The 3 Keys to Designing Successful Tech-Enabled Education

If You Make It Simple, They Will Come

When people are asked to name the most important aspects of virtually any technology, ease of use is at or near the top of the list. If a new device is even a little frustrating to use or has a steep learning curve, chances are it will soon be gathering dust, with little to show for the investment. In a K-12 environment, that effect can be even more pronounced since time is strictly scheduled, and no teacher wants to deal with interruptions or delays.

One way to enhance simplicity for IT staff, technology managers, educators, and students is to choose a solution or brand and make it the standard, so experiences are the same throughout a school or a district. Using consistent equipment enables teachers and students to attain mastery, versus a non-coordinated system under which everyone must learn new procedures for different classes or different grade levels.

Standardized solutions can also improve backend processes and increase capabilities, such as enabling in-room displays to function as a centrally controlled digital signage network or adding new options like emergency message overrides and auto startup/shutdown across entire buildings. Additionally, standardization allows tech managers to troubleshoot issues, manage replacements, initiate software updates, deploy new features, and ensure lesson compatibility for each room more easily.

Schools using flexible technologies such as whiteboards or projectors on moveable carts can maximize the value and use of each investment.  What’s more, the easier they are to set up and use, the more teachers will want to employ them in their lessons. Of course, any solutions integrating with personal devices also need to be widely compatible with the most popular ecosystems including Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS to ensure devices can connect and utilize full functionality.

Finding Value in The Long View

We’ve established that technologies that are consistent, easy to use, offer increased engagement, and provide value-added features benefit everyone. However, there’s one additional aspect that can affect all these concerns: time. The accelerated evolution of technology can pose unique problems like the recent explosion of artificial intelligence software used to draft essays. Individual organizations have scrambled to address changing capabilities and expectations while official standards have failed to keep up.

When thinking of a technology investment and what it means for the stakeholders and users, decision-makers should attempt to maximize the flexibility and future capabilities of a system, which includes choosing the right components and partners. Buyers may be able to reduce total costs by using last year’s TV model or foregoing a wireless version, but those choices are likely to reduce usable lifespan and require more frequent replacements due to becoming incompatible with third-party technology advancements.

Procuring technologies from a trusted brand can also ensure that they will still be there in five, ten, or 20 years, making it easier to service, upgrade, and expand over time. As technologies continue to supplant textbooks, libraries, and other staples of in-school education, having a trusted relationship with a supportive technology provider may become as important to daily business as having reliable electricity.