Administrators at DeForest Area School District in Wisconsin found themselves facing an interesting situation as they adjusted to students bringing their laptops, tablets and smartphones to school as part an informal BYOD initiative. District officials quickly realized that with students using devices all day, they needed a simple and safe way to store and charge … Continue reading
Understanding who make purchasing decisions in school districts can be difficult. It’s easy to think the principals make purchasing decisions for their school. However, that isn’t the case. Principals have some authority but any decisions made must be made within specific purchasing parameters. Let’s see who the district-level purchasers are so you know who to … Continue reading
With many new technologies in the workforce, engagement is critical to keep current on new information and mastering skills. However, keeping students engaged and trying to keep up with our fast-paced world can be difficult. The perfect way to keep students engaged is through video games. Video games capture attention, convert extrinsic rewards into intrinsic … Continue reading
It’s becoming easier than ever before to create an interactive classroom. While many classrooms have interactive technology, it will be a few years before schools have interactive whiteboards and individual tablets in every classroom. Flexibility with teaching methods Interactive displays allow teachers to think outside the box and integrate creative ideas when planning their lessons. … Continue reading
Going 1:1 with mobile devices is no small feat for an individual classroom or school. Expand the initiative across an entire district, and logistical nightmares abound: infrastructure, maintenance, training, storage, security. The list goes on. So when the largest school system in Missouri introduced its district-wide 1:1 device plan, skepticism could have taken root. Instead, … Continue reading
We hear about data breeches in retail and healthcare all the time because they are big targets for data thieves. But what about education? Breeches are very common in education. We don’t hear about the breeches often because they are typically smaller and nobody knows how many records were compromised. IT departments are taking notice … Continue reading
Imagine how different your learning experience would’ve been if you could hold a beating heart when learning about anatomy, walk through the solar system when learning about planets, and take a trip to Australia to see a Kangaroo. Only Ms. Frizzle could take her kids on these trips in the Magic School Bus. Now today’s … Continue reading
Throughout the years, education technology has changed based on innovations, trends, research studies, and data. The options for customization are endless and there are many ways to collaborate and present information. Today, students can learn at their own pace due to technology for personalized and adaptive learning. So, what is missing in education technology? Many … Continue reading
Remember when students learned from textbooks, videos, and lectures? Today’s classroom looks much different than it did a decade ago. Today’s learners can go to Africa without leaving their classroom or see the inside of a human body. Without a doubt, technology has changed the way students are learning. Big Deal Media conducted a survey … Continue reading
As schools continue to invest in technology, the amount of devices found in the classroom is surging. Last year, the revenue for desktops, laptops, tablets, and two-in-one computers shipped to K-12 schools and higher education institutions in the United States amounted to $7 billion, according to estimates for IDC. In total, about 13.2 million systems … Continue reading
VARconnection 