Steelcase Introduces Collaboration Tools For Active Learning Environments at Consumer Electronics Show 2012

media:scape mini and mobile help transform educational and work spaces into collaborative spaces

LAS VEGAS – January 10, 2012 – To address the changing needs of students and educators, and to better prepare students for the demands of the 21st century economy, Steelcase is introducing media:scape mini and media:scape mobile to enhance the classroom collaboration experience at HigherEd TECH, a technology summit for higher education held as part of the international Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Steelcase has studied the changes in education for years, employing a unique, human-centered design research process. Recent research has found nearly three quarters of classes include group discussions and a quarter of all classes include group projects. Interactive pedagogies require learning spaces where everyone can share their content and see and interact with others. Combined with the fact that almost all students carry laptops, iPads and other mobile devices to the classroom, learning today is not what it used to be.

“The changes taking place on today’s college and university campuses are extraordinary. Tech-savvy students are demanding more engaging learning experiences, new technologies offer creative alternatives to traditional learning and instruction, and teaching methods are more dynamic and interactive than ever before,” said Sean Corcorran, General Manager of Steelcase Education. “These changes present many challenges to traditional instructional facilities. To help improve student academic success, while also building the collaborative and critical thinking skills needed for 21st century jobs, education environments must be re-invented. At Steelcase, we are leveraging our research into pedagogy, technology and space to create solutions for truly active learning environments.”

To enable these more active learning environments, media:scape is designed for sharing information and enhancing student and instructor collaboration. The Steelcase media:scape family of products augments how teams collaborate, allowing participants to access and share their digital information quickly and seamlessly. The new media:scape mini and mobile options help transform classrooms, libraries, study rooms, and lounge areas into highly interactive learning spaces. The mini unit allows up to four people to interact with a single monitor and is easily moveable, allowing great flexibility. The mobile unit enables workers to bring media:scape to a diverse range of settings – from dorm rooms, to libraries, classrooms and lounge areas – wherever collaboration might occur.

“Students are more social, more collaborative and more demanding,” said David Woolf, general manager of Steelcase Integrated Technologies. “We’re seeing more students engaged in the learning process. There is more peer-to-peer teaching and a sense of community. Students today are digital natives and their technology expectations have increased. By enabling students to collaborate with media:scape mini, digital content is amplified and students can share information quickly.”

media:scape mini and mobile, also ideal for work environments that require collaboration, is on display at the Steelcase Booth (North Hall 3307) at the Las Vegas Convention Center through Friday, January 13. Also on display is the node chair, specifically designed with active learning and collaboration. In addition, David Woolf will showcase media:scape mini during the High Tech U demo session on Wednesday, January 11, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. PST.

For more information, please visit www.Steelcase.com/educationsolutions or www.steelcase.com/mediascape

About Steelcase
Steelcase Inc. helps create great experiences — wherever work happens. Our brands offer a comprehensive portfolio of workplace furnishings, products and services, inspired by nearly 100 years of insight gained serving the world’s leading organizations. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 650 dealers. We design for social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Steelcase is a global, publicly traded company leading our industry with fiscal 2011 revenue of approximately $2.4 billion.

Contact
Katie Hasse
616-558-4944
khasse@steelcase.com

Erin Howard
646-281-6176
ehoward@peppercom.com