digitalLEARNING-Apr-2011- [8]-Cover story

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INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS:

BRINGING LIFE TO CLASSROOMS

Going out of tradition is hard-hitting and resistive on Indian mindsets. Developing human capability through education technologies is yet to catch up in India. digitalLearning brings out a comprehensive reportage of IWB market scenario in India. Equipped with perspective of service providers and education stake holders we bring out the emphasising on the status of IWB usage in India and level of acceptance among educators. Read on to get an in depth analysis of overall global trends and how IWBs have impacted the Indian education sector

By Pragya Gupta

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ndia’s Education sector is likely to step up its IT spending to about USD 704 million in 2012, reflecting in a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 19 percent during 2007-2012 says the Springboard research report. Traditional education system has undergone a vast change moving out of the era of the blackboard, classroom and conventional methods of teaching to a more intelligent, digitised and smarter way of imparting knowledge. One of the major tools emerged in this changed education system is interactive whiteboard. According to Future Source Consulting, an independent global research company that tracks interactive

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Emerging Technologies The future of the IWB is vivid. More and more players are coming in with innovative technology and solutions. Here are some latest solutions are about to hit the market.

Cybernetyx: Cybernetyx plans to launch interactive, multi-touch 77 inches video wall for the education and government vertical at affordable prices significantly lower than generic video walls. Cybernetyx is planning to launch its interactive video wall ONFINIA Interactive Video Walls with rear projection and multi touch technology in the fourth week of April in India and Germany.

However, the solution is deployed in some premium schools in the country.

Mimio: It converts ordinary whiteboard into an interactive whiteboard - instantly.

The MimioTeach interactive system is a device in a compact bar shape which is to be placed on existing whiteboard. It connects computer to a standard projector. It makes everything accessible on a computer from a whiteboard. It also lets the teacher create engaging lessons with MimioStudio software.

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whiteboard sales, about 7,500 (Rs 75 crore in value terms) IWBs were sold in India in 2009. The agency projects this to touch 28,000 units (Rs280 crore) this year and 70,000 (Rs 700 crore) in the next.

The Indian education segment has realised the potential and effectiveness of imparting knowledge through technology, more and more institutes are adopting interactive whiteboards and various audio-visual techniques like projectors and LCDs. Interactive Whiteboards in the Indian education system has started playing instrumental in enhanced teaching experience. However, the market is still in the nascent stage but almost majority of schools and higher education are showing interest in Interactive Whiteboards into their classroom. Metro cities have grasped the IWB technology very well.

Interactive Whiteboards help teachers to record sessions and share them with students. IWB have tools for presentation like spotlight, snapshot, reveal, sharing. Using the software, teacher can write, draw and annotate on its surface and navigates the computer functions from interactive whiteboard with finger or pen. This powerful versatile teaching tool allows electronic files to be used later for repeated sessions or mails to absent student as an attachment. The software has a built in library of images on different subjects which the teachers

can use into their lessons.IWB enables the user to draw, write or making notes, drag and mark up onto the surface controlling the PC. Looking at the lurching market third party research has shown that students and teachers around the world are benefiting from the use of interactive whiteboards and are witness to increased student engagement, learner retention and motivation, improved test scores and attendance are among few of the results.

There are various types of interactive whiteboards and devices available in the Indian market. Interactive white

Transforming Lessons into Experience: The Leading Players’ Whiteboard market in India is divided broadly into four categories: Branded boards, Chinese boards, and Indian boards and Devices players. eInstruction, Genee, Hitachi, Panasonic, Promethean, Samsung, SMART come under branded segment. In Chinese segment, Zoulong has been doing well in the Indian market. Globus Infocom is the Indian player predominantly catering to the government vertical. Mimio and eBeam offers devices to

about 7,500 interactive whiteboard were sold in India in 2009. The agency projects this to touch 28,000 units (Rs280 crore) this year and 70,000 (Rs 700 crore) in the next boards are boards which are truly interactive by nature and Devices help in converting normal LCD screens to interactive whiteboard. IR (Infra Red) interactive whiteboard uses infra red beam to make the board touch sensitive. A resistive membrane board consists of two resistive sheets separated by air gap. Electromagnetic Board is composed of grid of wires, operated with stylus.

for 21st Century Learning ScienTech: ScienTech has launched eBeam Engage. Their interactive whiteboard device combines more than ten multimedia and navigation tools in one sleek console to make lesson delivery effective and fun. Wireless keyboard eliminates need to toggle between computer and interactive surface combined with high fidelity JBL speakers.

