Matrix Integration and Cisco Quickly Implement Tech Solutions for Now and Long Term

As school districts continue to struggle with how to structure learning this fall, Matrix Integration, a strategic IT infrastructure partner for more than 1,000 businesses and schools in Indiana, Kentucky and beyond, along with Cisco, an international technology firm with a commitment to education, are working together to help K-12 districts create the “Classroom of the Future.” The solution can be implemented within weeks to accommodate students and teachers right now, as well as years down the road.

“K-12 schools need e-learning solutions, and they need them fast,” said Reggie Gresham, vice president of sales and marketing for Matrix Integration. “With technology and expertise from Cisco, we’re able to set up a cost-efficient, remote learning platform that quickly gets teachers and administrators up to speed. Ultimately, as classrooms get back to business-as-usual, the investment in infrastructure will continue to pay off for schools and districts.”
Potential Savings in the Millions
Cisco and Matrix Integration worked with Mooresville Schools, a public K-12 school district located southwest of Indianapolis, to create a unified and collaborative e-learning solution that will enhance learning now and in the future.

“Setting up e-learning has been a huge challenge for districts all over the country,” said Jake Allen, assistant superintendent, Mooresville Schools. “I feel like we got a huge head start by working with Matrix Integration and Cisco last school year. We discussed all of our challenges as well as our ideal outcomes, and together we developed a robust remote learning system that was implemented within weeks, with plenty of room to grow.”

​Specifically, leaders in the school district wanted to construct a seamless, fully collaborative learning solution that would work for the short-term as well as introduce long-term, creative teaching and learning tools. They also wanted to make sure the solution was powerful and flexible enough to encourage as much interaction between teachers and students as possible, to keep students from leaving the district as well as to maximize learning. In short, the assignment was to implement the “Classroom of the Future.”

The solution included WebEx with TelePresence endpoints. WebEx allows for a safe, secure, continuous learning environment for the students. With the TelePresence endpoints, it is virtual learning like never before experienced. These endpoints allow the teacher to be unchained from their desk and free to move around the room all while staying engaged with their students. WebEx’s seamless integration with most Learning Management Systems allows for ease of classroom attendance. If  classrooms are equipped with a display device which has an HDMI port, the teachers can effortlessly share content and stay connected with the students. It also allows for recorded sessions and language translations. With WebEx, the teachers are provided with free, unlimited recordings that they can share safely. WebEx can also intuitively translate the teacher’s language to the required language, via subtitles, within the recorded session. 

​The e-learning solution provides more than static lessons for students – it is a comprehensive remote-learning ecosystem that allows for individualized instruction as well as social and emotional growth opportunities. In the short-term, one major benefit is a potential savings of up to $7 million in state funding, due to keeping students in the district.

For the long-term, the district sees other advantages, such as:

• Teacher time savings based on the ability to digitally collaborate on and share lesson plans
• Administrative time savings for future student sick days or district snow days
• A wider range of learning opportunities – for example, a Chinese language class taught by an educator living in China

​More information on how Matrix Integration works with K-12 schools and others to develop customized e-learning solutions can be found at www.matrixintegration.com.