% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches and live in an often violent and uncertain environment, Dr. Marsh recognized a unique opportunity presented by the ViewSonic ViewBoard displays installed in every classroom across the school. His plan was to leverage the displays to extend the power of the positive through dynamic and compelling school-wide multimedia messaging.

THE SOLUTION

The ViewSonic Manager™ software included with ViewSonic ViewBoard displays allows for remote centralized management of all networked displays, along with the ability to distribute text-based messages across some or all ViewBoard displays. Text alone, however, was not compelling enough to meet Dr. Marsh’s goals. To deliver video and other media messaging, he would need the Manager Advanced™ subscription-based software upgrade.

After a 90-day free trial, Dr. Marsh was ready to go all-in with the subscription at the start of the next school year. Guided by the school improvement theme Connectedness, Dr. Marsh began creating videos that highlighted the good stuff: students winning awards, following the rules, having fun, attending school events, and supporting one another. Most were fun, but decidedly not frivolous.

“The CDC defines ‘school connectedness’ as when students know that adults in their building care about them academically and also as a person,” said Dr. Marsh. “By broadcasting videos showing the positive things they’re doing we are showing them that we see them and recognize them as valuable.

”When students feel connected to their school, the CDC further notes, they’re less likely to experience poor mental health, sexual health risks, substance abuse, and violence. The ViewSonic ViewBoard classroom displays provided an important means of reaching these critical goals.

Dr. Marsh uses the Connectedness videos to shape school culture, positively impact social-emotional learning, provide public service announcements, and run safety drills. To capture student attention, he broadcasts these messages to every ViewBoard display in the school at random times – including in the middle of classes.

“I’ve broadcast many types of messages,” said Dr. Marsh. “Most of them are about the great things our students are doing, but the broadcasts are also helpful for utilitarian messages. For example, yesterday we ran a PSA on where and when students can and cannot use cell phones. Teachers appreciate these PSAs because when they see students in the hallways not following the rules, they can remind them of the videos.”

Other examples noted by Dr. Mash were a looping broadcast highlighting award-winning students, including one who won a national competition based on her work with tornado victims; clips from sporting and fine arts events; and a collage of students from the required career preparedness class looking sharp in their interview attire.

Creating the broadcasts is as easy as using his iPhone to record video, along with using apps on his laptop, Dr. Marsh says, which enable him to edit and add captions. The Manager Advanced software further enables him to broadcast YouTube videos or other web-based content, another feature that he leverages for positive impact. Occasionally he will send messages to certain classes, easily identifying and selecting the ViewBoard display endpoints using the Manager Advanced interface. Next on his agenda is learning how to use the Manager Advanced software to broadcast Google Slides presentations.

As hoped for, the videos have become a happily anticipated part of the school environment.

“The more videos I create, the more they want to see them,” said Dr. Marsh. “If I can’t make it to an event or leave something out that they think should be there, the students let me know.”

The opportunities to notice, capture and broadcast connection and caring are endless. On March 14th, otherwise known as “Pi Day,” the school held a pie-throwing event. A student unexpectedly tossed the edible kind at the principal, who accepted the gesture with extreme grace. The student exclaimed that she was now wanted for “pie-ing” the principal. Someone caught it all on video and it became a hit among the many memorable broadcasts bolstering the community at Lee High School.

ViewSonic Manager Advanced™ subscription

ViewBoard® IFP7550 interactive displays

CASE STUDY

Conference Room Makeover Brings State-of-the-Art ViewSonic Direct View LED and ViewBoard Interactive Displays to School

SCHOOL

Located in Ellisville, MS, the Ellisville State School is a state-operated regional program providing comprehensive services to persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ellisville State School offers services to people in a residential setting and provides an array of programs and services in the community through the Community Services System. Ellisville State School serves approximately 240 people on the main campus and additional persons in the community. It is the goal of Ellisville State School to provide each person with the appropriate services so that each will develop to the maximum of his or her potential.

“They were able to use the ViewBoard interactive display while looking at the audience, and everything they did was mirrored on the big Direct View LED display, which made it highly visible to everyone in the room no matter where they were seated. The two displays are a great pairing.”

— Dean Yelverton, Network Administrator

THE CHALLENGE

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Ellisville State School (ESS) closed its doors to protect residents and staff, Director Rinsey McSwain found herself conducting daily video calls in the conference room. She quickly became frustrated by the limited capabilities of the aging projector and conference phone. This frustration was the springboard for change, as McSwain envisioned the development of a fully-interactive environment powered by the most current technology.

“She wanted top-notch video conferencing equipment that could be used in multiple, flexible ways,” said IT Director Bobby Sterling. “The room was already equipped with a divider, and she wanted to be able to leverage it for simultaneous smaller meetings as well as ones that used the full space.”