SMART: SMART plans to launch its latest interactive and intuitive product SB885 ix in July. It enhance the power of collaborative learning by enabling two users to instantly and easily work on its surface at the same time using their fingers or a pen. The integrated system combines an interactive whiteboard with an ultra-short-throw projector that virtually eliminates shadows and glare, a multiuser Pen Tray and a control panel that enables teachers to manage all classroom technology products from the front of the classroom.

Clarity : ONFINITY Portable Interactive Whiteboard System Model CM2 Max helps to convert whiteboard, projection screen, plasma or wall into an interactive whiteboard instantly with help of existing multimedia projector.

the market to convert LCDs into interactive boards.

Leading Players (In an alphabetical Order) Aveco: Aveco offers include the most basic features to the most sophisticated technology which are for the customer’s benefit and substantial value Clarity: Clarity India Learning Solutions is a subsidiary of Young India Films, and focuses on Primary, Montessori and Secondary Education. They offer activity based learning offering high quality teaching learning material.

Cybernetyx: Cybernetyx’s approach is to introduce further newer devices, and disruptive technology in the learning space. “The rapid benchmarks established by our EyeRIS interactive systems in such a small time, in terms of the user acceptance, and technological breakthroughs, would be made incrementally progressive in the other parallel devices and technologies from Cybernetyx. One of the major fundamentals of the Natural User Interface paradigm of Cybernetyx’s Visual Touch technology is “creation through collaboration” enabling collaborative and distance learning through the cloud,” informed Nishant S. digitalLEARNING / april 2011

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Rajawat, Director-Technology (APAC), Cybernetyx India Disprovisual: DISPRO interactive boards are made with latest American E-Beam technology, needs multimedia DLP or LCD projector and a USB port to convert in to interactive whiteboard. eBeam: The ebeam is a dongle that converts any flat surface into IWB. It’s at the centre of many IWBs on the market and uses IR signals for input. It accepts input from a battery powered pen. It needs calibration of the board.

Genee: Genee have comparatively low price complete classroom solutions including visualises and slates.

Globus: It is an Indian manufacturer and their IWBs are reasonably priced.

Hitachi: Hitachi Starboard offers good quality in terms of robustness, accuracy and warranty; it allows interaction from finger and pen. It allows two handed interaction allowing up to nine people to

use the board simultaneously. It can use dry wipe marker on the board.

Mimio: Mimio offers devices that convert normal LCD into IWB. It accepts input from a battery-powered pen along with handwriting recognition.

Promethean: Promethean ActivBoards offer interactive whiteboard solutions.

Interactive whiteboards are a key component to Promethean’s all-in-one 21st century classroom solution: The ActivClassroom. Promethean offers a range of interactive whiteboard solutions to meet needs of today’s classroom.

Samsung: Samsung India Electronics (P) Ltd recently unveiled its solutions for the education segment with latest display solutions and customised applications on the Galaxy tab making the classroom room experience more interactive.

Samsung aims to tap educational institutes, plans to focus on 9 cities

in India which include – Delhi/NCR, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad in its first phase of roll out.

Samsung plans to target 20000+ educational institutes in the country with both IT and Mobility solutions.

SMART: SMART’s integrated classroom solutions includes combining the following: SMART Board interactive whiteboard, ultra short-throw projector and audio system with single power source, SMART Notebook collaborative learning software, training and professional development, services and support, content and access to the online community designed for educators, the SMART Exchange which now offers more than 51,000 digital resources.

Zhulong: It is the highest selling Chinese interactive whiteboard available in the Indian market due to comparatively lower price.

FACTORS DRIVING GROWTH Sanjiv Pande, Director for India, South Asia, SMART Technologies: One major factor driving the interactive whiteboard market in India is the pedagogical value and proven results of adopting interactive whiteboards into millions of classrooms globally. This research has shown that students and teachers around the world are benefiting from the use of interactive whiteboards and are witness to increased student engagement, learner retention and motivation, improved test scores and attendance are among few of the results.

Mohammad Ghouse, Country Manager, ScienTech: India is the fastest growing nation in the field of education. One of the widely accepted theories is the Million classroom market in India. The easy availability of quality content and growing number of Content providers and it is the demand of Gen Y.

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Nitin Joshi, Sales Manager - Indian Subcontinent Mimio: In the Indian market adoption of IWB technology (which is accelerating) will continue to be driven by perceived value but within an increasingly rigorous assessment of functional and supportive attributes. In addition to purchase price, educators and educational institutions will pay increasing attention to transportation and installation costs, the essential training at time of deployment and following on as teachers gain competence and also the after sales support and warranty service (including warranty service logistical costs).

