technology
Edinburgh University streamlines wireless content sharing
M
ersive Technologies, a leader in wireless content sharing and collaboration solutions, has helped the University of Edinburgh standardise on the Solstice wireless collaboration platform, installing it in 150 classrooms across a campus covering four separate sites in the City. The University of Edinburgh has offered
wireless content sharing to displays in its lecture theatres, tutorial spaces, classrooms and meeting rooms for several years. In 2018, it decided to seek a new solution that offered a more seamless and stable user experience. The university encourages a bring your own device (BYOD) culture amongst students and staff. Its user community embraces all four of the main operating systems currently in use: Apple iOS, Android, Windows and Linux. In the past, users have experienced a range of connectivity issues, sometimes associated with updates to their device. Following an extensive evaluation of new suppliers of wireless collaboration solutions, the university installed Mersive Solstice on a pilot basis in a small number of teaching and meeting spaces. Following extensive and very positive user feedback, it has standardised on Solstice software, and has now implemented it throughout the University. The deployment includes the Murchison House Teaching Hub, a
major educational hub in the former British Geological Survey building. Commenting, Stephen Dishon, Development Team Manager, Learning, Teaching and Web Services at The University of Edinburgh, said: “I don’t think that we’ve ever had so much positive feedback on a technology pilot as we did with Mersive. It was intuitive and easy to use for Android, Apple, Windows and Linux users alike. Mersive Solstice has all but eliminated calls to tech support with issues connecting to the displays. The connection just happens. Issues following updates are a thing of the past. Devices of all types just connect easily and stay connected.” Dishon said he is “excited” about the
future deployment in the prestigious Edinburgh Futures Institute due to open Q4, 2021. The Institute will focus on some of the most pressing problems facing the planet today and is specifically intended to pioneer new ways of learning. Stephen Dishon said: “Mersive Solstice is a very flexible technology that allows teachers and students to interact much more easily and democratically. We are already making extensive use of new Solstice features as they are added. Solstice Ink, allowing users to highlight areas on the display using their mobile device, is a powerful and effective
innovation, for example. Using the digital signage feature associated with the Office 365 calendar facility, we can display room booking information in each room when the display isn’t being used for teaching.” Christopher Jaynes, Founder and CTO of Mersive, commented: “Our design philosophy since we started Mersive is that it’s our responsibility to get rid of all the potential barriers before the user encounters them. That approach was based on my own experience as a University professor. I’m excited that an institution with the international stature of The University of Edinburgh has transitioned to Mersive Solstice and particularly excited that usability was a key factor in its decision to transition to our technology.” For the larger lecture theatres, Edinburgh University still offers a traditional cable as an alternative to Solstice, but teaching staff welcome the greater ease and flexibility that wireless sharing offers. In the smaller meeting rooms, Solstice facilitates discussions during tutorials. The University has also provided displays with Solstice in huddle spaces in the library which are very popular for informal discussions between students.
www.mersive.com
32 highereducationestates
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