DULLES, VA--(Marketwire - March 22, 2011) - Echo360, the global leader in campus-wide blended learning and lecture capture solutions, today announced the launch of EchoSystem 4.0 and SafeCapture HD to help universities increase course availability, graduation rates and student retention through blended learning. The new software and live-enabled hardware solution liberates the learning experience from the confines of the classroom with mobility, collaboration, and video quality enhancements while simultaneously reducing the operational costs associated with large-scale blended learning implementations.
"The classroom of the future is not the classroom as we've come to know it. Universities require a flexible delivery model that caters to the needs of all students," said Fred Singer, CEO of Echo360. "EchoSystem 4.0 and SafeCapture HD deliver the capabilities institutions need to affordably scale course delivery across face-to-face, hybrid and distance environments. The result is an industry benchmark for blended learning and lecture capture solutions."
New software capabilities that enable blended learning include:
- EchoPlayer for Apple® iPad™: The EchoSystem increases mobile learning opportunities as the first blended learning solution with a brand-safe, student-controlled learning experience designed exclusively for the Apple iPad using HTML5. The EchoPlayer for iPad displays course visuals, scene-based navigation and institutional branding through watermarking. EchoSystem 4.0 also introduces Apple iOS and Android™ streaming, enabling mobile viewing in a secure environment and prevents the downloading of instructor intellectual property.
- Social Learning through Lecture Collaboration: Students can participate in online study groups as well as improve efficiency of personal study time using new collaborative features. Bookmarks, online note taking and asynchronous discussions allow students to engage in peer-to-peer conversations and ask questions of their instructors.
- High-definition Video and Dual-Display Capture: High-definition video and dual-display capture give students a crystal-clear playback experience while providing maximum teaching flexibility to record any combination of supporting instructional visuals.
- EchoCenter: The EchoCenter™ displays a playlist of lecture and supplemental recordings that enables students to identify and launch multimedia course content. Embeddable into learning management systems including Blackboard® Learn, the EchoCenter also helps instructors track recording usage and preview online discussions to identify potential problems.
- Delegated Administration: The EchoSystem accelerates adoption by reducing overall operating costs of blended learning and lecture capture with delegated administration. Delegated administration allows multiple departments and organizations to share backend server infrastructure and assign basic tasks, including scheduling, to different user roles.
Echo360 also unveiled the second-generation capture appliance designed and manufactured by the company: EchoSystem SafeCapture HD. SafeCapture HD provides a future-proof and live-enabled hardware option for blended learning and lecture capture. SafeCapture HD supports high-quality video at 1080p at 30fps. SafeCapture HD is one of two deployment options available with the EchoSystem. Institutions can also install EchoCapture software on classroom computers. Complete technical specifications are available at http://www.echo360.com.
The EchoSystem will be available before the start of the 2011-2012 academic year.
Echo360
As a global leader in blended learning and lecture capture products, Echo360 helps higher education institutions keep pace with modern students' learning needs through products that digitally record and upload learning content. Echo360 has been recognized with a Product Line Strategy of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan and named a Visionary Vendor in Educational Technology by IT research firm Basex. Echo360's products facilitate better instruction for large collections of students, lower costs and enrich learning experiences by enabling students to easily access and share multimedia content. Through Echo360's platform, students can replay recorded sessions and review information from instructors online; at their convenience and across various devices. Echo360's products are used by 400 Four Year Universities and Colleges, Law Schools, Business Schools, Health Sciences Campuses and Community Colleges in 28 countries, including Purdue University, New York University, Columbia University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
For additional information, visit www.echo360.com
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