Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and technology

Project Background

KNUST is a public university of Ghana that focuses on science and technology. As an academic center spearheading West Africa’s pursuit of technological advancement, KNUST makes effort to improve its learning environment with state-of-the-art education technology, starting from the lecture hall to most of the classrooms.

The Challenge

Inside the university there’s a special lecture hall sponsored by Vodafone with only one projector and a projection screen as the presentation equipment. While as a learning space that can fit over 50 students, it’s difficult for students in every corner of the room to see clearly what the teacher shows on the projection screen. Meanwhile, in order to enrich the university’s teaching resources, the KNUST management wants a lecture capture system to record the finest lectures by its excellent teachers and also embrace hybrid learning as a possibility.

Q-NEX Solution

More displays

An IQTouch interactive flat panel is added in front of the classroom, together with a TV hanging from the ceiling in the middle. All the screens can synchronously displaythe same content so that every area of the classroom can have a clear view of the teacher’ s courseware.
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Interactive teaching

The interactive display serves not only as an extra screen, but also as a writing space for the teacher to make annotations. It’ s embedded with dual systems – Windows and Android, so the teacher can select his preferred operation system to have interactive teaching smoothly. The built-in whiteboard and wireless presentation features allow extensive brainstorming and easily share ideas with the rest of the class.

AV matrix switch

Since several displays are used, a Q-NEX Networked Media Processor (NMP) is introduced in this solution to enable easy-switch from the teacher laptop /IQTouch to the classroom TV and projector. For the teacher, he can simply select different input sources from the NMP’ s Control Panel to present the content he needs. The user can also download Q-NEX APP to his mobile phone to realize same functions as the control panel. Besides, with Q-NEX Cloud Management Platform, KNUST’ s IT staff can have remote control over the lecture hall as well.

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One-stop audio for classroom

With two wireless microphones (one handheld, one lapel mic) included in the NMP set, teacher can have his voice reinforced while walking on the classroom. The other handheld mic will be passed on to students when needed. Besides, NMP has in-built amplifier, so external passive speaker will be enough for amplify the sound from teacher’s mic and input source. To streamline user experience, the volume adjustment of the speakers and microphones are through the Q-NEX Control Panel.

Lecture recording / Online teaching

The lecture capture system installed is IQVideo LCS610, with a video station, two auto-tracking camera for the teacher and the class, and one ceiling microphone. The content from the teacher’s courseware, together with teacher/students image, can be recorded as videos or live-streamed through Internet to online streaming platforms like YouTube and Facebook. To simplify user operation, the video station is built with a touch screen to preview the split-screen of the lecture video, and the teacher can just click on the touch screen to start / pause / stop recording or streaming the lecture.
Technology often scares end-users away due to its complexity. However with Q-NEX solution, technology can be friendly to understand, flexible to implement and easy to use. It should be the real helper for teacher to extend classroom functionality and facilitate teaching. The lecture hall is the first step of KNUST towards outstanding edutech, while the rest of its classrooms can join the solution as well to build the ultimate digital campus.

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