The Best Prewired Charging Carts and Stations for Your School
If you currently have or are planning to create a mobile device strategy for your organization, you may already know that charging carts or stations are an essential piece of the puzzle. But did you know that prewired carts can help make deployment even easier?
Prewired carts and stations are out-of-the-box solutions that can save you both time and money. Many LocknCharge carts have a prewired option, plus other unique features. These charging solutions can make your summer deployments faster and easier, so you can get more done over the break and be ready to go when students return.
Benefits of Prewired Carts and Stations
Time Savings
IT labor shortages are increasing around the world as demand rises for more advanced skills. Lack of staffing means many organizations must find ways that the employees they already have can be more efficient. It takes about 30 minutes to wire a 30-capacity cart. LocknCharge prewired carts and stations come ready to use with USB-C cables already installed, organized and securely fastened.
With prewired carts and stations, IT techs don’t have to spend their summer cabling. Rather, they can focus on larger, strategic projects. They’re also a great option to meet a tight deadline or to help take care of large-scale rollouts quickly and efficiently.
“We were able to install our prewired station in a middle school in a day and hardly spend any time getting them ready.”
– Charri Stratton, Putnam City Schools
Convenience
With prewired carts and stations, students and employees won’t need to use their own device cord in order to charge. They can simply plug their device into the prewired cable and remove the device when it’s done charging, without having to install and uninstall any cables. For schools that send devices home with students, this leaves their own device cable available to take home with them as needed, helping to reduce instances of forgotten or lost chargers.
Cost Savings
Prewired carts are an economical option. OEM (original equipment manufacturer) USB-C cables can cost $50 or more per cable. The cable hardware that comes with prewired carts is a great value-add – plus, you’re saving time for your IT team. And time is money. When you add in the benefits of charging stations overall – like better security to help reduce the costs of lost and stolen devices, minimized device downtime and more efficiency in check-in/check-out – you really start to see why prewired carts are a good technology investment.
The Best Prewired Carts for Schools
The best charging stations for your school depend on your unique needs. But there are some things you’ll want to look for that don’t change: LocknCharge offers unique solutions that come with future-proof features, lifetime warranties and excellent customer service and support. Here are our best prewired carts and charging stations for schools.
USB-C Prewired Carts
Carts are an excellent choice if you need more mobility in your deployment strategy, for example, moving devices from room to room. LocknCharge carts are also incredibly versatile with shelves, baskets and more for all your devices and learning tools.
Carrier Carts allow you to securely store, charge and transport up to 20, 30 or 40 mobile devices. The top surface of this top-loading cart doubles as a workspace, and the open-concept design makes it easy to customize to your needs long-term as devices evolve. Carrier Carts include Baskets by LocknCharge to easily hand out and pack up devices.
Joey Carts are an affordable, top-loading charging cart that accommodates up to 30 or 40 devices. They’re lightweight, yet secure, and the interchangeable baskets and racks allow for greater flexibility. They also include Baskets by LocknCharge.
EPIC Carts are another affordable option that accommodate up to 24 or 36 devices. The space-saving design is ideal for smaller areas, and the front-loading shelves allow easy access for students.
USB-C Prewired Charging Stations
Charging stations work well for nearly any type of device strategy, providing a central area where students can securely charge devices. LocknCharge charging stations also offer many other features that help make your students’ and teachers’ lives easier.
Carrier 10 & 15 Charging Stations allow you to charge, store, secure and carry up to 10 or 15 devices. Since the cabinet is stationary, our device baskets make deployment easy, while allowing you to adapt to future needs. The small footprint means they fit just about anywhere or can be mounted on a wall.
Putnam 18 Charging Stations are designed to securely store and charge up to 18 Chromebooks, small laptops or tablets up to 13 inches. The tall, slim design is also stackable, with a pedestal that allows you to charge 36 devices with one outlet plug.
Revolution 32 Charging Cabinet is a tall, slim option that takes up half the footprint of a traditional prewired cart. With sliding power strips and a versatile design, it can store up to 32 of almost any laptop or tablet device.
