"Should we add an extra 'multimedia device' to the blackboard, or is it the blackboard? This has become the focus of the next round of competition in the teaching display industry!" Industry experts pointed out that the drafting of the Chinese commercial display standard "Smart Education Blackboard Technical Specifications" organized by the Public Information Display (PID) Branch of the China Electronic Video Industry Association is to solve this future problem!
The "attack" process of teaching display
In the teaching process, the application of multimedia content, this modern "audio-visual education" method, has a development history of at least 60 years. However, the true and comprehensive popularization of electronic teaching systems has only happened in the past ten years: because in the past ten years, both projectors and flat panels have reached the "technical threshold" for commercial popularization of large-screen display systems that "provide large enough, cheap enough, writeable, and clear enough image quality."
Large-screen, high-definition touch, and low cost are considered to be the basis for the popularization and further evolution of multimedia teaching equipment: on the one hand, to achieve more exploration of video teaching, distance teaching, and AI information-based teaching technology, there must be "a universal multimedia classroom equipment basis" - the in-depth practice of informatization is based on the process of "popularization of information terminals."
On the other hand, to solve the problem of popularization, electronic teaching shows that Only then will the display equipment have more motivation, technical foundation and cost basis to evolve to a "more advanced" application form: that is, the electronic blackboard equipment is proposed to turn "one more device in the classroom and occasionally used multimedia into a new 'electronic blackboard' that is deployed simultaneously with the traditional blackboard, integrated, frequently switched applications, and used intensively, and the use experience imitates the traditional blackboard process, and is especially in line with the teaching and education characteristics of "heavy writing tasks" in K12 education"
From additional equipment, additional content and teaching operations, to the complete "integration of the electronic blackboard into the traditional teaching equipment system" and the integration into the traditional teaching process, industry insiders believe that the core of the electronic blackboard is "a new round of form iteration and upgrade of teaching display equipment." And this upgrade must rely on the technological development of teaching informatization, as well as the advancement of pre-industry supply such as cost support that must be met by more display area applications.
So, teaching The competition between projection whiteboards and interactive tablets in the display industry is no longer the focus. The future market competition lies in who has the advantage in the application of "electronic blackboards." Companies such as Tongfang, Leyard, Seewo, ODI, Changhong, Honghe, Xohua, Skyworth Optoelectronics, Hisense, Haier, and TCL have taken the lead in the formulation of the "Smart Education Blackboard Technical Specifications". We can see "where are the goals of enterprises in related industries"
Continuous iteration of technology will inevitably bring about a new revolution
Since the 1960s, multimedia teaching has become popular. The display and interactive technology of teaching multimedia equipment has experienced many upgrades: the earliest CRT TV, later CRT rear projection TV, then digital rear projection TV, later digital projection large screen, and today's most popular large-size LCD monitor. Different technologies have appeared successively.
At the same time, interactive technology has also experienced early projection electronic whiteboards, including "ultrasonic, laser, electromagnetic" and other technical systems, and now infrared technology is dominant; as well as electronic blackboard products such as "large-size capacitive touch screens under new transparent conductive technologies such as nano silver wires" that have emerged in the past three years - the direction of the evolution of interactive technology is mainly the two indicators of "device integration" and "writing fluency".
The electronic blackboard is a larger-scale "integrated" application system for projection whiteboards or interactive tablets that covers the blackboard area and is integrated with the blackboard. This new product reflects more of the innovation of "a 'gathering' of various basic technologies and application methods after the collaborative advancement."
Of course, in the past five years and in the future 5G+AI era, the e-learning industry has an "absolute" consensus on the rapid development of "information" technology. The era of change in intelligence, information analysis, video networking, live teaching and presentation of knowledge content is bound to come. The latter promotes "more and larger screen applications in the classroom", and even the development of immersive classroom environments and virtual reality of the teaching process.
Technological progress in the three dimensions of display, interaction and application is becoming the new standard for the teaching multimedia and audio-visual industry. "In this regard, the iteration of the most critical display technology has not stopped: for example, micro-LED display technology is more breakthrough in display area, and can be combined with nano-silver touch, which may have new opportunities in future teaching applications; for another example, the large-scale e-paper, especially color e-paper, has natural advantages for teaching applications - that is, the "visual comfort and health" advantage of reflective imaging; and products such as XR and other virtual reality equipment, electronic desks are also "entering the multimedia teaching scene".
The transformation of teaching multimedia from CRT TV to CRT rear projection took 30 years; the subsequent digital rear projection technology only stayed on the throne for less than 5 years..." Industry experts pointed out that the progress of teaching electronic technology shows a trend of accelerated development and explosion, which is the "root of all problems" faced by the industry today: enterprises must fully follow the market demand and technology supply
In the era of technological explosion, the battle for standards will also become more intense
The "Smart Education Blackboard Technical Specifications" are essentially promoted by companies in the interactive tablet and LCD product lines; the 2019 "Technical Specifications for Interactive Teaching All-in-one Machines for Primary and Secondary Schools" is promoted more by electronic whiteboard companies; the 2016 "Interactive Electronic Whiteboard" "Teaching Function" and "Interactive Electronic Whiteboard Common File Format for Teaching Resources" are the main companies promoting traditional projection whiteboard companies..." At the same time, the leading units involved in these industry specifications are also different: such as the Video Association, the Educational Equipment Association, the Ministry of Education, etc.
Standards become a competitive tool for enterprises! "This is a "voice of concern" in the industry. Indeed, the participating companies in different standards are very different, and the product range is not "comprehensive coverage." What's more important is that "association standards, group standards, department recommendations", etc. do not constitute the final "mandatory" standard parts - especially today, in the context of rapid progress in teaching audio-visual technology, standards The speed of negotiation is even slower than "technological innovation", which is a real test of "the gold content of standards"
Therefore, "the chaos of uneven product levels in the industry, the interests of different technology companies and the rapid iteration of technological progress have become "standard" obstacles in front of educational interactive display equipment, and it is also the necessity of setting standards. "In this context, industry insiders believe that "further paying attention to what future classrooms need" is more important than "determining standards from a technical perspective." "Backward standards are worse than no standards at all!" ”——Faced with the rapidly escalating demand for teaching informatization applications, the essence is to compete to see who is at the forefront of innovation.
At the same time, industry insiders believe that under the background that technology is becoming more and more advanced, application informatization is becoming more and more "deep", comprehensive video applications are becoming more and more "complex", regional educational institutions are systematized, and network applications have become "normally popular", the teaching video equipment and technology supply system will also develop in the direction of "an increasingly concentrated giant market". From this point of view, the so-called industry standards will be more of a "factual" standard such as "large enterprises and innovative products that meet demand directions".
Market size and standards are synonymous in a sense. "It is this judgment that is becoming the core factor that dominates the competition in the teaching electronic information equipment industry. The presence of giants such as BOE, Hisense, TCL, and Skyworth among the participating companies in the "Smart Education Blackboard Technical Specifications" is also a reflection of this rule. With technological upgrades, product upgrades, and demand upgrades, in sync with the upgrade of participants' capabilities, the future blueprint for teaching display will surely become clearer and clearer.
ANNA