Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Why connected laptops are a pathway to digital liberation

Key points:

  • Digital classrooms–and their remote students–are here to stay
  • School facilities face unprecedented demand for broadband across education sites

The introduction of always-connected PCs and Chromebooks continues to be the catalyst for digitally liberating many students. Now is an especially exciting time to turn to this idea as PC and Chromebook battery life innovation, as well as performance, speed, audio, and video enhancement, is finally getting to the level needed to handle the digital criteria and learning throughout a school day and beyond.

Hotspots were heralded as the rescue, but often without weighing the pros and cons, especially in relevance to long-term solutions. What’s been overlooked is the substantial amount of learning time wasted just to leverage hotspots for learning. Connected laptops are a streamlined solution as the connection is built in, flexible and fitting into the ever-changing education system without the disruption of time.…Read More

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Students need freedom to develop critical skills with edtech

After decades of working with educational technology, I’ve come to the realization that technology will have its greatest impact in the classroom when educators allow learners to use digital technology as a self-directed learning tool. This means not just providing students with laptops and online resources, but ensuring they have the necessary skills to find, validate, apply, and curate the vast amount of information now available to them.

More importantly, they must be given control of when and how these digital tools are used. Think about how adults use their smartphones; they use them whenever they need to. No one is dictating when they can use it, how they can use it, or where they can use it–why don’t we allow learners to do the same?

Imagine a classroom where students have unfettered access to digital tools and resources whenever needed. That would be a very different classroom than the ones I’ve experienced, but one that would be able to support the digital learners in our classrooms today.…Read More

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How digital equity enhances cybersecurity in schools

Digital equity in the classroom goes far beyond the need to deliver internet connectivity and devices. All students need and deserve a safe, reliable, and adaptable edtech ecosystem to support and nurture their learning experience.  

Behind the obvious laptops and countless other tech tools used by everyone in today’s schools sits what could arguably be labeled the least discussed aspect of K-12 technology: the vast software systems that nearly all schools use to store and update student data – including their identifying information. Everyone using these systems is impacted by the way in which users are required to log in, as well as interact with, cybersecurity precautions. It’s not energizing to discuss or even manage – but deploying it correctly can make all the difference for countless students. 

Just as all students aren’t the same, their needs for entering and using these systems may vary greatly. Thus, if a district uses the same access process for all, the chance that gaps in digital equity exist is nearly certain. A fifth grader with special needs may face access and access confirmation processes that take away from instruction time in each class throughout the day. Furthermore, imagine facing those same hurdles every day and every year throughout a K-12 education.  …Read More

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4 ways to increase classroom engagement

The COVID pandemic has tested everyone, and few were more tested than teachers. Many educators adjusted to entirely new teaching requirements during the pandemic, while districts rushed to supply tools and technologies to address the need for remote and hybrid learning environments. Now, as we are making our way into the second half of a new school year, still more unknowns await. Educators are tasked with the challenge of building a sense of belonging while boosting learning gains, no matter where their classroom turns out to be.

One advantage educators have in 2021 and 2022 is that the tools purchased to address teaching during COVID-19 remain on-hand and relevant for the upcoming school year. From laptops and tablets to headsets and digital styluses, new tech options open up possibilities that allow all students, regardless of location, age or learning style, to thrive.

As educators, it’s important we harness the power of these essential tools to boost classroom engagement and productivity. Even simple adjustments can yield a big impact on a child’s learning experience and help students focus on their work, encourage collaboration, and ensure engaging educational experiences are always within reach.…Read More

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Building a Career in EdTech: SmarterServices Team Member Celebrates 15 Years

PITTSBURGH, PA –  The landscape of education has changed in the last decade, and even more so in the last 24 months. Technology has become integral to education, 71% of US students claim to use laptops in the classroom ( McKinsey). In 2016, the self-paced eLearning industry made up $46.67 billion of the global market share, and by 2022, that number is projected to exceed $243 billion ( Statista). It’s clear that education technology, also known as EdTech, has seen many changes and challenges but one thing stands out — the industry is expected to continue to grow with an even stronger focus on technology, which means there will be a high demand for individuals who can support it. 

SmarterServices has been at the forefront of EdTech for two decades, serving unmet market challenges facing learners, instructors, institutions, and organizations. They have provided continued support over the last two decades, as one employee, Rachel Sipper, celebrates her 15th anniversary at SmarterServices within her EdTech role as Tech Support Specialist. 

