The playback sources housed in this room are all part of the school's centralized information distribution system used to bring programs like The Morning Show and other multimedia learning resources directly into classroom monitors. The system distributes information and programming from multiple media sources housed in the media center. Information from VCRs, laserdisc players, and computers can be displayed on monitors located in each of the school's ninety classrooms and common areas such as the cafeteria, corridors and lobby. Using a handheld remote, similar to those used in the home to control a TV, teachers in each classroom can control presentations and have access to up to eight scheduled sources per class period. A small classroom control module mounted to the television monitor allows teachers to easily operate and control playback equipment as if it were in the in the classroom.
All information is displayed on the classroom monitor.
In addition to the scheduled sources, teachers and students have unlimited access to a host of nonscheduled global sources. These sources include a CD-ROM encyclopedia, cable channels and news stations such as ABC News, CBS News, CNN, as well as daily announcements and even the lunch menu. Some of the benefits that Fields says he likes best about the school's media management system are the fact that it's a great classroom management tool and convenience for teachers. Copyright 2001 Dukane Corporation.