ViewSonic aims to achieve a 42% reduction in carbon footprint by 2030 and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Other key initiatives within the company’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy include aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 4, 12, and 15. These goals focus on providing equitable quality education for all, ensuring responsible product life cycles, and promoting the restorative management of ecosystems.

“We believe that technological advancement and environmental stewardship can and must go hand in hand.” said Clifford Chen, General Manager of the Presentation Group at ViewSonic. ” As a leader in the Interactive Display market, this represents a pivotal step towards a more sustainable and responsible future in the technology sector. It’s a testament to our unwavering dedication to environmental and social responsibility.”

In the pursuit of reducing environmental impact, ViewSonic’s series of ViewBoard interactive displays are designed with recycled materials and incorporate energy-saving features. The Carbon Footprint of ViewBoards has fallen by up to 24.43% compared to the previous generation. These interactive displays are registered with EPEAT® and certified by ENERGY STAR® 8.0, signifying that the devices meet high environmental performance criteria for product longevity, circular design, and energy efficiency. Each ViewBoard also comes with a comprehensive report detailing its carbon emissions and overall environmental footprint.

Energy Conservation
Engineered to minimize power consumption without compromising performance, our interactive displays feature various modes designed to reduce carbon footprint. In Energy-Saving Mode, the device automatically powers down when no signal is received for a specific amount of time. After an hour of inactivity, it enters Stand-By Mode through an Eco-mode setting. For scheduled poweron-and-offs, users can customize their preferred times using Manager Advanced. To access more information about the overall power consumption of our devices and for more precise savings, users can utilize ViewSonic’s Energy Savings Calculator.

Product Longevity
Prioritizing longevity and serviceability, ViewBoards are designed with a modular and upgradable framework, enabling easy component replacement, and accommodating technological advancements without the need to discard the entire unit. For instance, users can enhance their interactive displays by incorporating a slot-in PC to extend the product lifecycle or accessorize with sensors to reduce overall power consumption.

This forward-thinking approach not only extends the product lifecycle but also fosters a circular economy by encouraging the reuse and repurposing of materials. Through the Recycle and Disposal Program, which allows users to return obsolete devices directly to ViewSonic, we responsibly collect, recycle, and dispose of these devices, minimizing environmental harm and maximizing the reusability of materials for newer models.

Social Impact
ViewSonic will participate in various technology tradeshows, including BETT 2024 in London, United Kingdom, from January 24th to 26th, 2024, and ISE 2024 in Barcelona, Spain, from January 30th to February 2nd. The aim is to raise awareness about sustainable technology in educational institutions and corporate environments. Through this participation, the company hopes to actively engage with these sectors to encourage the adoption of devices that are environmentally conscious, promoting a positive impact on the planet.

For more information about ViewSonic’s ethos on sustainability, please visit ViewSonic ESG website.

www.viewsonic.com

“ViewSonic is dedicated to offering innovative visual solutions from hardware, software, service, to digital content. We will continue to implement our Ecosystem as a Service (EaaS) strategy and work with partners across the industry to create a digital education ecosystem that is truly transformative,” said Clifford Chen, General Manager of the Presentation Group at ViewSonic. “At ViewSonic, we believe that technology can expand what’s possible in classrooms. The digital transition is the key to the future of education, which is why we’ve designed a range of advanced solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into learning environments of all kinds.“

As a leading EdTech solutions provider, ViewSonic’s ViewBoard interactive displays and myViewBoard software suites are being adopted by educational institutions around the world. Ranging in size from 24” to 105”, the company’s ViewBoard is one of the most popular interactive displays in the world; in Q4 of 2022, ViewSonic was ranked first in the global interactive display market, while the beginning of 2023 saw the myViewBoard ecosystem swell to over 8 million users.

ViewSonic’s display at BETT 2023 will offer attendees the ability to experience a range of EdTech solutions across different scenarios:

Taking in-class learning with digital content into the future

A teacher will use ViewSonic’s ViewBoard IFP8652 4K display and the company’s whiteboarding software to showcase how diverse pre-made digital lesson content from ViewSonic Originals, an online resource exclusively designed for interactive displays, can be used to create engaging learning experiences in the classroom. While more and more educational institutions are digitising, ViewSonic Originals makes planning and running lessons easier by offering thousands of pieces of content within a user-friendly database.

