AVT Question: Please share your insights into emerging trends and how AV/IT technologies are reshaping the higher education classroom and beyond.
Thought Leader: John Razes, Vice President of Technical Services at Mersive Technologies
The higher education classroom is rapidly evolving, driven by the need for scalable, integrated technology that empowers educators and engages students. There are several trends that we are seeing on the front lines of the industry. The first is a shift towards platforms that offer scalability across entire campuses rather than isolated solutions for individual rooms. This is crucial as universities prioritize networked solutions that provide a consistent experience in varied learning environments. Mersive’s approach, particularly with our Solstice platform, exemplifies this trend. Not only is it scalable, integrating seamlessly with existing university networks, but AV/IT teams can also easily deploy it via cloud to numerous spaces.
We are seeing increased adoption of technology-enabled active learning (TEAL), which creates more engaging experiences and collaboration for facilitators and students." —John Razes, Vice President of Technical Services at Mersive Technologies
Another trend is meeting higher education budgets where they are. Many collaboration solutions force educational facilities into a subscription model that doesn’t jibe with higher education’s unique budget requirements and cycles. Mersive’s Perpetual Upgrade Plan is designed—and exclusively available to—higher education, allowing institutions to make a one-time purchase that includes lifetime support and updates, sidestepping the financial challenges faced by educational institutions. This model not only optimizes budget allocations but also eliminates the hassle of annual renewals, ensuring that universities always have access to the latest technology without recurring costs. Stretching budgets even further, Mersive’s software-led approach extends the life cycle of AV deployments.
Finally, we are seeing increased adoption of technology-enabled active learning (TEAL), which creates more engaging experiences and collaboration for facilitators and students. Solstice Active Learning provides video and audio routing for multi-screen environments that is quick to deploy and easy for facilitators to use. The solution doesn’t require custom programming, a matrix switcher, or additional expensive hardware.
By focusing on scalable, software-led AV solutions with flexible pricing models and powerful add-ons like active learning, Mersive is helping to redefine the higher education classroom, making it more affordable, collaborative, and adaptable to the evolving needs of students and educators.