Along with Network Administrator Dean Yelverton, Sterling reached out to reseller partner RJ Young for assistance. Together they looked at potential solutions from various manufacturers, and settled on the Direct View LED display as their technology of choice for the room’s main display. This would be supplemented with an interactive flat panel display on the other side of the room.

THE SOLUTION

Next, Sterling and Yelverton visited the reseller’s installer, who favored ViewSonic among the suppliers under consideration.

“He showed us photos of ViewSonic Direct View LED display installations he had done,” said Yelverton. “Seeing those, along with the great bang-for-the-buck offered by ViewSonic, took us quickly in that direction. We knew that our director would be pleased with the seamless display.”

It didn’t hurt that both Yelverton and Sterling had previous positive experience with ViewSonic products. “I’ve used ViewSonic displays going back a long time,” said Yelverton. “They’ve always been very good quality at a fair price. And for what you get with the huge Direct View LED display, it’s really rather affordable.”

The team took their proposal to McSwain, who was impressed by the display’s size and features. The final signoff came from business services, and with these approvals, the IT team obtained the required quotes. RJ Young presented the best pricing, and received the purchase order for a ViewSonic® 135” All-in- One LD135-151 Direct View LED display and a ViewSonic® 75-inch ViewBoard® IFP7552-1C-E1 display with VPC25-W53-01-1B slot-in PC, along with Logitech control panel, webcams, a controller and Sure speakers to round out the solution. The IT department further ordered a ViewSonic® LD-MK-001 vacuum maintenance tool, which would enable them to easily remove and replace LED panels without having to bring in third party support.

The final challenge would be installing the new equipment in time for the annual Department of Mental Health Board of Directors meeting that the school would be hosting just three weeks after placing the purchase order. Fortunately, one of the key features of the ViewSonic Direct View LED display system is streamlined installation that makes it faster and easier to deploy than a traditional LED wall.

THE RESULTS

Thanks to the support and hustle from RJ Young and ViewSonic, the equipment arrived about two weeks after the order was placed. This left under a week to get everything installed and working.

“The Department of Mental Health is our school’s oversight organization, and this meeting is very important,” said Sterling. “Our director wanted everything perfect to showcase videos on the new Direct View LED display and to accommodate interactive presentations on the ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive display. We were under a tremendous time crunch.”

Thanks to the efforts of all involved – and the ease of installation because of ViewSonic Direct View LED technology – everything went smoothly, said Yelverton. They even had a couple days to conduct training. The meeting went off without a hitch.

What was once a standard-issue conference room with basic and outdated equipment has become a state-of-the art facility that provides flexibility and ease of use.

“We didn’t realize how much we were going to be able to take advantage of by going from what we had to the fully interactive setup we have now,” said Sterling.

For groups like the board of directors meeting, the full room supports a range of needs, from a larger-than-life video display and immersive video calls on the Direct View LED display, to interactive presentations using the arm-mounted ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive display, which can be height-adjusted and angled to meet user needs as well as a variety of seating arrangements.

“During the board meeting we had several attendees present who were accustomed to using whiteboards,” said Yelverton. “They were able to use the ViewBoard interactive display while looking at the audience, and everything they did was mirrored on the big Direct View LED display, which made it highly visible to everyone in the room no matter where they were seated. The two displays are a great pairing.”

When the full room isn’t needed, the school can book dual meetings in the divided space. The collaborative capabilities of the ViewBoard display have been particularly useful for conducting remote and hybrid training, commented Yelverton, and the room has become an in-demand hub for trainings as much as for meetings.

Sterling and Yelverton emphasized that both RJ Young and ViewSonic went above and beyond, throughout the process.

“I have to give a shout out to ViewSonic’s tech support,” said Yelverton. “We had issues with a couple of the LED panels, which they anticipated by including some spares with the kit. Then after that the tech support team sent us a couple more spares to keep on hand.” The Ellisville State School director who requested the conference room makeover has been more than pleased with the results, the IT duo said. “She still gets a big smile every time she sees the beautiful Direct View LED display,” said Sterling. “When visitors come from our central office it’s the first thing that she shows them.”

ViewSonic® 135” All-in-one Direct View LED display LD135-151

ViewSonic 75-inch ViewBoard® IFP7552-1C-E1

CASE STUDY

Peruvian School Boosts Hybrid Learning and English Language Instruction with ViewSonic ViewBoard Interactive Displays

SCHOOL

Founded in 1954, Centro Cultural Peruano Norteamericano (CCPNA) is a distinguished educational institution dedicated to English language instruction in southern Peru. Headquartered in the city of Arequipa, it not only serves as a center for language learning but also plays a vital role in fostering cultural exchange and promoting American culture through a diverse range of events such as plays, musicals, art galleries, film screenings, round tables, conferences, and more.

