29 Mar Ohio State's educational tech lab to use Sonic Foundry system
MADISON – Ohio State University’s new “living laboratory” of teaching technology will use Mediasite Live, a media-presentation system developed by Madison-based Sonic Foundry, Inc., to automatically record, distribute, archive and view instructors’ presentations, the company announced Monday.
The laboratory, termed the Digital Union, is intended to provide Ohio State with data for making informed investment decisions across Ohio’s flagship campus and give students, faculty and staff hands-on experience with educational technology.
“The Digital Union will serve as an incubator for institutional innovation, and a showcase for best practices in technology-enabled learning environments,” said Stephen Acker, director of learning technologies research and innovation for Ohio State.
Sonic Foundry joins Apple Computer, HP and Polycom in the Digital Union initiative. In addition to a Mediasite Live system, the fully networked Digital Union features a video conferencing suite; video theater; plasma screens; cameras; a multimedia production facility; wireless technology meeting areas; demonstration areas with various tablet PCs, laptops and handheld devices; integrated printers and scanners; and a digital asset management system.
Other potential applications for Mediasite Live include recording and distributing presentations from guest speakers at the Digital Union and other campus locations, doctoral candidates who incorporate rich media into their dissertations, and online training for faculty and staff.
Through its participation in the Digital Union, Sonic Foundry said it will gain insights on emerging academic needs. The company will also take opportunities to interact with other hardware and software vendors in a neutral academic environment, as well as those who use, recommend and purchase technology on campus.
The lab will also serve as a beta-testing site, providing feedback from real-world experiences with the developing technologies.
“The Digital Union is an exciting initiative that brings together the key disciplines that underscore the development of digitally integrated systems for education,” said James Dias, vice president of marketing and sales for Sonic Foundry. “Our direct participation in this program will create a dialogue with the leading practitioners and designers in the field, and illuminate our vision for the Mediasite platform.”