University of Michigan Business School Deploying Visual Collaboration Software
Mersive's Solstice software |
The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is using Mersive's Solstice software to enhance visual collaboration in the classroom. The technology is being piloted in five classes that will provide the basis for additional deployments in fall 2014 through 2015.
Solstice enables multiple users to connect to, share and control a display simultaneously from their mobile device — phone, tablet or computer — using an existing IP network. Multiple people can wirelessly share media on the display at one time, or an instructor can enter "podium" mode and take control. Students can use the system to collaborative in both study group and classroom settings. Behind-the-scenes features include centralized control through the Solstice Dashboard; Solstice Directory Service to enable network management; and APIs to allow integration and control with existing room control panels.
"At the University of Michigan, we're dedicated to leveraging technology to enhance and expand our active learning model," said Edward Adams, chief technology officer and director of computing services for the Ross School, in a press release. "Solstice allowed us to achieve a new level of technical functionality without the complexity and expense that traditional hardware solutions would have entailed. In addition, both students and professors have found Solstice to be a highly useful tool in their educational environment."
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Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].