Apart from its main office in Arequipa, CCPNA has branches in the cities of Puno, Juliaca, Ilo, Moquegua, and Tacna. With a comprehensive array of 20 English learning programs tailored to different age groups, academic intensity, and frequency, the institution accommodates a total of 7,000 students. These programs offer immersive National Geographic Learning experiences, ensuring a dynamic and engaging learning environment.

“ViewSonic was the most suitable solution to meet our needs. The fact that other companies off ered similar teaching support tools that were only compatible with Android helped us make our decision.”

— Álvaro Salinas, CCPNA General Director

THE CHALLENGE

CCPNA needed an easy way of implementing hybrid teaching across all of its campuses. Initially, they experimented with non-native touchscreen solutions and television sets. However, these options proved unsatisfactory due to subpar resolution and limited functionality. As a result, CCPNA embarked on a quest to find alternative teaching methods that could eff ectively support their new educational approach.

Álvaro Salinas, General Director of CCPNA, explains, “To achieve this, we required a cutting-edge interactive display as the cornerstone of our implementation. While we were already utilizing AI cameras and microphones in our classrooms, we lacked an interactive display solution with a robust platform to complement this transition.”

Consequently, the institution’s authorities directed their efforts towards finding a display that off ered user-friendly teaching tools and functionalities, such as those provided by the ViewSonic^® myViewBoard^® platform for content creation and casting. They sought an easily manageable application that could enhance both physical and online learning experiences.

The implementation process was a race against time as it needed to be completed by the beginning of 2023. To accomplish this, they relied on a slot-in OPS mini PC to power the display, making it the central component of the interactive learning experience. This setup enabled the utilization of myViewBoard software and provided teachers and students with an extensive range of resources.

THE SOLUTION

After careful evaluation of various market proposals, CCPNA made the decision to procure a total of 120 ViewSonic^® ViewBoard^® interactive displays for their campuses. This included 109 ViewBoard IFP6532 65-inch interactive displays, and 11 ViewBoard IFP8632 86-inch interactive displays. To complement these displays, 120 VPC25-W53-O1 slot-in PC units were also included in the order. These technology resources were installed not only at CCPNA branches in southern Peru but also at their sister institution, the Instituto de Diseño Thomas Jefferson.

To facilitate efficient management and control of the interactive display network, ViewSonic^® Manager Advanced™ software was seamlessly integrated into the solution. This software offers centralized control for executing tasks, performing updates, and sending messages or alarms directly to the displays, eliminating the need for physical presence in the classroom. Undoubtedly, this feature is a significant time and resource-saving advantage. Thanks to this implementation, 100% of the classrooms at the CCPNA Arequipa headquarters are now equipped with interactive displays. In the other cities, coverage reaches an impressive 90%, with the remaining margin representing areas where this implementation is not currently necessary.

RESULTS

The ViewSonic solution has significantly improved the hybrid teaching experience within the CCPNA educational community.

One notable aspect of the ViewSonic solution is its compatibility with both Android-supported tools and Windows-based applications for delivering classes, as well as integration with the Google Workspace platform. Additionally, the inclusion of myViewBoard software for content creation further enhances the teaching experience.

“ViewSonic was the most suitable solution to meet our needs,” said Salinas. “The fact that other companies offered similar teaching support tools that were only compatible with Android helped us make our decision.”

Salinas further adds that the teacher training process progressed smoothly, as the use of the new equipment proved intuitive, and many teachers already possessed a clear understanding of how to handle technology. This familiarity with the capabilities of the interactive displays made it easier for them to leverage all the features.

The delivery of technology resources began in the fi nal months of the previous year, and the implementation proceeded swiftly, concluding in March 2023. According to Alex Carlos, Regional Sales Manager of ViewSonic in Peru, CCPNA has now become “the best-equipped English educational center in the country, surpassing institutions in both the south and even those operating in Lima or the north of Peru. Moreover, it has emerged as a leading educational institution in terms of technological facilities in the Andean region.”

The CCPNA representative concludes, “For us, it was essential that this experience be extended to all students, not limited to certain classrooms, such as schools or universities. We aimed to create hybrid classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology, ensuring that all our students can enjoy a high-quality hybrid learning experience.”

ViewSonic Manager Advanced™ subscription

ViewBoard^® IFP6532 interactive displays

ViewBoard^® IFP8632 interactive displays

Joey Lee

JSL Marketing for ViewSonic [U.S.]
T: 310-592-1712
E: joey@jslcomm.com

Caroline McGrath

CMM Communications for ViewSonic [Canada]
T: 416-972-1642
E: caroline@cmm-communications.com

Nury Lavandier

JSL Marketing for ViewSonic [Latin America]
T: 305-491-0530
E: nury@jslcomm.com

CASE STUDY

ViewSonic Direct View LED Display Brings Efficiency, Reliability and Visibility to Career Tech Presentations

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery Public Schools is a large district serving over 30,000 students in 27 preschools, 32 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, and 10 high schools, according to US News & World Report. The Career Tech Department provides career and technical instruction to prepare students for life after high school, whether that may include postsecondary education, employment, or a combination of both.