Putnam 8 or 16 Charging Station with USB-C PD is designed to charge, store and secure 8 or 16 iPads or Chromebooks. This prewired station comes installed with USB-C cables that are the just the right length to reach each device. They’re also compact and wall-mountable.
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Best Mobile Device Charging Stations for Schools
The past few years have tested many school districts like never before, but within what sometimes seemed like chaos, opportunities emerged. Both remote learning programs and mobile device programs skyrocketed, and along with them, the need for secure, reliable mobile device charging stations.
Schools quickly learned that there are many options for deploying mobile devices—and that each model comes with its own set of device management challenges. Choosing what makes the most sense for your district can be hard.
Do you want to give every student a digital device to take home? Provide students with devices that stay in each classroom? Distribute mobile devices to students through a shared cart approach? Or let students bring their own devices from home?
The way you store, charge and manage devices will depend on the model you choose for deploying mobile devices to students. Read on to learn the pros and cons of the best mobile device charging stations for schools.
1:1 Programs - Devices Stay in the Classroom
Benefits: This model creates consistency and uniformity, making it easier for IT staff to support the devices. Because everyone is using the same type of device with the same platform, teachers know that whatever apps they use will work on students’ devices. And since the devices remain at school, teachers don’t have to worry about students leaving their devices at home or forgetting to charge them. It’s also the smartest investment for schools on a tight budget.
Challenges: When students leave devices at school, they’re not able to use them for homework. This type of program also doesn't allow for distance learning, should schools ever close again in the future.
Best Mobile Device Charging Stations
Because devices don’t need to be moved from one classroom to another in a full 1:1 environment, a wall charging station is a fitting option. These units take up less space and typically cost less than a cart, leaving more money to spend on other tech tools.
When you’re distributing devices to students at the start of class each day, time is at a premium. The best charging stations for schools make this process much easier and more efficient, which saves valuable class time for instruction. That’s why we created the unique basket design of our Carrier 10 and 15 and iQ 10 with USB-C PD charging stations.
Another option is the Putnam 8 or 16 with USB-C PD. While these aren’t basket-compatible, they are perfect for 1:1 “stay at school” programs that use tablets. As an added bonus, the station’s external LED display makes it easy to know if all devices have been put away at the end of the day, and they come pre-wired with USB-C cables, making setup a breeze.
1:1 Programs - Students Take Devices Home
Benefits: Letting students take school-owned devices home creates a “classroom without walls,” enabling 24-7 learning. It also addresses the digital divide and the so-called “homework gap,” ensuring that all students have equitable access to learning opportunities and their teachers.
Challenges: Besides the obvious funding hurdles, take-home 1:1 programs come with an increased risk of devices being damaged, lost or stolen. It can be harder for schools to manage the devices, as students might be downloading apps or using devices in unintended ways. What’s more, students might forget to charge their device or forget to bring their device altogether. Another challenge that often comes up is how to store and charge devices over the summer when all of the devices are returned to school.
Best Mobile Device Charging Stations
An excellent solution is the FUYL Smart Locker System Smart Locker, which includes 5 or 15 individually-lockable compartments that can store and charge any mobile device. Many schools are placing FUYL Smart Lockers in common spaces or media centers so that students can securely charge their devices between classes, during classes that don’t require the use of a mobile device or during lunch. The individually lockable compartments work like a hotel safe, creating less work for educators because students can manage their devices at school without any assistance.
Some schools are also using FUYL Smart Locker System for device “loaner” programs or break/fix programs. In these scenarios, they’re fully stocking a Smart Locker with extra devices so that if a device is broken, or if a student forgets to bring his device from home, the student can be given a PIN to retrieve a loaner device without IT staff having to intervene. They have also been extremely useful in distributing devices to students or teachers during distance learning.
Another option is to install secure charging stations for schools to help make sure a dead battery doesn’t disrupt learning. The Carrier Charging Station or iQ Charging Station can be easily mounted to a wall in a library or classroom, and both take up only minimal space.
