UTEP Enables Flexible Collaboration in the Classroom

Extron NAV Pro AVoIP chosen for school upgrade, transforming learning spaces at UTEP's Rehabilitation Sciences Complex with digital solutions.

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) recently underwent an upgrade of its AV systems in the Rehabilitation Sciences Complex, a space dedicated to specialized rehabilitation health services training and nursing studies. The outdated analog systems were replaced with a cutting-edge, all-digital solution from Extron.

According to Mike Pitcher, the director of learning environments at UTEP, Extron was able to meet the complex needs of the teaching and learning pedagogies at the university without requiring excessive time, effort, or investment. The new setup in each active learning multipurpose room includes two instructor lecterns, five student team stations with interactive touch displays, and a front-of-room projection system with a large screen. Various sources such as university servers, Apple TV, PTZ cameras, and personal devices are seamlessly integrated into the system, allowing students to annotate presentations and save their notes for later review.

The Extron NAV Pro AV over IP system plays a crucial role in distributing content from any source to multiple display devices over the university network. This high-performance AV matrix solution combines the flexibility of an IP-based system with virtual video and audio switching, ensuring ultra-low latency and optimal image quality. The NAV system, with its NAV 1G encoders and scaling decoders, is integrated into each station and lectern, allowing faculty members to customize content selection and presentation according to their teaching style. The system manager, NAVigator, installed within the primary lectern, enables easy management of NAV endpoints, making it a favorite among faculty members for its quick switching speed and user-friendly operation.

Overall, the upgrade to the Extron NAV Pro AV over IP system has significantly enhanced the teaching and learning experience at UTEP's Rehabilitation Sciences Complex. The faculty appreciates the system's ease of use, while the support team finds it simple to maintain and expand. This advanced AV solution has truly revolutionized the way content is distributed and presented in the classroom, setting a new standard for educational technology at the university.