Ramsey, NJ (Jan. 11, 2022) — Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. (Konica Minolta) today announced a joint entry in IDC’s inaugural Future Enterprise Best in Future of Work North America Awards with its IT Services Division All Covered (All Covered) and Southwest Tennessee Community College (SWTCC) has been named a finalist. The entry, SWTCC’s Digital Twin Distance Teaching/Learning Platform, presented an initiative to retain and grow its student body.
IDC’s Best in Future of Work North America Awards recognize that globally, organizations are experiencing seismic changes in where and how they work: how technology is changing work culture, digital and physical workspaces, and the ways in which humans and machines collaborate to get work done. The new award program was designed to showcase implemented initiatives in North America that display an agile and scalable approach to work to drive new value and competitive differentiation for an organization.
All Covered and SWTCC’s Digital Twin Distance Teaching/Learning Platform was named a finalist in the category of Space, which required for “the digital work environment to be intelligent and dynamic, connected and secure, and independent of a physical place or specific time of day.” IDC looked for corporate facilities to leverage technology and intelligence to create a safe and healthy environment.
The intention of the SWTCC Digital Twin Distance Learning/Teaching Platform was to facilitate remote instruction capable of mimicking – as closely as possible – an in-person classroom experience, which would effectively enable the simultaneous, real-time instruction of students in both physical and virtual classroom environments. Since there were no off-the-shelf solutions available that could deliver on budget, SWTCC and All Covered set out to develop the brand new system. Working with multiple vendors and technology design engineers, the “Digital Twin” platform was created by integrating two large interactive touch panels for sharing teaching content and camera feeds, along with two high-quality cameras electronically “paired” to each course’s Zoom session.
“Southwest Tennessee Community College has worked very hard with All Covered and our other vendor partners to design a distance learning technology platform that will facilitate and replicate the real-time “in-class” experience for students who may be attending remotely,” said Dr. David Rosenthal, deputy CIO, information technology services, SWTCC. “We are proud to know that the Digital Twin platform is entirely unique to Tennessee and the Midsouth, and we see the possibility of this project ultimately increasing our enrollment and adding value to the instruction provided to our students.”
“The Future of Work Awards finalists exemplify the ways in which digital transformation is not only changing where and how we work from augmented work processes to hybrid work environments that continuously evolve work culture,” said Amy Loomis, research director, Future of Work at IDC. “Each submission delivered thoughtful, measurable and meaningful results and provides a practical framework for future initiatives.”
“We are thrilled that our platform and SWTCC have been recognized by such a prestigious organization,” said Judy Nguyen, national teaching and learning consultant, All Covered.
“Any solution of this level requires hardware, design, installation and integration, and we are proud that All Covered’s expertise was able to help SWTCC continue classes through the pandemic,” added Jon Clemons, national practice manager–education IT services, All Covered.
Watch a brief demo about the Digital Twin Distance Teaching/Learning Platform here, and view a brief promotional video featuring Dr. David Rosenthal here.
IDC’s 2021 Best in Future of Work North America Awards will be presented to winning initiatives at an awards ceremony in February 2022. Learn more on IDC’s website.
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About Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the workplace to achieve true connectivity through the Intelligent Connected Workplace. The company guides and supports its clients’ digital transformation through its expansive office technology portfolio, including IT Services (All Covered), intelligent information management, managed print services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been included on CRN’s MSP 500 list nine times and The World Technology Awards named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for 14 consecutive years and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2021 America’s Best-in-State employers list. The company received Keypoint Intelligence’s BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year Award and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Award for its bizhub i-Series. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Konica Minolta partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and works to bring value to our society.
About SWTCC
Southwest Tennessee Community College’s (SWTCC) mission is to provide the residents of Shelby and Fayette counties and the surrounding Mid-South region with a high-quality and affordable postsecondary education that prepares them for associate degrees, future educational opportunities and successful employment.
About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight help IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading media, data and marketing services company that activates and engages the most influential technology buyers.