Shared Device Environments
Benefits: Having classrooms share devices allows schools to keep costs down and extend their resources further. A shared-use environment can be much less expensive than a full 1:1 program, and with fewer devices to support, IT staff aren’t as stretched thin. Shared carts are also great for specialized or expensive equipment, like the devices used for STEM or gaming programs.
Challenges: Teachers have to schedule their use of carts and mobile device charging stations, and students won’t have daily access to the devices for learning. These factors may discourage teachers from using technology for instruction. In addition, the apps that students use for learning will vary from one classroom to the next, so teachers will need an easy way to set up and customize shared devices for their students.
Best Mobile Device Charging Stations
Our Carrier Charging Carts and Joey Charging Carts easily travel from classroom to classroom, and they include our innovative device distribution baskets. These baskets, along with the top-loading design of the carts, cut the time it takes to distribute and collect devices in half. What’s more, teachers can use the baskets themselves to transport devices between classrooms safely and efficiently, or they can enlist the help of students.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Programs
Benefits: BYOD programs are the least expensive way to use technology for teaching and learning because schools can leverage the devices students already own. What’s more, students are already comfortable with their own device, so there’s no learning curve associated with the technology.
Challenges: Teaching in a mixed-device environment can be difficult. Teachers have to make sure the learning materials they use are accessible across a wide range of platforms. There is more potential for distraction because devices contain personal apps, and variations in the age, speed, and processing power of devices—or a lack of resources to purchase their own device at all—could lead to inequities in how students learn.
Best Mobile Device Charging Stations
Even though students are bringing their own devices from home, you’ll still need secure charging stations for schools. A solution that can store and charge a wide variety of device types—such as the FUYL Smart Locker System, which contains 5 or 15 individually-lockable compartments—is ideal.
Students will find any outlet they can to charge their devices during the school day, often leaving them unattended. FUYL Smart Lockers significantly cut back on missing or stolen devices because students don’t have to leave their device out in the open while charging. FUYL Smart Locker Systems are also extremely flexible. They have two modes, which allows you to facilitate a break/fix program or loaner device program as well as public charging.
While the best mobile device charging stations, charging carts and smart lockers for your school or district depends on the type of program you implement, LocknCharge has a variety of solutions to fit all needs. Contact us today and we’ll work with you to find your perfect charging solution.
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Device Management for Schools: Take-Home Device Program Solutions
In recent years, many schools have focused on adopting technology at a rapid pace. The ambitious goal to connect students with the tech to help them succeed was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where it became a lifeline in facilitating remote education.
1-to-1 Device Program Stats for US Schools as of March 2021
A March 2021 survey by the EdWeek Research Center found that 90 percent of US educators said there was at least one device for every middle and high schooler. An additional 84 percent of educators said the same about elementary school students. Needless to say, schools have invested “a lot” in mobile device programs over the last few years.
The Wake County School District in North Carolina is one example. The district was in the process of updating to a 1-to-1 model in which every student would have access to their own individual device, but the transition to remote learning in 2020 meant they quickly spent $48 million on new devices.
Today’s students have grown up with technology woven into all facets of their lives. In order to keep up with the continued demand for technology in the curriculum, it has now become standard practice for many schools to allow their students to take devices home for schoolwork.
At its surface, a 1-to-1 program is a great solution for schools across the board. After all, allowing students to take home school-owned devices ensures they have equitable access to their work and that they are always working with a device they are familiar with. When students are allowed to take school devices home, it helps bridge the gap between learning at school and learning at home. Nothing beats that, right?
However, teachers and other school administrators know that letting students take devices home also comes with challenges, too. Here we discuss those challenges as well as proven solutions to make 1-to-1 take-home models more efficient for students and less burdensome on school staff.
Challenge #1: Forgotten Devices
“I left my homework at home.” Prior to services like Google Classroom, those six words were the bane of almost every teacher’s existence. Now, imagine if you replaced “homework” with “curriculum.” Students who forget their device at home are not able to participate in lessons that require the use of a device – which puts them a day behind in classwork.