The company’s latest environmental sensor, Sensor Box, will show how educational institutions can harness technology to optimise conditions such as air quality, humidity, temperature, and automatically switch displays on and off, allowing schools to adhere to the UK Green Building Council guidelines. Additionally, demonstrations of myViewBoard Manager Advanced software will provide insights into how IT departments can remotely manage an entire school’s displays—including multimedia broadcasting, permission management, and addressing technical issues, all of which avoid interrupting classes and allow students to focus on learning.

A new “UNIVERSE” in online learning

Recognised by two distinguished EdTech Awards recently, ViewSonic’s innovative UNIVERSE virtual learning platform opens up new opportunities in online learning. Attendees at BETT 2023 will be able to experience how UNIVERSE allows participants to engage in interactive classrooms with new 3D educational content and create unique learning spaces. The platform addresses some of the key challenges faced during online learning by increasing student engagement, encouraging collaboration, and fostering a sense of belonging among students.

Going hybrid with advanced audiovisuals

To show how higher education can be advanced using hybrid setups to ensure the best learning outcome, ViewSonic will be displaying the 5K 105” ViewBoard IFP105S, which features a 21:9 ratio display and multi-touch capabilities. Attendees will be able to see how students in-class and in other locations can collaborate simultaneously with a breeze.

Further, the series is flawlessly complemented by ViewSonic’s new Live Mosaic View feature for their latest VB-CAM-201-2. Powered by AI technology, Live Mosaic View can provide close-ups of participants and readjust the view based on each attendee’s activity, ensuring that attendees and speakers are automatically framed and focused, offering a more immersive experience for hybrid meetings.

Visit ViewSonic at BETT 2023, North Hall, Booth NL21, ExCeL London. To find more info and arrange a meeting with ViewSonic’s educational experts at BETT 2023, please visit: https://www.viewsonic.com/uk/bett2023

Tanners Brook Primary School in Millbrook has welcomed over 30 new desktop computers to enable children to explore, learn and develop IT skills to prepare them for their next steps of education.

The IT suite seats 32 children and has also been used as a teacher training hub.

Tanners Brook Primary School is passionate about its pupils ‘achieving their personal best’ and discovering the subjects they love as early as possible.

The IT suite has encouraged children to find a passion for IT while learning the fundamentals of online computer safety.

Headteacher Ingrid Dowse said she is delighted about the new IT suite and is excited to see pupils and teachers making use of the space.

Ingrid said: “The new suite has provided our pupils with opportunities to build really strong IT skills at a young age and prepare them for the transition into secondary school.

“We want our pupils to achieve their personal best during their time at Tanners Brook and it’s important we provide them with excellent facilities and equipment.

“We’ve certainly seen a lot of excitement from the teachers and pupils about the new suite. The children can’t wait for their next IT lesson.

“We love watching them explore the subjects they’re interested in, discover what they love and pursue their passions.”

Tanners Brook Primary school is committed to continuous improvement and will be opening a new science lab soon.

The Southampton school is part of the HISP Multi Academy Trust which works with schools across the wider Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Southampton and Portsmouth.

To find out more about Tanners Brook School, visit its website https://www.tannersbrookpri.org.uk

Classroom sets of physical computing kits are now available for primary and secondary schools to borrow from the NCCE’s national network of 34 Computing Hubs based at schools and colleges across England.

The NCCE Computing Hubs are led by schools and colleges with excellence in teaching computing and support schools and colleges to provide a high-quality computing education to all young people. They provide training courses with generous bursaries; teaching and learning resources; and school-to-school support. From September they now also lend new physical computing kits. Physical computing means interacting with real-world objects, such as lights, buzzers and motors by programming them with a computer. The NCCE Hubs can now offer classroom trays of Crumble, micro:bits, Raspberry Pi Pico or Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ devices to enable children to explore the possibilities.

