SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 3, 2010 - Cisco today launched the Cisco® Video-Enabled Teaching and Learning Solution, which marries technology with the emerging need to increase student performance through a more collaborative and better overall learning experience.

The Cisco Video-Enabled Teaching and Learning Solution integrates two products, the Cisco Media Experience Engine (MXE) 3500 and Cisco Show and Share, into Cisco's existing portfolio of video-based solutions for education.

• The Cisco MXE 3500 is a media processing device that enables teachers, students and administrators to share video content across the network to a range of devices, including laptops, digital signs, and mobile devices such as smart phones.
• Cisco Show and Share is a social video system that helps schools create highly secure video communities to share ideas and expertise, optimize collaboration, and personalize the connection between students with user-generated content.
• Cisco MXE 3500 integrates with Cisco Show and Share by delivering speech-to-text transcripts of video content to help students better comprehend lecture subject matter.
• The social video system allows students to easily locate videos, search for specific content using tag clouds and RSS feeds, add comments, and rate the content, enhancing collaboration between students, instructors, administrators, and parents.

Combined with Cisco TelePresence^TM, Digital Media Suite, WebEx® for Education, Flip Video^TM camcorders and the Medianet architecture, the new solutions are designed to:

• increase access to high-quality education;
• effectively engage students and prepare them for the future;
• reach new learners beyond the traditional classroom walls;
• provide opportunities for lifelong learning; and
• deliver effective professional development programs.

Cisco's portfolio of solutions for schools and higher education institutions addresses critical needs as highlighted in a new survey released today by Clarus Research Group, which found that "equipping classrooms with advanced technological equipment" and "using new technologies to help students and faculty work better together" were the most important technology issues faced by education leaders. In addition, the survey found that 53 percent of U.S. education leaders are likely to invest in video services to make their schools more efficient and effective.

Supporting Quotes:

• Randy Bassett,  chief technology officer, Fontana Unified School District (Calif.)

"By providing advanced communication services with Cisco TelePresence, we are equipping our students with the skills needed to succeed in this evolving, globalized world."

• Curtis Timmons,  chief technology officer, Memphis City Schools (Tenn.)

"Memphis City Schools' vision is to be an internationally competitive urban school system that produces well-rounded, intrinsically motivated and high-achieving students. These students will be equipped to achieve their individual potential while making positive contributions to society and to the local, national and global economy."

• Roger Price,  vice president of infrastructure services, Madison College (Wis.)

"Cisco TelePresence is a cool education tool; it's a cool collaboration tool. Plus, it expands our educational opportunities. There are people out there who would love to get a Madison College education, but they just haven't been able to reach us. Now they can."

• Frank Florence,  senior director, Industry Solutions and Marketing, Cisco

"What we are hearing from educators is that they want to invest in new technology, but it must help engage students, motivate them, and improve student outcomes, as well as extend teaching and learning beyond the classroom.  That is what the Video-Enabled Teaching and Learning Solution is all about – providing a new classroom experience while increasing major administrative, operational and energy efficiencies."

• Michael Stevenson, vice president, Global Education, Cisco

"When technology meets learning, we believe that dynamic learning societies are formed, and great things happen to students, to communities and to societies. It is through these societies that we see advancements in science, business and culture. Cisco is committed to encouraging these advancements by embedding video into the classroom experience for students and teachers."

Supporting Resources:

• Watch John Chambers, chairman and CEO of Cisco, discuss the future of education and technology.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA8fAeQ_NzU&feature=player_embedded
• Madison Area Technical College Video on Cisco TelePresence for Learning
• Watch how Duke University transformed the learning environment with Cisco TelePresence.
• Flash Demo of Cisco Show and Share
• See how Fresno and Long Beach Unified School Districts are using video to enable learning.
• Visit the Cisco Virtual Forum for Education Leaders
• More information about Cisco's education strategy and solutions.

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Cisco, Education, K-12 schools, Higher Education, Video, Collaboration, TelePresence