Wireless Displays on the Horizon at Colleges

Ohio State stands as one of the nation’s largest public universities, so when it adopts a technology, it needs to start small and then scale across 400 classrooms.

Liv Gjestvang, associate vice president of learning technology for Ohio State, says the university’s move to deploy wireless displays across campus stems from its Digital First modernization initiative.

In the initial phase of Digital First, Ohio State upgraded its wireless network. Now, the university plans to bring wireless display technology to the classrooms so professors and instructors can walk around freely with their computing devices and students can share projects and videos with the rest of the class.

Tom Bell, associate director of learning environments, says Ohio State has piloted multiple wireless display technologies in about 12 conference rooms and classrooms. As part of a six-month testing initiative, faculty members will explore different wireless display adapters and gateways and offer feedback on which products work best for them. “We’re hoping that by the spring we’ll have some good data, and by the fall of 2016 we’ll be set with a product,” he says.  

Brett Sappington, director of research for Parks Associates, says that as smartphones and tablets become the norm at most organizations, IT departments are beginning to deploy wireless display technology in workplaces and campuses. 

“It used to be that people would take technology from work and bring it home, but now the pendulum has swung, and technology driven by consumers has made it to the office,” Sappington says. “I look for wireless displays to catch on anywhere knowledge workers are present, be it schools or colleges, government agencies or general businesses.”

David Burns, director of academic technology and media services for Baylor University, says the university has piloted different flavors of wireless display technology at four stations inside the library. Students can use the study stations to collaborate with other students and share their work wirelessly on a high-definition TV.

Conner Krey, associate director of classroom technology services, says the university has also tested wireless display adapters in the Baylor Sciences Building, but hasn’t yet chosen a winning technology. “Our goal is to give the instructors and students flexibility in the classroom,” Krey says.