The NCCE, funded by the Department for Education, aims to enable teachers to deliver a world-class computing education and offers high-quality professional development, curriculum resources and schools-led support.

Dan Elwick, a Programme Manager at the NCCE, said: “This project is such an exciting opportunity to inspire students of all ages to learn about computing in new and engaging ways by providing kit, content and training for free to schools across England that have not had the budget or expertise to teach physical computing before.

“We’d like to thank the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and the Raspberry Pi Foundation for their generous donations and Redfern Electronics, Pimoroni and Gratnells for their support in providing the equipment needed for the kits.”

Joseph Birks, Director of Redfern Electronics, said: “When I was at school, I was lucky to have a teacher who was passionate about exploring new technology. This set me on the path that eventually led me to develop the Crumble. I am thrilled the NCCE is embedding Physical Computing into its curriculum so that even more pupils will have opportunities to get hands-on with technology and be inspired to create the devices of the future.”

Gareth Stockdale, CEO of Micro:bit Educational Foundation, said: “We believe that computational thinking and coding are fundamental skills for the 21st century. That is why we are so pleased to be able to donate BBC micro:bits to the NCCE’s Computing Hubs, supporting teachers to deliver physical computing into the classroom and helping more children to take their first steps to create with technology.”

Each tray contains enough devices for a classroom, along with all the peripherals such as LEDs, motors, wheels, and cables needed to complete units from the NCCE’s Teach Computing Curriculum, designed for children aged from five to 18.

Primary school teacher Suzanne Kennard, from Furneux Pelham in Hertfordshire, had never tried physical computing before. She borrowed a physical computing kit from the NCCE’s London, Hertfordshire and Essex Hub at Saffron Walden County High School.

“As the computing lead in a small school, I am looking to develop and enhance computing across the school,” she said. “I liked the look of the physical computing unit, saw the loan scheme and contacted the Hub.

“We completed most of the sessions from the NCCE’s Teach Computing Curriculum while we had the kit. As my confidence increased, I could set the class challenges to programme colours and sequences. At one point I asked them to make a disco, which wasn’t in the lesson plan! They really benefited from the physical equipment.”

The NCCE has developed new face-to-face courses which support the physical computing kits and introduce the Crumble, micro:bits, and Raspberry Pi Pico. In addition, the NCCE also provides online courses for teachers to develop their physical computing skills. Details of all courses, both face to face and online, are available from Courses – Teach Computing.

To find out more about borrowing a classroom kit for your school, contact your local hub via the Computing Hub homepage at teachcomputing.org/hubs.

The Romero Catholic Academy, made up of seven primary schools and one secondary school based across the city, has been announced as a finalist for The Learning Awards’ ‘Apprenticeship Programme of the Year’ award.

The Academy, which includes Corpus Christi, Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart, St Gregory’s, St John Fisher, St Patrick’s and Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Primary Schools and Cardinal Wiseman School, was shortlisted for its IT apprenticeship programme.

The Romero apprenticeships are delivered through Primary Goal, an apprenticeship provider which works with schools across the country.

The programme, which was introduced at the Academy in 2017, not only allows apprentices to gain new skills and qualifications but has also seen external IT costs dramatically reduced, problems solved quicker and projects progressed.

Thanks to its success, the Academy has now launched a sports apprenticeship programme and is looking at other areas where apprentices could be introduced.

The Learning Awards are the highest accolade that can be received in workplace learning and development, with finalists across the categories including leading names in finance, health, retail, communications, education, travel and hospitality.

The Academy will give a virtual presentation on its apprenticeship programme to a panel of judges next month before the winners are announced at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane London on February 18 next year.

Patrick Taggart, Director of Operations at the Academy, said: “We are extremely pleased to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award which recognises the very best in learning and development.

“We have worked hard on our apprenticeship programme and invested heavily in it, so it is something we are extremely proud of.

“As an academy of schools, we understand the importance of not only taking on talented individuals to help provide our children with the very best education, but also offering young people opportunities in which they can develop their skills and progress in their careers.