Sipper has a background in website design and was referred to SmarterServices based on her design work. She has been with SmarterServices since the company’s inception and has seen it from a company of fewer than 5 employees to over 50 employees nationwide. When Sipper first took on her role, she started providing support through an email-based ticket submission process, providing technology solutions to teachers and students alike. As the SmarterServices team grew and product offerings expanded, the support team’s workload increased from 1,000 tickets per month to 500 tickets per day. But that never deterred Sipper.…Read More

Spectrum Industries Boosts Esports Solutions Lineup with the Game-Changing Alliance24 Laptop Gaming Cart

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin – February 24, 2022– Spectrum Industries, a leading esports furniture and charging cart manufacturer, has announced the release of their game-changing Alliance24 Laptop Gaming Cart.

Created as a mobile esports home base for 24 athletes, the charging cart can store, charge and transport up to 24 headsets, mice and the largest gaming laptops on the market.…Read More

How to bundle education device management

Technology has opened up endless possibilities in classrooms around the world. For one, access to education has been significantly broadened, facilitating a wide range of teaching strategies and learning styles. The pandemic accelerated the adoption rates of educational technology solutions. In some cases, demand far outstripped supply, leading to backlogs of requests for laptops, tablets, Chromebooks, and other school-issued devices. With the flood of school-issued devices, the need for education device management is fast becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Schools are always looking for ways to keep their students engaged and learning–and implementing technology can do that. Technology is changing the way we teach and learn. In today’s world, where children are already familiar with tablets and smartphones from watching videos on YouTube or playing games at home, learning through technology will likely become more exciting than daunting (and this goes for teachers too).

One of the most important aspects of using technology in schools is responsible and secure management: ensuring devices are protected from viruses, malware, and other threats that can cause significant disruption to critical school operations.…Read More

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4 tips to boost classroom engagement and productivity

The past 18 months tested everyone, and few were more tested than teachers. Many educators adjusted to entirely new teaching requirements during the pandemic, while districts rushed to supply tools and technologies to address the need for remote and hybrid learning environments. Now, as we are making our way into a new school year, still more unknowns await. Educators are tasked with the challenge of building a sense of belonging while boosting learning gains, no matter where their classroom turns out to be.

One advantage educators have in 2021 is that the tools purchased to address teaching during COVID-19 remain on-hand and relevant for the upcoming school year. From laptops and tablets to headsets and digital styluses, new tech options open up possibilities that allow all students, regardless of location, age or learning style, to thrive.

As educators, it’s important we harness the power of these essential tools to boost classroom engagement and productivity. Even simple adjustments can yield a big impact on a child’s learning experience and help students focus on their work, encourage collaboration, and ensure engaging educational experiences are always within reach.…Read More

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Carousel Digital Signage Launches Express Players

Carousel Digital Signage announces the immediate availability of Carousel Express Players, a new cloud-based software media player solution designed for keeping remote workers and students informed and up to date. The players help organizations extend their digital signage beyond location-based end points, and reach people wherever they work, learn and live.

Carousel Digital Signage developed the Express Players in response to pandemic-driven changes in business, learning and healthcare environments. The lightweight players are a perfect complement to Carousel Cloud digital signage software, as both are deployable together within an organization’s existing IT infrastructure. Once live, users can extend their “classic” digital signage content to desktop computers, laptops and tablets, with each Express Player solution licensed based on the size of the organization. Larger organizations also have the flexibility to target content for different business divisions, regions or teams.

“With so many students, instructors, and businesspeople working remotely, it is more important than ever for people to remain connected,” said JJ Parker, Carousel CEO. “Carousel Cloud customers using Express Players can now easily communicate across their entire organization, and not just in dedicated spots with fixed digital signage. Carousel Express Players unify organizations at a time when being in the same building is at best a challenge.”…Read More

Trox Launches New SHIELD Protection Program for Chromebooks and Other Mobile Devices

Trox, a leading North American provider of education technology and collaboration solutions, today announced the launch of its new proprietary Trox SHIELDSM Protection Program for Chromebooks and other mobile devices.

Trox SHIELD helps educators protect their technology investment by ensuring that mobile devices and remain in circulation. Offering a zero cost of ownership guarantee for devices, Trox SHIELD extends the original manufacturer’s warranty and covers accidental damage. Trox certified technicians repair damaged devices, which allows IT teams to focus on supporting students and teachers.

“Demand for Chromebooks and laptops is at an all-time high for schools. Devices that are damaged in transit puts significant strain on limited budgets and IT resources,” said Sarah Kydd, Chief Operating Officer, Trox. “With many schools offering remote or blended learning, ensuring that students have working devices is more important than ever. That’s why we added Trox SHIELD to our robust lifecycle management services.”…Read More