Jan 18 2010
Showcasing at FETC 2010, Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE:TXN) DLP® Products continued to demonstrate a commitment to education by exhibiting a variety of 3D-ready projectors, utilizing the company’s reliable and affordable single-projector technology. Curriculum delivered in 3D provides teachers with engaging tools for teaching difficult subjects and students, by delivering a visually immersive environment to learn in. 3D-Ready DLP projectors from BenQ, InFocus, Mitsubishi, Optoma, ViewSonic and Vivitek are currently available, and Acer, Dell, NEC and Sharp will be shipping soon to the education channel.
Immersive learning provided by 3D displays shown to increase test scores, close the gender gap and increase knowledge retent
TI DLP, which has previously announced 3D projectors for entertainment and commercial use, is working with manufacturers and content providers to help deliver interactive learning across various topics, ranging from science to art. The goal is to bring subjects to life with content that previously could only be experienced in 2D.
Demonstrating the growing demand for immersive display technology, over 50 projectors from 10 different DLP Products’ manufacturers are already either offering or developing 3D-Ready projectors for the market. Through the operation of millions of DLP’s microscopic mirrors that project lifelike images in 3D, students can experience active visualization, simulation and environments in vibrant colors as if they were right before their eyes. Initial lessons using 3D learning through DLP technology have already taken place in schools around the world, including several in the U.K. and U.S.
Providing measurable results for the benefits of 3D learning, JTM Concepts Inc. (JTM) recently conducted independent studies in the state of Illinois to compare the results of grade school classes taught with 3D curriculum versus standard lecture teaching methods. The research, supported by state funding, showed that students taught using one of JTM’s Classroom3® 3D simulations had an average increase in test scores of up to 35 percent versus the 9.8 percent score increase from traditional teaching methods.
“The heightened understanding and comprehension for students provided by lessons experienced in 3D is undeniable,” said Tracey Masamoto, simulation and integration director, JTM Concepts. “Our research shows that with 3D content, teachers can cover more material in less time, test scores are higher and the students actually enjoy learning. Applied across disciplines from health sciences and geography to mathematics, 3D simulations matched to relevant curriculum offer an unparalleled advantage in understanding and retaining information.”
One school district that identified the benefits of DLP technologies and has invested in 3D is Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), which recently turned to DLP for a districtwide technology upgrade. After accessing 46 different projectors, BVSD selected DLP-based Vivitek projectors because of the reputation of the brand and the desire to get the most out of the district’s new 10 GB network. The district is now implementing 1,000 3D-enabled projectors to all 51 schools, serving approximately 28,000 K–12 students.
“We firmly believe that 3D video will open up a world of new, enhanced learning by making visualization a core support for the curriculum,” said Len Scrogan, director of instructional technology. “We also look for strong contrast ratios, readability and reliability of the product, which is why we chose DLP. But what’s also great is that there’s no filter cleaning, and it’s sustainable that way — it won’t deteriorate.”
“Texas Instruments is a long-standing, trusted education partner, and we understand teachers and administrators are at the mercy of limited budgets and imposed standardized testing. In order to help address these challenges we became the first, and we’re still the only, provider of 3D technology through a single projector,” said Dave Duncan, education business development manager, DLP products. “With the incredible affordability DLP projectors provide, we’re making it easy for schools to implement 3D in their classrooms.”
In addition to expanding on interactive learning, DLP continues to provide display clarity, higher reliability and great simplicity for faculty and students resulting in enhanced classroom learning experiences. Offering affordable, scalable and easy-to-implement projector technology is why leading school districts, such as Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD), Arizona, are deploying high-quality display technologies in 1,720 classrooms while minimizing maintenance costs and issues.
SUSD particularly valued the projectors’ total cost of ownership advantages, including a filter-free design, long lifespan and the ability to future-proof for 3D applications in the future without any hardware or software changes. SUSD deployed Mitsubishi projectors based on DLP technology to 1,720 classrooms in the district.
Additional technologies showcased by DLP at FETC include LiteBoard by InFocus and DLP Pico™ for collaborative learning.
To see these technologies in action, please visit the Texas Instrument DLP Booth, #1221.