“Through working with Primary Goal, we have seen our IT apprentices thrive and make a real difference across the Academy.

“As their expertise has increased we have seen our external IT support costs reduce by £80,000 and projects which were once just pipe dreams come into fruition. These include becoming completely cloud based, new WIFI infrastructures at most of our schools and a staff intranet system and Romero University portal which will help our 500 staff access learning and development opportunities.

“Last year we saw one of our apprentices presented with the Coventry Guild Apprentice of the Year award and it is fantastic to keep the success going with this recognition for our programme.”

Louise Campton, MD at Primary Goal, said: “We have been working with the Romero Catholic Academy since 2017 and are delighted that the apprentices have done so well. The programme supports them over a 15-month period and many have progressed to employed ICT technician roles in the Academy.”

Genee will be displaying their newly launched stunning 4K G-Touch Interactive Touchscreen range in all 3 sizes (65”, 75” and 86”) so look to future proof your classroom environment. They come complete with Genee’s own SPARK and Project Flow software giving you the complete package.

The Genee Registrar is the Ultimate Visitor Management Solution, with Capita SIMS and DBS checking capabilities. You will be able to see all the
benefits for yourself and why not use it to register your details to enter Genee’s prize draw on stand.

They’ll also be demonstrating how they are revolutionising classrooms everywhere with their digital learning platform – Project Flow, which enables teachers to share multiple learning resources to individual students with created student workspace areas, get student feedback on lessons and ensure that students stay focused and on task.

Each product will be presented and demonstrated in Genee’s unique presentation area where everyone is welcome to attend.

Asked what digital means to them from a personal and professional perspective, 75% of 12-17 year olds believe that digital technologies will give them more job opportunities than they would otherwise have had. Half say digital will help them get their “dream job”, while 67% also recognise they will be competing for new roles, such as data scientists that are being created as a result of all organisations using digital to re-imagine how they operate their business.

Although this age group are digitally literate and socially connected, they fear that their education isn’t providing them with the right skills for these new roles. Two thirds (65%) feel that the current curriculum is not developing or enhancing their digital skills adequately.

“It’s good news that young people feel optimistic about the opportunities digital offers, but the fact that they don’t feel they are being fully equipped is worrying. After all, they are the next generation of our workforce and the future of British business is in their hands,” said Nick Millman, managing director, Accenture Digital. “We know that jobs will look different in the future as a result of digital, and yet it seems that even the positive changes already made in classrooms and the curriculum such as the introduction of coding, still may not be enough. We need to give young people the confidence to contribute to organisations that want to become fundamentally digital.”

Digital inspires

While there is more to be done in the classroom, it is clear that people of all ages in the UK believe digital drives opportunities in the workplace. Half of those people surveyed said that digital will enable them to be more productive (51%), creative (48%) and more flexible, with 54% saying work will be able to happen irrespective of location.

Millman explains: “At the heart of this report is a desire to give businesses visibility of what is really going on in the world around them. Too few have fully embraced and adopted digital and it is crucial that they mirror the passion and energy felt so strongly by their next-generation workforce. It is only by carving out a digital strategy relevant to young people to become digital on the inside, that organisations can ensure they continue to succeed and shape the future.”

Use Digital to reinvent the workforce

Digital will transform the lives of younger generations. Parents believe digital will give children more opportunities than they would otherwise have had (74%) and that jobs will be enhanced (78%), which could be driven by advances in cognitive computing. Over half (56%) of all respondents agree that humans should instruct machines to do as much as possible, leaving humans to do more of the interesting and innovative roles.

“In order to realise the full potential of a workforce, businesses need to augment manual tasks, as well as automate the less creative ones,” Millman concludes. “The fact is, digital technologies have the ability to transform both personal and professional worlds, allowing all of us more flexibility and choice in the way we work, but crucially also more options about the tasks we are asked to perform. Organisations need to get better at presenting themselves as digital enablers, reassuring potential employees that their lives will be enhanced because the business has implemented technology appropriately.”