Ready to see how two schools transformed their learning spaces with digital displays? The “Unlocking Potential: Harnessing the Power of School Displays” webinar showcased just that, featuring St Paul’s School in Brisbane and Prahran High School in Melbourne. These schools prove that you don’t need unlimited resources to make a huge impact with tech.
Their secret? TV panels paired with Vivi. By opting for this powerful yet affordable combination instead of pricier interactive flat panels, they’ve found a smart way to stretch their budget further while creating engaging experiences for students and staff.
Classroom setups, reimagined
At St Paul’s School, some senior classrooms use dual TCL TV panels—one at the front and one at the back—to support team teaching. The front display presents core content, while the back supports collaboration. The real advantage? Vivi’s Combine Rooms feature. “We use it to synchronize both screens when needed,” says David Lawler, IT Systems Engineer at St Paul’s, allowing for a more immersive and versatile learning environment that wasn’t possible with old projectors.
Prahran High School, with its unique vertical layout, required a tech solution just as flexible as their space. They’ve integrated a blend of TCL TVs, projectors, and a smaller number of interactive displays to fit the needs of different classrooms. This combination, paired with Vivi’s versatility, empowers teachers to seamlessly transition between small group work and larger presentations. Dragisa Sinikovic, ICT Infrastructure Technician at Prahran High, explains, “We strategically chose a mix of displays in our larger classrooms to accommodate various teaching styles and group dynamics.”
And when it comes to safety, both schools prioritized seamless integration with their existing emergency systems. Using Vivi’s emergency alerts, they can instantly override content on any display with critical alerts, ensuring everyone stays informed, even if they can’t hear an alarm. As David explains, the system simply “changes the image on all the displays in our school, both in classroom and in public signage to display the evacuation alert.” This offers peace of mind knowing that important safety information reaches everyone, regardless of potential distractions.
But what really gets teachers talking is Vivi’s wireless screen mirroring. In both schools, educators have seen how this feature transforms lessons, making it effortless for students to share their work and actively participate. It also liberates teachers from being anchored to the front of the classroom. As David notes, with Vivi, educators can be “mobile and engage more with the students in class,” creating a more interactive learning environment.
Beyond the classroom: Digital signage
Vivi’s impact extends far beyond classroom walls. Both St Paul’s and Prahran High have harnessed its power to create dynamic digital signage throughout their campuses. At St Paul’s, they’ve even taken a truly innovative approach in certain learning spaces, using Vivi to live-stream footage from machinery in their Design and Technology Center, for example. This allows students to observe projects in action without crowding around workstations.
Prahran High School, with their multi-level design, strategically positioned displays in high-traffic areas for maximum visibility. They use Vivi’s splash screen feature to share announcements, celebrate student achievements, and reinforce school values. “We change the splash screen quite regularly to make it appealing and promote such achievements to everyone,” says Dragisa.
Maximizing impact without maxing out budgets
Budget constraints are a reality for every school. So why did St Paul’s and Prahran High School choose TV panels as the backbone of their digital display strategy?
- Affordability that doesn’t skimp on quality: TV panels deliver value without compromising performance. As David Lawler puts it, “We bought the TCLs because they’re cheap. Basically, they’re clear. I mean, you can see the image clearly in the classroom, and they’re fairly easy to work with.”
- Effortless integration: Time is precious, and the panels streamline the setup process. Their ease of installation allows tech teams to focus on what matters most: empowering teachers and students.
- Seamless compatibility: When paired with Vivi, TV panels unlock a world of possibilities. Vivi’s platform agnostic approach ensures that every device, from laptops and tablets to smartphones, can connect effortlessly.
This combination – Vivi’s versatility and TCL’s affordability – proved to be a winning formula for securing budget approval. Both schools recognized the incredible return on investment this dynamic duo offered.
Dragisa Sinikovic recalls the decision-making process at Prahran High: “We had a sit-down conversation with the team, and we looked at what we could do with the product…the ability to integrate with any device – Chromebooks, Macbooks, iPads, iPhones, Windows, Macbooks – really, really satisfied our needs.”
It wasn’t just about checking boxes; it was about finding a solution that addressed their multifaceted needs in a budget-conscious way.
