Brussels, Belgium – May 14, 2013 – European Schoolnet, a network of 30 European ministries of education, today announced that it is working in close collaboration with Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking, to integrate Cisco Lecture Vision into the online training courses and workshops of its Future Classroom Lab (FCL) in Brussels. Together, European Schoolnet and Cisco aim to transform teaching and learning at school, using ICT as a force for educational improvement.
Research shows that the use of video enhances the quality of teaching, facilitates learning and increases students' engagement. Cisco Lecture Vision enables educators to improve communications inside and outside the classroom, expand learning opportunities, empower and engage students, teachers, parents, and communities at large, provide access to educational resources, and facilitate a collaborative learning process. Through the use of this solution, Cisco and European Schoolnet are helping schools overcome distance and financial barriers and deliver the type of education required for 21st-century global citizens.
ICT & Learning in the Future Classroom
European Schoolnet opened the Future Classroom Lab in Brussels in January 2012 to research and demonstrate ICT-based learning environments. Cisco has joined the 17 industry partners that are already supporting innovative pedagogical approaches at the Lab and make it possible for the Lab to reach a much wider network of schools and teachers.
During its first year of operation, the Future Classroom Lab has established a successful pan-European teacher professional development programme focused on ICT in teaching and learning in the future classroom. "We have had extremely positive feedback from teachers attending face-to-face courses and workshops in 2012," says Marc Durando, executive director of European Schoolnet. "An important new development in 2013 will be the move to provide more webinars and online training. Cisco's expert advice and technology solutions will be a major step in enabling European Schoolnet to reach out to thousands of teachers, educational authorities and policy makers across Europe and not only to those who can attend courses in the Future Classroom Lab in Brussels."
Lecture Capture
To address current learning challenges, such as the demand for online and alternative learning opportunities, educational institutions worldwide are considering various technology solutions, including one called ‘lecture capture', a form of video that can be delivered as live streaming as well as archived for on-demand viewing. Cisco Lecture Vision allows for the capture of live and recorded lectures to be easily accessed by students anywhere, at any time, on any device, including PCs, smartphones and tablets.
Hania Baramki, EMEAR education lead for Cisco's Enterprise Business Group, said: "Cisco welcomes this strategic collaboration with European Schoolnet. Implementing Cisco's Lecture Vision solution in the Future Classroom Lab will demonstrate how to expand the boundaries of the classroom, support the 21st-century pedagogy, conduct teacher training at a distance, bring in an expert on demand, conduct meetings virtually, and promote collaboration between schools across Europe."
European Schoolnet and Cisco will be working together on expanding this 21st-century learning solution within schools across Europe.
About European Schoolnet
European Schoolnet is the network of 30 European Ministries of Education, based in Brussels. As a not-for-profit organisation, European Schoolnet aims to bring innovation in teaching and learning to our key stakeholders: Ministries of Education, schools, teachers, researchers, and industry partners. www.europeanschoolnet.org. Follow us on Twitter @eu_schoolnet and on Facebook european.schoolnet.
About Future Classroom Lab
The Future Classroom Lab in Brussels is a fully equipped, reconfigurable, teaching and learning space developed by European Schoolnet, its 30 supporting Ministries of Education and leading educational technology providers. To know more please see the website at http://fcl.eun.org or contact us at fcl@eun.org Follow the conversation on Twitter: #fcl_eu .
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in Europe is provided by Cisco Systems International B.V. and Cisco International Limited, wholly owned subsidiaries of Cisco Systems, Inc.
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