As today’s students grow in a rapidly changing digital environment, it can be hard for parents and educators to keep up.
Interactive classrooms are accepted and expected, but it’s not enough to simply display information and assume students will take it in, as basic physics still comes into play.
Nathan Fulcher of Epson explains the 4/6/8 rule means that the further you sit from a display, the harder it can be to see what is being displayed, especially if it is fine text and numbers that require ‘analytical viewing’.
Factor in that those students who feel disengaged are often more likely to migrate to the back of the room, and this presents a major learning disadvantage.
A study was done by Radius Research in multiple markets in the United States that showed students fit into three distinct categories based on their distance from the information screen, versus the size of the display. These they termed “optimal” or “analytical viewing”, “basic viewing” and “passive viewing”.
More than half of the students wrote one item incorrectly when viewed on a 70-inch panel. There was a clear delineation in terms of distance. Those students closer to the screen were more likely to be fully engaged with the content and make analytical decisions about the details.
Those who saw a little less were engaged and able to make basic decisions on what they saw. The students most distant from the screen were only viewing passively, able to recognise the images and general gist of the information but not the specifics.
However, a larger screen size, available with Epson’s projectors, removes any student from needing to be in the distant, ‘passive viewing’ category.
“It doesn’t matter how good the source material is or the preparation that has gone into it, it could be wasted on the students if they can’t see or interact with it properly,” Mr Fulcher says.
Epson offers solutions for the classroom, including the EB-700U ultra short-throw 3LCD laser display, which offers superior image quality matched by continuous performance.
“When it comes to displays in classrooms, whether interactive or not, it is critical to consider the size of the display,” Mr Fulcher says. “Parents and educators may think that a large flat panel is fine for the job but that may not be the case.”
Epson’s projectors provide a wide viewing angle, enabling clear images to be seen from any angle with no limitations of reflective glare. The projected images also allow viewers to get closer to the image without straining their eyes.
As students rapidly adjust to new media and become more technologically adept, Epson understands the need for teachers to adapt, while understanding that the basics of teaching remain the same. Epson’s range of projectors allow students to access information easily, enhancing the learning process.
For more information, please click here.