Let’s be honest, students are notoriously forgetful. And between calling Mom or Dad to deliver the device, and missing out on classwork, a forgotten device can be a serious distraction to students and teachers for an entire day.
Solution: Implement a Streamlined Device Loaner Program
Get a device back in the hands of the student faster – and save your tech teams serious time – by implementing an on-site device loaner program. By filling a secure FUYL Tower Smart Charging Locker System with loaner devices at each school location, students can enter a 4-digit PIN or scan an RFID badge to check out a loaner device with minimal faculty oversight.
The only time taken from an IT member’s or a media specialist’s day is providing the PIN or RFID access. This process can be automated even further by integrating an external ticketing system with LocknCharge Cloud.
The best part of all? The student is able to get back to class – and back to learning – without missing a beat.
Challenge #2: Dead Devices
Remember those forgetful students we mentioned? They’re probably going to forget to charge their devices before coming to class, too. Similar to showing up with no device, a dead laptop or tablet has the same capacity to disrupt learning time.
“You don’t always think about charging as a problem until you see the things students do to charge their devices throughout the day,” said Kim Bannigan, a learning information systems coordinator at DeForest Area School District. “Kids were leaving devices wherever there was an open outlet. At one point, an outlet in the cafeteria was being used so frequently that it disrupted the lunch line.”
-Kim Bannigan, Administrator at DeForest Area School District in Wisconsin
With limited outlets in the classroom, cafeteria, or media center, students are probably going to play a game of limbo all day long – struggling to find an outlet, only to leave their devices unattended while charging.
Solution: Enable Secure Charging Locations for Students
Allow students to securely charge their devices on demand by installing a FUYL Smart Locker System in a public area of the school. By empowering students to securely charge their devices during the day, schools are teaching students to take ownership of their devices while decreasing the costs of their device programs.
Read these case studies to learn more about on-demand public charging in schools
Challenge: #3 Broken Devices
One of the top frustrations of IT staff is that they have more work than they're able to handle. Whether it be general software maintenance or broken hardware, it’s inevitable that student devices will need some kind of repair during the school year.
For tech teams and media specialists that are already strapped for resources, imagine the additional time that is wasted running around collecting broken devices. If 20% of devices go missing or are broken each year across multiple school locations, the burden can quickly compound.
Solution: Automate Your Break/Fix Program with a Smart Locker
Save your tech team serious time by implementing a FUYL Smart Charging Locker System to facilitate broken device exchanges. By designating a smart locker (such as the FUYL Tower) as a device repair drop point, school staff members no longer need to waste their valuable time tracking down and collecting broken devices.
Once a student reports that their device is in need of attention, a staff member can assign that student to a specific locker. Using an admin-defined PIN or an RFID card, the student can either drop their device in an empty slot or swap their broken device for a ready-to-use one. Once their device is fixed, they simply return to a smart charging locker to swap their loaner device for the original device.
BONUS FEATURE OF A SMART LOCKER FOR DEVICE MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS:
Admins can monitor and record activity of the smart charging locker, which automates the need for extra human capital to track the whereabouts of a device at any given time. A smart locker system can automate manual tasks that once required human touch for a fraction of the cost.
Challenge #4: Summer Vacation
Summer vacation is just around the corner, and suddenly you’re scrambling, trying to figure out where you are going to store all these devices this summer. Plus, you’re having nightmares that tablets and laptops aren’t going to be charged when school starts back up. And on top of that, you’re already stressed about the chaos that will ensue when devices need to be redistributed at the beginning of the year.
Solution for Storage: Invest in an Open-Concept Charging Cart with Baskets
Many schools are investing in open-concept charging carts with baskets that have the ability to securely store, charge and transport large numbers of laptops, tablets and other technology when not in use. By placing the devices in baskets, devices are easily loaded and unloaded into a cart, allowing them to be charged in batches with ease.