“[The ViewSonic Direct View LED is] a showstopper. There’s no better word for it than that. When I meet visitors at the front office, which is maybe 105 feet from the display wall, I always get astonished comments. It’s vivid and clear even from there. Even the students stop and talk about how amazing it is.”

— Auburn Brown, Career Tech Bookkeeper

THE CHALLENGE

The Montgomery Preparatory Academy for Career Technologies (MPACT), the career tech building for the district, is a hub of activity, where students, staff, trainers, and recruiters frequently gather to attend and deliver presentations.

“We host countless seminars, training, PD, and recruitment presentations every month,” said Career Tech Director Todd Davis. “The process for facilitating these activities was very cumbersome. We had to go to another building across town to get a projector, screen and sound board, set them up, then quickly return it all so that it was available for other users.”

Not only was this incredibly inefficient, but with larger meetings and presentations not everyone could see the screen from the back of the room, added Davis.

Inspiration hit as it often does, when one least expects it.

“I was out to dinner during my daughter’s national volleyball tournament and saw what I thought would be the ideal solution,” said Davis. “It was a bunch of TVs put together into a screen so big you could just about see it from another state.”

Davis immediately sent a photo of the image to the CTE team’s Bookkeeper Auburn Brown whose responsibilities include sourcing and purchasing technology to support the district’s dozens of CTE instructors.

“I take care of around 80 teachers and two education specialists,” said Brown. “So when my boss texted me a photo of a huge video screen and said ‘I want this for our commons area,’ I started doing the research right away.”

THE SOLUTION

The large display that sparked Brown’s interest was a traditional video wall created by lining up several TV-like monitors into a grid. Not realizing there would be an alternative, Brown initially assumed that this was the format they would use.

“As I researched manufacturers, I made sure to look at ViewSonic because we use their 65-inch ViewBoard interactive displays here at Career Tech and the district has purchased many of them as well,” said Brown. “I had no idea that there was an option like their Direct View LED displays, which are huge and give a much cleaner look than the other video walls.”

Brown narrowed the options to a few brands and sought advice and pricing from their rep at reseller partner InCare. When she saw the price of the ViewSonic^® Direct View LED display she was thrilled.

“I expected it to be more expensive than the video walls that didn’t look as good,” she said. “Going with the ViewSonic Direct View LED just made sense based on my research. It was bigger, had no lines breaking it up, and it was an easier to manage all-in-one solution.”

She took her recommendation that they purchase a 135” ViewSonic Direct View LED display to Davis.

“Auburn said to me, ‘I think we can do a whole lot better than a bunch of TVs lined up together,’” said Davis. “When I saw the ViewSonic display, I absolutely agreed.”

THE RESULTS

Installed in the center’s commons area, which can seat up to 100 people, the ViewSonic Direct View LED has been a big hit. After over a year of use, Brown and Davis can confidently say that the eye-catching display has exceeded their initial hopes for the presentation space – from its visual appeal to its functional benefits.

“It’s a showstopper,” said Brown. “There’s no better word for it than that. When I meet visitors at the front office, which is maybe 105 feet from the display wall, I always get astonished comments. It’s vivid and clear even from there. Even the students stop and talk about how amazing it is.”

When it comes down to utility, the ViewSonic Direct View Display has more than served its initial purpose.

“It has saved Todd a lot of time, not having to go to the downtown central office to sign equipment in and out every time we have a presentation,” said Brown. “I love it because no one has to hassle with it, it just works and looks amazing.”

Now, presentations of all kinds are reliably crisp, clear, and large enough for everyone in the room to get a good view, no matter where they’re seated.

“We use it year, round, even in the summer,” said Brown. “Presenters include trainers from the State Department of Education, military recruiters, our CTE instructors, and more. And if there are no meetings scheduled and no announcements that we need to run, we’ll put up music, football games or other content that the students and staff enjoy when passing by.”

Everyone is so happy with the display, in fact, that as of this writing, Brown was working on a purchase order to obtain one for their sister center, a magnet high school that focuses on career tech education.

“The advertising design teacher there fell in love with it and convinced us to get one for his school,” said Brown. “They’re going to install it in their ‘Crossroads,’ an intersection of two long hallways that pretty much every student walks through during the day, and run Career Tech announcements and other information.”

LD216-251 Direct View LED

216" Display, 1920 x 1080 Resolution, 600-nit Brightness, 24/7

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VB-WPS-001

ViewSonic^® ViewBoard^® Cast Button

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