Nishant S. Rajawat, Director-Technology (APAC), Cybernetyx: The sensible, welliformed and pragmatic Indian customer today values a “best and cheap” interactive solution over a “cheap and best” one.

Consequently, the two major factors that are driving the current Indian market are product features and pricing, in that specific order. \\

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Cybernetyx Ad page -11

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Smartly Focusing on SustaSanjiv Pande, Director for India, South Asia, SMART Technologies, in a tete`-a-tete` with Pragya Gupta, shared the ICT scenario in the education vertical and SMART’s command on the market. Excerpts:

How have SMART solutions contributed to interactive whiteboard market in India?

The SMART solutions and technology not only help K-12 but have huge relevance of application in higher education, government and business sectors. We cater to a wide panorama of customers even though bulk of our present market, in terms of revenues and presence, are in K-12. We are catering to India and

An Overview of the Trends The first interactive whiteboards were designed and manufactured for use in the office only.

They were developed by Xerox Parc around 1990. This board was used in small group meetings and round-tables since then market has taken a big leap.

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number of improvements had been made on the design and feature part, including the addition of an eraser markers and front or rear projection. With change in target market from office tool to K-12 education, it has become most profitable education technology in the K-12 educational system.

In recent years, growth surged tremendously, close to 600,000 interactive whiteboards were sold worldwide in 2008, generating nearly $1 billion of revenue. The interactive whiteboard phenomenon continued to take hold on a global scale, with 750,000 boards sold worldwide in 2009 and the market was tracked to reach close to 900,000

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unit sales in 2010, according to new research from Futuresource Consulting.

“With global classroom penetration sitting at just 7%, these numbers only represent the tip of the market potential iceberg,” says Colin Messenger, Senior Consultant, Futuresource. “This everexpanding penetration of IWB and other associated technologies has helped drive a significant evolution in interactive education.” “Back in 2005, only three countries sold more than 10,000 IWBs. Last year, we saw 12 countries hit this level. Driven by continued technological developments, our projections show that one in six classrooms will have an IWB by 2012” added Messenger.

The combined markets of the U.S., UK, and Mexico account for more than 70% of the worldwide interactive whiteboard installed base, with the remainder spread across more than 60 different countries.

UK The Becta Harnessing Technology Schools Survey 2007 indicated that 98% of secondary and 100% of primary schools had IWBs. In 2008 the average numbers of interactive whiteboards rose in both primary schools (18 compared with just over six in 2005, and eight in the 2007 survey) and secondary schools (38, compared with 18 in 2005 and 22 in 2007).

Futuresource predicts that by 2012, 80%

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inable Engagements neighbouring market like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. This trend will continue for the huge demographic dividend opportunity that India has. By 2015, India is going to have 47 million surplus working age population. The K12 segment is very critical in terms of bringing role of technology, delivering quality and inclusion.

What are the challenges when it comes to the adoption of technology?

One of the major challenges is resistance to any kind of change and inability to embrace change. The biggest challenge is the ability to get all stakeholders embrace change among administrator and teachers. The prime challenge to K12 is inadequate number of skilled teachers available; secondly implementation of technology and getting best of technology is shaping pre-training teachers. We at SMART really focus on our solution. We don’t want sell and go away but to build a sustainable engagement with our customers so that key stakeholder like teachers, sustainable training and professional development go around with our engagement in the long run.

What are your strategies for sustainable engagement? Which direction is IWB heading in India?

Smart in India will focus to differentiate ourselves as well as to bring value to the table by ensuring that there is a mix of services as well as solution in the offering we take to the market. Training and professional development is key aspect to that. Over 75000 private schools in India and every year 2000 to 3000 keep getting added. In terms of penetration, not even 10-15 per cent of schools have covered in implementation but the market potential seems to be large. Over a period of time, they all will be potential users of technology as the society has to change to leverage demographic dividend possibility in India.

By 2015, what SMART like to achieve?

We want to be a strong contributor to the India’s growing human capital and so I cannot give any futuristic statement but we have set up presence in India because we want to be a part of this growth journey. We see a lot of significantly opportunities for us to add value, as globally we are the numero uno and we would work in India to ensure that we have fair share of the market by 2015.

classroom penetration in the UK, with volumes for EMEA six times greater than in the UK. More than 150% growth is forecast for 2008, with the majority coming from China and India. Australia and New Zealand also have their success stories.

China In China, IWB market is growing rapidly at a pace of 25 to 30 percent every year.