In addition to mobile devices, open-concept carts can flex to accommodate robotics, 3D printers, VR goggles and more. Plus, as tablet and laptop technology in schools evolves, these types of universal charging stations will not become outdated.
Solution for Charging: Find a Charging Solution That Features ECO Safe Charge
Alright, so you’ve solved the issue of storage … now onto those dead batteries. Finding a spot to charge tens, hundreds or even thousands of devices at once can be daunting. It can also put serious strain on a school building’s electrical capabilities.
To efficiently charge greater numbers of devices while reducing the possibility of a general electrical overload to an outlet, power management inside of a charging cart is key. Features like “safe on/off”, “ECO Timer All” and “ECO Timer Cycle” are imperative to a smooth transition from summer to the first day of school. Click here for a quick guide to getting devices ready for the new school year.
Solution for Distribution: Use Distribution Tools Such as Time-Saving Baskets
The final hurdle is redistribution of devices. The answer? Time-Saving Baskets and FUYL Tower Smart Lockers. Quickly and easily transport and distribute devices throughout your school with hand-held device baskets, designed so you can safely carry 5 devices in each hand. You can see how schools are using baskets to cut down on device distribution time here:
To seamlessly onboard teachers, or perhaps new students entering your district mid-year, use a FUYL Tower to deploy devices with far fewer headaches. Just place the towers in an accessible location, and stock them with a ready-to-go device in each bay. When a teacher or student needs a device, they’re assigned a tower bay and can access a device at their convenience. There’s no need to schedule pick-ups and drop-offs or even engage in face-to-face interaction, leaving your IT team more time to focus on other tasks.
Read this case study to learn more about using a Smart Locker for contactless device distribution in schools.
Everything You Need to Know About Smart Charging Lockers
Take a deep dive into this article about Smart Lockers to better understand their value, workflows, features and more.
5 Smart School Tech Investments – and Why Smart Lockers Top the List
1-to-1 student device programs are becoming the norm for many school districts, and investing in support for technology is no longer optional. A March 2021 survey by the EdWeek Research Center found that 90 percent of US educators said there was at least one device for every middle and high schooler. An additional 84 percent said the same about elementary school students.
It’s more important than ever that schools fully support the digital tools that enhance learning outcomes for students. Here are a few ideas for smart investments that will make the best use of limited resources.
1. Invest in Future-Proof Technology
"Future-proof" does not simply mean something will last forever – but rather, that will provide value well into the future. So even as technology advances, future-proof charging solutions are able to evolve to meet your ever-changing needs.
On average, mobile devices in schools are refreshed every 3 to 5 years. It’s important to consider the amount of time and energy expended every time you go back to the drawing board to re-evaluate your technology stack. Imagine the resources your district would save if you didn’t need to replace your charging solutions every time your mobile devices are updated.
Consider investing in a future-proof Joey Cart or Carrier Charging Station by LocknCharge. These solutions combine universal charging, open-concept designs and durable hardware, that will meet your needs for years to come.
Using smart technology, such as smart lockers for schools, is also an investment that will save considerable time and resources long term. The FUYL Smart Locker System, for example, keeps devices secure and charged in individually-lockable bays while Admins remotely control user access through a cloud-based portal.
The FUYL Smart Locker System offers workflow flexibility so that schools can support automated broken device exchanges, no-contact loaner device check out, and secure, public charging on demand. Because LocknCharge Cloud is supported by an agile, in-house software development team, schools can be confident that the Cloud platform is supported at every turn. New, customer-centric features are added on a weekly basis, and industry-standard cyber security measures are always in place.
2. Explore Low-Cost, High-Value Solutions for Modernization
iPads and laptops enhance student learning, but millions of classroom devices lose their charge in schools every day. The obvious solution is to plug those devices into any available wall outlet. However, access to outlets may be limited and plugging too many devices into one outlet can cause a general electrical overload. Not to mention, devices that are charging on a counter or floor are not protected against breakage or theft.
