Next edition: 15-17 March 2013

With modern science in mind

This year's School Equipment Exhibition attracted attention with the variety of its offer. 38 exhibitors presented teaching aids, modern multimedia equipment, educational toys, stationery and office supplies, school furniture and accessories, playground and gym equipment. Their offer also included novelties from different areas of school operation. The School Equipment Exhibition, which is an integral part of the Education Fair and held at the same time as the Poznań Trade Fair Meetings - Books for Children and Young People, were visited by over 30,000 people.

Advanced technologies

The potential of new information and communication technologies is increasingly used in teaching and learning in Polish schools. The exhibitors presented interesting offers utilising new information technologies. Their offer was dominated by interactive whiteboards. At the Biuromax-Balcer's stand, next to benches with antique inkwells, modern touch-screen panels were hung. Not only panels but also other interactive devices and software for interactive education were promoted there. The Shadok company showed a market novelty – the Hitachi Starboard Fx-Trio 77e panel, which allows for an interactive group work (a panel can be simultaneously used by up to three users). Exhibitors gave lots of technical advice at the stands. "Teachers inquire about the capabilities of different electronic devices and we are very happy to advise them what choice to make, adjusting the proposed device to very precisely defined conditions" - said Adrian Szymoniak of the 2x3 company.

Strong interest in modern equipment was shown not only by teachers but also students, who often got into professional discussions with the exhibitors. Specialists, present at the companies' stands, suggested many practical and interesting ideas for lessons and projects using multimedia tools, computers and Internet resources to teachers.

The IRS company's demonstration stand called Digital School, equipped with interactive whiteboards, computers, software and tools for network management, attracted the fair's audience. During demonstrations for school principals, teachers and the representatives of local governments, one could see how easily new information technologies can change the learning process and the functioning of an educational institution.

The great interest in new multimedia devices used in schools is also proved by a large representation of teaching and managing staff of educational institutions at the "Information and communication technologies in school education” conference.

Teaching aids

As part of the School Equipment Exhibition, a variety of teaching aids to facilitate learning process were presented. The Betzold company presented both modern teaching aids, such as the case for experiments - "Alternative energy sources", and traditional models facilitating learning of, e.g. geometric figures. Young amateur astronomers were delighted with computer controlled astronomical telescopes, presented by the Spanish company Pentaflex. At the LEBOX's stand one could try a method and a special tool facilitating remembering and learning of, e.g. foreign languages. At the Akces company's stand in turn, different possibilities of making science attractive with the use of LEGO bricks were presented. The Zamkor company combined the promotion of kits for the preparation of presentations and experience for lessons such as physics and chemistry, with a conference for invited teachers. In addition to teaching aids, the exhibitors offered lots of school and office supplies improving the student's and teacher's work.

Dobrosława Piasecka of the Avery company, producing such articles, said: "We are pleased with the participation in the fair. In addition to teachers interested in our products at the fair, we were also visited by distributors and online stores' representatives who want to cooperate with us."

Good conditions for learning and fun

The presented equipment for schools, classrooms, playgrounds, gyms and sports fields attracted attention not only with modern, interesting design, but also with the use of specific features that increase safety and functionality. The Ital System company presented school tabletops, in which pressure casted polyurethane rims were used, increasing their durability several times. Special fixtures with an anti-legionella function for use in the back of a sports, exercise gym or a swimming pool, was showed by the Ekotech company. The attention of visitors was attracted by playgrounds, one of them was equipped with toys by the Buglo company, the other one by the Croquet company. Children were having great fun testing modern swings, trampolines, and educational toys. Watching them play, adults could easily find out which toys suited them best. The attention of visitors was drawn by companies offering gym's or sports field's equipment. Many people willingly participated in sports activities and tournaments conducted under the supervision of the representatives of sports associations in Wielkopolska, on a full-size sports field built in the exhibition hall. The surface of the field was one of the products presented at the fair by the Ricco company and as one of its representatives, Karolina Woźniak, said: "Even though the surfaces of sports field and playgrounds are not a leading product among those presented at the School Equipment Exhibition, unlike, e.g. interactive whiteboards, they attracted quite a lot of interest. Fitting the field with our surface was a good promotional idea. Many people got very interested in it during the observation of sports competitions."

We cordially invite you to the next edition of the School Equipment Exhibition in March 2013, which will surely be even more interesting and abounding.