Only about 5 percent of classrooms in China are equipped with IWB in comparison with a penetration ratio of 70 percent in the United Kingdom, 25 to 30 percent in North America and 10 percent in the Middle East. According to a survey conducted by www.3see.com, in 2009, the sales volume of IWBs in China exceeded 67,000, up by 109 percent year-on-year. The education market accounted for 91 percent of the sales.

Opportunities in the Indian Market The Indian market is very nascent at this stage with lower penetration level

offering immense opportunity to the solution providers. According to Future Source Consulting, 7,500 (Rs 75 crore in value terms) IWBs were sold in India in 2009. The agency projects this to touch 28,000 units (Rs 280 crore) this year and 70,000 (Rs 700 crore) in the next.

“India and South Asia are important markets for SMART, and we recognise there is great potential for our products and solutions throughout the region,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO.

SMART technologies intends at being in line with global market share of 50 per cent in India in by 2013.

Almoe Digital Solutions, distributor of Promethean’s products sold 2,000 IWBs in the domestic market in 2009 and targeted 3,000 units in 2010 and ScienTech sold 3,000 units of its DGS&B (Directorate General of Supplies & Disposals)-registered products in India in 2009.

(Source: Futuresource Consulting, www.chinadaily.com.cn, Business Standard)

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IWB Redefines Pedagogy in Schools Schools are now of chalk and talk .Real potential of technology has removed the chalk -dust hazard for teachers and students to a great extent. In our survey done for schools, 90% of the schools believe that ICT has changed the teaching learning process

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CT enriches the campus by incorporating its role well. It has integrated and unified the various parameters of school functioning, be it administrative, teacher training, and enrichment and imparting pedagogical practices.

Nita Arora, Principal, Sri Venkateshwar International School, Dwarka, New Delhi, “ICT has changed the way we work. On line tests and contests for students, on line contests for parents, e-newsletters on monthly basis, up-

dated photo galleries, digitalised school records-whether attendance, health and nutrition, marks, assignments, feedbacks and response system has become very effective and immediate. “ IWB intrigues students of all ages but the adoption is more at schools’ front. It let teachers to take advantage of innovative tools by drawing sketches or make notes which appear instantly on the students’ displays. IWB has multiple benefits with audio and video capability; it allows

Opinion Survey: digitalLEARNING has conducted an opinion survey in IWB acceptance among some big schools. Here are some excerpts: • IT infrastructure upgrade is ‘need based’ in most of the schools • Most of the schools invest more than 10% of its ICT budget in IWB and AV • Maximum schools organises in-house trainings • Maximum schools are satisfied with their IWB vendors • Almost every school pays special attention in AV part as well • Schools will further invest in IWB until it reaches every class room • Schools are partly happy with learners’ response system • Many schools changed their IWB brand in the last 3- 4 years • Factors leading the schools to change their IWB brand in last few years are - budget, additional features, lack of service support,etc.

• IWB user miss: more internal storage, built-in animation, online accessibility of lecture to their students.

• Some school feel that training the teachers was the major obstacle earlier as because it is difficult to shift from traditional teaching to IWB. But once when the teacher is trained, teaching-learning experience becomes a joyful experience.

• The resources / content used for delivering the lesson plans have to be updated constantly

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the teacher to present educative videos for the class. It helps in capacity building of a teacher to deliver more efficiently.

Speaking on the acceptance among students, Prantika Das, Computer Teacher, The Millennium School, Noida, “Students are very happy with the IWB because special focus is given to his intellectual, creative and mental ability.

Concepts are more easy and simple to understand, conceptualization of content is easy. Freedom from chalk and talk method. Teachers’ acceptance is very high as concepts are more creatively taught. Give more options to a teacher to teach in a more innovative way,’’ Talking on virtues of traditional board and whiteboard, G Ravindra, Director, NCERT, “Whiteboards offer lot of flexibility and all. But traditional has lot of virtues in terms of simplicity and the human management and creativity is spontaneous in them. Whiteboard offers flexibility and technology and could be the supplement to the traditional blackboard rather replacement. Each one has its own place. IWB is programmed one and there is nothing spontaneous. Pedagogically, number of users is very less.

They are being used in limited urban areas may be in some private, not many government schools are using whiteboards, there are some KVs using it. It has to be popularised, and people still have to accept it. Yes it has virtues. May be it will take some time to be as a complementing agent it should be replacement. It will take time I am not saying it will not replace at all. IT will take another 30 years to replace with IWB. We believe in flexibility and complementation but not in elimination to feel the unity. \\