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The Evolution Of Technology In Education

5 July 2019

Illustration of a classroom using tablets.

The last decade has seen a massive change in the way learning is delivered in schools. Touch screen technology has now become a key focus in all levels of teaching, from primary to further education, and this fits in with societal changes as students young and not so young have access to devices more now than ever. This could be from their smart phone to a tablet, meaning they have access to a multitude of resources from all over the world at the tips of their fingers.

Network Hardware Devices Being Used In Schools

Educational establishments all over the world have now begun utilising these devices to their full potential, meaning we can now have individual anytime, anywhere learning. With the first rollouts, the idea of a school purchasing 10-20 touch screen devices seemed alien but the success of this first stage paved the way for bigger, multi class deployments, eventually leading to full scale rollouts, including a 1:1 ratio of devices to students. Yes, that’s a device per student. With students taking accountability for the device they were assigned, even taking it home, and with the introduction of collaborative learning on platforms like Google Drive, iCloud Apps and OneDrive, no longer was the technology just a replacement for the older technology, but it is redefining how lessons are delivered.

It was apparent that there were some cases where the technology was not necessarily improving the learning for students. This was generally down to schools purchasing the equipment and just swapping out pen and paper for a note taking app on the device. Maybe sometimes recording voice notes instead of writing down something. Ultimately not utilising the device to its potential. I mean, let’s dissect an iPad, what exactly does it do?

  • HD/4K Camera
  • HD/4K Video Recorder
  • Movie Player
  • Video Conferencing
  • Voice Recorder / Podcast Development Tool
  • Book Reader
  • Email / Instant Messaging & Communication
  • GPS Tool
  • Pages, Numbers & Keynote (Apples Office equivalent)
  • Presentation Tool
  • Personal Assistant
  • Connect Music Instruments
  • Create Music
  • Document Scanner
  • Even and Additional Monitor
  • What more do I need to put?

Where this particular device is successful is when it’s not just a substitute piece of kit, but its modifying and redefining how lessons are taught, and integrated in to the curriculum with out replacing anything. One thing that we noticed when talking to schools about iPad rollouts in particular was the increase in engagement, increase in engagement, and students who were previously not the first to put their hands up to showcase their work, were now eager to demonstrate their interactive eBooks direct to the Apple TV enabled white board at the front of the classroom.

This is all great when done correctly, however there is one thing that seems to be overlooked and can really affect the performance of a rollout of any size, and that is the network infrastructure. How do you support 20, 50, even 500 extra devices on your network and the traffic that it generates? We always ensure that the network infrastructure is designed to support and exceed the network expectations. Floor walking and architectural planning help us deliver the best networking solutions, strategically positioning Access Point’s to give the best coverage, giving advice on the best solution and brand suited to budget and supporting the establishment through the installation and after. Once the network infrastructure is in place and able to support the deployment, then comes the difficult part of teaching teachers how to deliver lessons utilising devices that the students are more comfortable in using!

Thinking of rolling out a number of devices in your establishment? Contact Equipment HQ today to discuss your network infrastructure requirements?

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