Merging the EdTech and Pro AV Worlds with Mark Roslon of Epson

Accessibility in education is second only to the curriculum itself, and technology is enabling that more than ever. Pro AV Today’s Ben Thomas brought on Mark Roslon, Director of Product Management for Commercial Projectors at Epson, to have an in depth conversation about the accessibility of digital displays and technology.

On the commercial display side of EdTech, Roslon said there was a lot of excitement in the market. “We’ve been talking a lot to IT decision-makers within schools as well as teachers to understand their technology usage, and what’s becoming very clear is that old concept of ‘sage on the stage’ is evolving. Most schools and most teachers are migrating towards the facilitator role. And this is where technology comes into play in enabling collaboration and interaction and getting students involved actively in their education.”

This emergence of interactive technology creates opportunities in front of the class and with mobile devices and other one-to-one device computing. But with so many technology choices available, decision-making can be daunting for educators in deciding the right technology for the classroom.

Roslon said one trend in displays is the need to accommodate more content within the space. “Display size and the need for a larger display is going to be a big driving force, and this is what at Epson we feel we’re well-positioned to deliver that cost-effectively.”

Costs will always be a consideration for schools and replacing technology year-over-year is not scalable. Product lifecycle can ultimately drive decision-making in education. Roslon said the days of a 20-year lifespan of EdTech products might not be realistic due to rapid technological advancements, but he felt a range from 5-7 years was a proper expectation for most products. “Under normal budgetary conditions, the schools are trying to eke out the maximum amount of value of any technology they have, including displays,” Roslon said. Many schools are looking into technology investments now while funding is more readily available.