Consider investing in technologies that modernize your school's infrastructure without costly facility upgrades. For example, the high-capacity Revolution 32 Cabinet eliminates the expense of installing new outlets. The station’s ECO Safe Charge™ Power Management System reduces the possibility of blowing a circuit when as many as 32 laptops are plugged in to a single outlet.
Vauban, a private education institution in Luxembourg, utilized FUYL Towers to support their approach to digital learning and to modernize their facility. At Vauban, each student takes ownership of their iPad containing digital textbooks. FUYL Towers promotes accountability for students by offering a secure place to charge a device during the day, keeping them on track in their classwork.
3. Consider Security Improvements
Did you know that between 2005 and 2020, US schools have lost 24.5 million records due to data breaches? Would it surprise you to find out that a sizable number of those breaches were caused by unintentional disclosures or theft/loss of portable devices?
A smart end-of-year budget investment is one that protects against data security breaches, costly device deployment setbacks and inefficient device downtime.
Implementing durable, secure charging stations and smart lockers for schools will physically protect devices and the data that's on them – not to mention decrease costs of lost hardware.
Plus, using a FUYL Tower to automate manual processes for managing mobile devices will free up tech team’s time so they can focus on upgrading network security and protecting student data from cyber attacks.
4. Support Teachers With Time-Saving Tools
With limited educational resources, a smart investment also includes a strategy to deploy valuable tools and resources to the people who need them most.
Ideally, your plan should support teachers by saving them valuable classroom time. For example, one cabinet-style cart can gobble up an additional 70+ hours of class time per year, simply in passing out and collecting devices. Our unique and innovative basket designs reduce the time teachers spend distributing devices, as well as time children spend queuing up to put them away. This means teaching can happen faster – saving over two weeks of instructional time per cart each year!
Hear from Shane Austin of Cooper Middle School as he talks about how the Putnam 16 Charging Station with USB-C PD has helped him save valuable teaching time. The short cord system allows students to easily plug in iPads at the end of the day, and the external LED charging status display shows when devices are charged and ready to be used.
Another important time-saving tool for teachers and IT staff are smart lockers for schools. When a student's device breaks, a FUYL Smart Locker System can automate the exchange of a new one in just minutes, without the need for assistance by school faculty. This seamless loaner program ensures class isn’t being disrupted by lost, broken or dead devices.
5. Improve Teacher Training and Device Management Support
Less than 17% of teachers believe that they receive adequate training and support when it comes to educational technologies. Setting aside a portion of your budget for educating the educators is vital to ensure your edtech investments are worthwhile. Without training, teachers may not realize the full potential of new tech, and they may be hesitant to use the technology at all.
When frustration with technology is low and satisfaction is high, teachers are more likely to use new technology to its full extent. Devices can only facilitate learning if they’re charged and ready to use. Smart lockers for schools can alleviate frustration with device management by speeding up broken or lost device exchanges. In just a few minutes, students can self-serve a replacement without disrupting class by using a PIN or RFID to access a new device inside a FUYL Tower Smart Locker.
We’re here to help prepare you for the future. Our team remains committed to assisting you in minimizing disruption and maximizing your budget.
Sources: The State of Technology in Education – Promethean
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Top 5 EdTech Trends to Watch
Usually, top trends lists are published at the beginning of the year. But there’s nothing usual about this year, especially when it comes to evolving trends. COVID-19 has become a catalyst for change, accelerating the adoption of digital technology across all industries. Under challenging conditions, education was completely transformed as schools scrambled to utilize the latest technology. That’s why we’ve decided to pause mid-year to reflect on what innovations in EdTech have recently emerged and what trends will likely stick around.
1. Immersive Learning Goes Mainstream
VR technology is an effective way to provide a personalized learning experience, enhance visual learning and save on physical equipment. Anecdotal evidence suggests that VR in the classroom increases students’ ability to retain information by 60-70%. It also allows training for hazardous jobs without exposure to high-risk environments. Furthermore, the mobility of technology ensures accessibility to world-class facilities for remote students without the burden of traveling or relocating.
