Managing Director, BenQ India
Managing Director, BenQ India
Rajeev Singh, Managing Director, BenQ India, says that an interactive whiteboard and projector costs more than a traditional whiteboard. One needs a long pocket to purchase and install the equipment. But the interactive whiteboard and projector continues to catch fancy of the educational institutes, giving the classroom a highly interactive environment
What is the difference between an Interactive Whiteboard and an Interactive Projector?
The Interactive Whiteboards are touch-sensitive whiteboard on which a projector, with the help of a computer, projects onto the board’s surface where the users control the computer using a pen, finger, stylus, or other device. On the other hand, interactive projector makes any surface in your classroom interactive, projecting onto the existing projector screens or whiteboards or directly onto the wall. You can draw, point and click by touching the screen directly with an interactive pen. This flexibility allows teachers to carry the portable solutions between the classrooms wherever required.
BenQ short throw (0.6) interactive projector MX823ST / MX806PST, with our proprietary Point Write TM PW01 interactive module and Interactive Pens and PT02 Touch Module, is one of the most popular solutions. It ensures zero space constraints, zero shadow disruption and zero eye-blinding light, thus a disruption free learning. The BenQ PointWrite technology comes featuring multi-pens collaboration allowing up to 4 students to contribute at once. With 1-second auto calibration and fast writing response time, BenQ PointWrite is effortless to set up and ensures an ultra-smooth, interruption-free writing experience. With BenQ’s interactive touch solution PT02, the teachers can now have a much more collaborated learning experience.
What is the market size of Interactive Whiteboard and Interactive Projector?
According to a latest report on Education market by Mint in Jan 2015, the education market in India, which is presently worth around Rs 5.9 trillion ($92.98 billion), is poised for some major growth by 2020. Out of around 1.4 million schools in India, the addressable market for Smart class is about 200,000 private unaided schools. These private unaided schools will convert to approx 2 million classrooms. Meanwhile, out of addressable 200,000 schools, 33% are English medium and account for 58% of classrooms. The same translates to around 1.2 million classrooms with a total market size of $ 7 billion. Only 20% of private unaided English medium schools and 10% of classrooms currently have Smart class which provides significant headroom for growth both in terms of school and classroom penetration. Smart class products for vernacular medium schools will further add to addressable market.
Hence the market scope and landscape for interactive learning is huge in India. The Government of India has also allocated Rs 500 crores (USD 81.38 million) for digitization of the classroom in the Union Budget which surely ups the expected growth trajectory exponentially. Moreover, several steps have been introduced in Budget 2015 including opening of the government institutes like IITs, IIMs. Furthermore, with the online modes of education being used by several educational organizations, higher education sector in India is set for some major changes and developments in the years to come.
BenQ, the market leader with more than 19% market share (Future Source Consulting Report, 2014) in the projector market and more than 50 % market share in Education, is committed towards further strengthening this growth trend. BenQ offers products with diverse range of technological benefits to match the need of our consumers who want to implement projectors for Education starting with entry level VGA to the higher end Short Throw and Ultra Short throw projectors. BenQ projections solutions also offer advanced interactive learning tools that enhance the learning experience, and are not only simple for teachers to use, but also future-proof, making them easier for schools to maintain.
BenQ, the market leader with more than 19% market share (Future Source Consulting Report, 2014) in the projector market and more than 50 % market share in Education, is committed towards further strengthening this growth trend. BenQ offers products with diverse range of technological benefits to match the need of our consumers who want to implement projectors for Education starting with entry level VGA to the higher end Short Throw and Ultra Short throw projectors
How much is the acceptability of interactive whiteboard and interactive projectors at K-12 and higher education level?
Digital Interactive teaching system has become a norm for today’s classroom. In every school, as per its requirements and affordability, the ICT has deployed tools in classrooms, LABs and other creative facilities.
The domestic market has moved beyond the nascent stage, witnessing a steady growth in demand. In comparison to a traditional white/blackboard, the interactive whiteboard and projectors are priced much higher and they require a significant expenditure to purchase and install, but the education institutes are still adopting these technologies, since it gives the classroom a highly interactive environment, which can be optimally utilized for a more retentive learning.
What is the interest of the institutions? Do they prefer interactive whiteboard or interactive projectors? Why?
Interactive Projectors evolved later than Interactive whiteboards with an ability to perform all the functions of Projector + Interactive white board. With current generation technologies, an Interactive Projector is giving tough competition to Interactive Whiteboards, now that the performance of both kinds of technology is matching. Along with that, an interactive projector helps the teachers bring together different kinds/formats of content from the various sources and makes it interesting for the students.
What are the new technological trends in education sector?
The key growth driver in the ongoing education revolution is definitely the emergence of world class education system integrators working towards making the technology adoption and up gradation easier and affordable for the schools as well as the students. BenQ works in collaboration with various Education System Integrators like Next Education, Extramarks Pearson, Educomp, Brio Interactive Technologies etc working with various schools and institutes. Also, the innovative way of charging affordable rates to the schools by these educational SIs have revolutionised smart classroom interactive education in India.
In technology segment, ultra short throw projection is gaining popularity especially in smaller classroom set-up with a minimal projection distance so that audience can move freely without worrying about obstructions between the projector and the screen.
Another major trend is interactivity in learning. BenQ brings interactive innovation and touch solutions to a new level of simplicity, ease and control, supporting flipped learning and engaging students like never before. The teachers can now turn any space into an interactive whiteboard and get up to 4 students to collaborate simultaneously with PointWrite pens or simply with fingers.
Real time collaboration with smart devices is also steadily gaining popularity among the schools for interaction and information sharing with audiences during lectures. The Interactive flat panel is seen to be the future of classrooms in India with enriched interactive environment allowing the audience to receive not just one-way delivery but also proactive, true-to-life experience.
In which cities do you see the penetration of the two products?
The metros and the emerging Tier II cities
What is the cost of deployment of Interactive Whiteboard and Interactive Projectors?
An interactive whiteboard starts with Rs 25,000 onwards with a short throw projector starting with Rs 30,000 onwards making the entire solution cost upwards of Rs 55000 keeping the installation and maintenance cost.
The more popular solution preferred these days by the education institutes are short throw projectors of high brightness and interactive capability and good lamp life, costing Rs 50,000 onwards.
