Students are consuming information in new and different ways – books are being replaced by computers and blackboards are being replaced by video collaboration screens.  To sum it up, technology is revolutionizing learning.

While educators struggle to deliver top-notch educational experiences amid budget cuts and fewer resources, they are finding innovative ways to provide better opportunities to their students. At the crux of this innovation are collaborative learning technologies, such as telepresence. From grade schools to universities, classrooms are combining video with learning and students, staff and parents are reaping the rewards. Read More »

Tags: collaboration, flipped classroom, higer education, higher ed, K-12, learning, teaching, TelePresence, video conferencing, WebEX

I am often asked what it takes to create a successful telepresence experience. Usually, I respond with requirements like: a high-speed network, great lighting, good acoustic space and the right equipment. However, after a trip I took late last year, I’m going to add “stable power” to the list, and here’s why.

In late 2011, my customer The Hershey Company – you may have heard of them – invited me to be involved with a new project they were kicking off with the goal to enrich the education of underprivileged youth in both the U.S. and Ghana. Hershey wanted to create a common, virtual classroom so 80 elementary students could learn together based on a curriculum developed by teachers in both Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Ghana. The obstacle they faced was how to connect the students, which ultimately led to my visit to Ghana.

Throughout the summer of 2012, I worked with the Hershey Telepresence support team to equip a space at the Milton S. Hershey Foundation headquarters with a C90 codec, two Precision HD cameras, an AudioScience Microphone array, a document camera and some displays. The plan was to duplicate this setup at the Assin Fosu school in Ghana. The ever-revealing reality of a “less than ideal” environment for telepresence required scaling back the Ghana design to an SX20 codec, one display, two microphones and a document camera. The endpoints at both locations were then registered to a VCS Expressway to enable firewall traversal and easy connections across the public Internet.

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Tags: c90 codec, Cisco, distance learning, e20, education, hershey, sx20 codec, TelePresence, vcs expressway

Did you know that you could keep approximately 19 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions out of the atmosphere for each gallon of gas you don’t use? By itself that may not seem like a big number, but for those who commute 5 days a week, 20 days a month and around 260 days a year, that is a lot of carbon emissions.

Telecommuting has become increasingly popular at organizations around the world. Many are developing formal programs and seeing the benefits of increased employee productivity, improved morale and business continuity.  The Association of Commuter Transportation (ACT) reports that 83 percent of the Fortune 100 companies allow employees to telework, including companies such as Google, Microsoft, Genentech and Starbucks.

That’s not all, in fact Read More »

Tags: carbon footprint, Cisco, collaboration, earth day, telecommute, TelePresence, telework

April 15^th, what does this day mean to you?  For most U.S. citizens, it isn’t a day to look forward to.   That’s because it’s the day our taxes are due.  While it is part of our civic responsibility, I would venture to say that few people really enjoy the tax season; even CPAs are crazed during this time of year.  And it isn’t only the pain of cutting a check if you are one of the unfortunate ones who owes money; it is also the cumbersome process of getting your taxes done.

But I’ve noticed something a little different this tax season, ads about tax services are heavily focused on expertise vs. ease.  TurboTax, TaxAct, H&R Block, you name it, all seem to be promoting the credentials of their tax experts and the quality experience you will have when you engage with them.  This could be due to the added levels of complexity related to changes in rules and regulations from year to year, or it could be that people are having issues with accuracy.  Regardless, the “experts” promise a better experience.

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Tags: tax preparation, taxes, TelePresence, video collaboration, WebRTC

We’ve seen Cisco TelePresence making a difference in health care. Most recently, it helped connect Children’s Hospitals with the North Pole for the holidays, and now its uses have extended to saving lives.

There are few things in life that are more important than your health and the health of your loved ones. Lack of time has become a major factor in people not seeking out the medical care they need. Therefore, health care providers have had to keep up with this ongoing issue and find ways to ensure patients receive the care they need.

Oklahoma’s largest health care system, INTEGRIS was one of those providers. Faced with the challenge of delivering the quality they desired, INTEGRIS was looking for an effective way to connect hospitals throughout the area to increase employee collaboration and improve patient care. With the help of Cisco collaboration technology, Cisco TelePresence and Cisco Jabber, INTEGRIS has established a life-saving program that has decreased stroke mortality rates and increased access to health specialists.

Read more on how INTEGRIS is leveraging Cisco to drive innovation in health care: “Cisco Collaboration Comes to the Rescue for INTEGRIS Health.”

Tags: Cisco, collaboration, Connected, healthcare, telehealth, TelePresence