Look for more institutions to adopt this state-of-the-art EdTech as VR headsets drop in price and immersive technology advances. Vocational education and training provider TAFE SA recently deployed 30 Lenovo Mirage VR headsets to aid education for their Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Servicing Courses. Students have a 1:1 approach with the headsets to explore and experience high-risk areas they would not ordinarily see as apprentices.
2. Distance Learning is Here to Stay
Even as schools reopen for in-person learning, administrators are extending remote learning plans. Sorry kids, if you’re in the New York City public school system, no more snow days spent sledding and building snowmen. Because NYC districts distributed hundreds of thousands of devices during the pandemic, snow days have been canceled and replaced with online learning days.
In addition, schools across the country are adopting a hybrid approach and online learning options to meet the needs of students who thrive academically in a virtual environment. According to a recent Rand Corp. survey, about one in five districts are considering adopting virtual school as part of their portfolio post-pandemic.
3. 1:1 Goes Global
Sped up by school closures and remote learning requirements, many districts reached their 1:1 device-to-student ratio goals years ahead of schedule. Even if schools worldwide don’t yet have a device in the hands of every student, they have distributed millions more laptops, tablets and Chromebooks than ever before. Acquiring a device for each student has led to another emerging trend—. As students and educators go back to school this fall, their loaner devices will be returning too.
Those districts keeping their 1:1 ratio long-term will need to address how to best store, charge and secure their new devices without burdening school staff. One solution to set up your school for success is to invest in easy-to-cable open-concept charging carts. Pre-pandemic, technology carts helped make a limited number of computers shareable among multiple classrooms. Now, these same resources will take on a new role. Carts enable educators to plug in 30 or 40 devices without worrying about having tons of outlets in each classroom. Students leaving their devices at school overnight can take advantage of the secure storage benefits of tech carts and smart lockers. In addition to security, they offer an easy way to redistribute the devices at the start of the school day.
4. Digital Equity Comes into Focus
Procuring and handing out devices is only one side of the remote learning equation. In the US, 14% of students between the ages of 3-18 can’t connect to the internet at home. Unicef reports that worldwide, over 400 million students have no access to digital or broadcast lessons.
Innovative educators and community partners are hard at work bridging the digital divide to ensure no child misses out on learning. Many new programs have emerged—from Wi-Fi-enabled school buses in California to SIM-enabled internet dongles in Victoria. All aimed at delivering internet connectivity to underserved student households.
Achieving digital equity also relies on preparing for the inevitable. School-issued equipment used at home for remote learning or homework will break, and cables will go missing. District CTOs and CIOs have learned over the past year that they can’t assume students have a backup device. If a device is damaged, most students can’t participate in lessons—which puts them behind until they return to school for a replacement. A better solution is to deploy smart lockers such as LocknCharge FUYL Towers in public places throughout a neighborhood. Ideal locations are open after hours, such as a community resource center, a Boys & Girls Club or a local restaurant. Stocked with replacement devices, smart lockers offer secure storage, no-contact pickup and easy access 24/7. Once a student reports a device requires attention, a staff member can assign that student to a specific locker. Using an admin-defined PIN, the student can swap their broken device for a ready-to-use one. By spreading Towers throughout the district near transit hubs, no family has to travel farther than another, making this a more equitable option that reduces learning loss.
5. More Evidence-Based Procurement Decisions
When faced with stretched budgets, schools are getting smarter with their technology investments. According to ResourcEd, “Schools are much more likely to invest in technology based on evidence that it supports their school’s learning requirements and challenges.” Schools searching for tech that integrates easily within their existing infrastructure are looking for solutions that won’t quickly become obsolete.
Most technology in schools is replaced every 3-5 years. Investing in future-proof technology can have a significant impact on budgets and employees’ time. For example, imagine the costs and time your district could save by not replacing charging solutions every time new devices are rolled out.
The only certainty about the future of education is that it’s uncertain. The trick is to be ready for whatever scenario comes your way—including developing an EdTech plan that empowers students and teachers to focus on the task of learning. Learn how best to navigate educational technology in an ever-changing landscape.
