Samsung Electronics America, Inc., recently announced its partnership with Academica – one of the largest charter school support organizations in the U.S., serving more than 200 public charter schools and 125,000 students in nine states – to “reimagine the classroom for the 21st century.”
Samsung delivers a complete ecosystem of display products and solutions optimized for all variations of back to school, including remote learning and hybrid teaching models.
“As we continue to navigate this new normal together, we need to take a practical approach to helping students and educators adapting to a new learning environment,” said Mark Quiroz, VP of marketing for the Samsung Display Division in the company announcement.
“We’re offering new solutions and working with education networks like Academica to bring ease to the transition to remote and hybrid learning models,” he said. “Students’ safety and health are top of mind and we are proud to be able to offer tools that bring the classroom into the home.”
In preparation for the 2020/21 school year, Academica surveyed parents to get a better understanding of how to plan for the fall semester. More than half (59%) indicated they preferred a mixture of classes in both physical and online classrooms.
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Given this feedback, Academica knew incorporating more technology in the on-campus classrooms would be paramount and quickly began designing the Classroom of the Future (COTF).
As a result of that study, Academica is installing 4,500 Samsung pro TVs in more than 2,300 classrooms in 125 of its schools across several states including Florida, South Carolina and Nevada. Plans are in place to roll out the solution in other states over the next few months.
Equipped with Colēgia, a digital education operating system that hubs applications, content and communications, Samsung pro TVs give both remote and in-person students the ability to interact with each other and their teachers in a live format.
“We are thrilled to partner with Samsung to help our students, teachers and administrators get back to the classroom safely and efficiently,” said Antonio L. Roca, managing director of Academica Virtual Education.
“When schools shifted to virtual learning at the start of the pandemic this spring, we took it as an opportunity to shift our way of thinking about the traditional classroom,” he said. “The display solutions provided by Samsung allowed us to create an environment that allows each student to thrive no matter their location.”
More About Samsung-Academica Partnerships
As students and teachers embark on their remote learning journeys and in-person classroom setting, Samsung and their trusted partners will keep powering schools in the Academica network with innovative display technology solutions to reimagine the learning experience.
These include nationally-ranked networks such as Somerset Academy, Mater Academy, Doral Academy, Pinecrest Academy, CIVICA, International Studies Charter and the Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM) Charter Schools, founded by GRAMMY-winning international superstar, education advocate, entrepreneur and motivational speaker Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull).
“That’s what it’s all about: reinventing yourself, challenging yourself, pivoting and that’s exactly what our schools are doing,” said Perez. “I’m really proud of the amazing work the teachers, parents, students and administrators have put in to make this happen.
“We’re changing the game on how kids learn and appreciate Samsung’s help in making it happen,” he said.
Large format displays allow teachers to adapt to the new normal and engage with each student on a one-to-one level whether they are in a physical classroom or in a remote setting.
“The Classroom of the Future is innovative and dynamic”, said Vanessa Chaoui, a sixth-grade teacher and mathematics department head at Mater Academy Middle and High School in Hialeah Gardens, Fla.
“I love that students are able to collaborate with each other, whether they’re in class physically or remotely. The large displays are critical for engaging and dynamic interactions. It helps facilitate managing a physical and virtual classroom simultaneously,” she said.
