Tablets will see a decline, then increase in 2018

After a decline, tablet shipments will pick up due to the emergence of detachables

Worldwide tablet shipments are expected to decline for the second straight year in 2016, dropping 9.6 percent compared to 2015 volumes, according to a new International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker forecast.

The tablet market in totality has seen its peak and will face down years in 2016 and 2017, followed by a slight rebound in 2018 and beyond driven by detachable tablet growth. Right now the detachable category only accounts for 16 percent of the market and IDC expects it to reach 31 percent in 2020.

Tablet life cycles have proven to be more like PCs a few years back, which is likely to be somewhere around four years. Tablet manufacturers, both large and small, are slowly shifting focus toward the detachable tablet market segment, which has quickly resulted in increased product offerings, lower average selling prices (ASPs), and broadened consumer awareness for the category.…Read More

10 steps to a better one-to-one experience

Planning is a big part of any initiative. Here’s how to plan a better one-to-one program

The word is out. We hear every day from teachers who tell us their school will be going one-to-one this school year. Their classrooms will be equipped with a laptop or tablet for every student, and in many cases, the students will get to take those devices home at the end of the day. For some teachers this is overwhelming; for others it is exciting, and for a few it’s just plain scary. Wherever you are on that spectrum we have some advice to help you move forward and make the most out of these new resources in your classroom.

We both teach in one-to-one classrooms. Diana’s students have iPads that they take home, whereas Jen has a cart of laptops students use daily in her classroom. We’ve both been teaching with one-to-one in some capacity since 2008, and we also both coach our colleagues who are new to technology integration. If you know your school is going one-to-one this year, there are some things you can do this summer to get yourself geared up. Here are the top ten things we find ourselves telling teachers over and over:

Relax. Integrating technology into your classroom is a marathon, not a sprint. It will take a few years before you and your students are completely comfortable with a range of digital tools and the ways they can enhance learning. Try not to worry about “keeping up with the pace of technology.” Realistically, none of us can do that. Just jump in where you can, and start getting comfortable with one thing at a time.…Read More

Do one-to-one laptop programs improve learning?

A Michigan State University study found surprising results when researchers analyzed laptop programs

Students who receive a laptop computer from their school tend to see a noticeable increase in academic achievement, a Michigan State University study reveals.

Michigan State University’s Binbin Zheng and colleagues analyzed past studies on one-to-one laptop initiatives, and Zheng’s own research, and found that such programs that take a comprehensive approach, including offering one-to-one program support to both students and teachers, saw higher test scores in English, math, science and writing, along with other benefits.

“In the past couple decades, one-to-one laptop programs have spread widely, but so has debate about whether they are cost-effective and beneficial to educational outcomes,” said Zheng, assistant professor of educational technology and lead author on the paper. “I believe this technology, if implemented correctly, is worth the cost and effort because it lifts student achievement, enhances engagement and enthusiasm among students, improves teacher-student relationships and promotes 21st century skills such as technological proficiency and problem solving.”…Read More

Lenovo launches two new K-12 laptops

New N23 and N42 laptops are specifically designed for K-12 institutions

At its annual Accelerate Partner Forum, Lenovo announced two new N-series laptops designed specifically for K-12 institutions. Like the current Lenovo N22 models, the Lenovo N23 and N42 models are purposely designed for the K-12 market with ruggedized features including reinforced ports, stronger hinges, a spill-proof keyboard, and anti-peel keys to protect the system in the classroom.

The Lenovo N23 with Microsoft Windows 10 offers students an 11.6-inch multimode form-factor with four unique positions including laptop, tablet, tent and stand. The Lenovo N23 can adapt to the application or content that the student is working with, and is powered by an Intel processor for fast boot times and an all-day battery life. Lenovo’s new N23 laptop also includes an HD IPS panel for crystal clear computing across a wide range of viewing angles and is available with up to 8GB of memory and up to 128GB of storage.

For students who need a device optimized for applications requiring a larger screen size, the Lenovo N42 Chromebook is a great choice and offered as a 14.0-inch form factor. The Lenovo N42 Chromebook is available with up to 4GB and up to 32GB of storage.…Read More

Company provides a Windows desktop on Chromebooks

With Chromebook CX110 and Chrome app, NComputing provides millions of U.S. students with easy access to Windows

NComputing has launched the Chromebook CX110 and Chrome app, giving U.S. schools the ability to easily run Windows applications on their Chromebooks.

More than half of all computers used in U.S. K-12 schools are Chromebooks, and now NComputing Chromebooks – with the vSpace client – provides easy, multi-user access to the Windows, Java or Silverlight applications often necessary for learning and testing applications.

vSpace software benefits schools by providing a centrally managed, reliable and scalable solution that delivers as many as one hundred individual Windows desktops from a single computer. This creates a cost-effective and easy-to-deploy solution for schools who can now use a single Chromebook device to access all their ChromeOS and Windows applications.…Read More

How a telepresence robot is changing some classrooms

A new technology enables both interactive communication and observation capabilities with a telepresence robot platform

Thanks to recent strides in robotics and mobile devices, telepresence technology has opened up numerous possibilities at both the K-12 and higher-ed levels, where remote observation and communication can come in handy.

Educators and students are exploring a new way to remotely observe and interact with colleagues and peers with a telepresence robot that enables face-to-face communication.

Using Kubi, from Revolve Robotics, users download an app onto a tablet and connect the tablet to Kubi using Bluetooth. The tablet sits on a robotic platform. Other users can then “navigate” to Kubi with a browser. This lets them control the robot remotely over the web, including moving it for face-to-face communication.…Read More

Report: Teens feel ‘addicted’ to mobile devices

A new report reveals that half of teenagers said mobile device addiction impacts their daily lives

Half of teenagers surveyed in a new poll said they “feel addicted” to their mobile devices, and 59 percent of parents participating in the survey said they agree their children are addicted.

The poll, from Common Sense Media, reveals that parents and children said they are concerned about the impact their mobile devices have on their day-to-day lives, from driving and eating meals together. One-third of participating families said they argue about mobile device use daily.

The poll, which surveyed 1,240 parents and kids from the same households, is accompanied by a white paper, Technology Addiction: Concern, Controversy, and Finding Balance, in an effort to paint a complete picture about the issues surrounding technology use and addiction.…Read More

All the ways iOS 9.3 will impact school iPad rollouts

Apple’s latest overhaul will impact one-to-one and shared device rollouts

In March, Apple upgraded the iPad and iPhone operating system to iOS 9.3 (quickly followed by iOS 9.3.1, which tweaked a few bugs). The lead up to the release caught the eye of the K-12 community, which had been waiting for a few tweaks of their own that would help it better manage both shared and one-to-one iPad implementations. It’s only been a couple of weeks since the new operating system hit prime time, but the feedback is already coming in—and it’s largely positive.

New features in iOS 9.3, for example, make it easier for IT to set up and manage devices via a new managed home screen layout. This feature allows administrators to deploy iPads configured for students, and to select which applications will appear on their device home screens. It might be most useful in shared environments, where more than one student is using a device—but where not all of the apps are relevant for all of those users. Schools can also locate and recover stolen or lost devices via ongoing location tracking that doesn’t compromise student privacy.

Expanded capabilities…Read More

AppSmash these 2 apps to create endless multimedia possibilities

With just 2 apps students can create books that come to life

Ed. note: This post is one in a series that will explore how to AppSmash with a core set of Evergreen Apps.

AppSmashing — the process of combining multiple apps to create new multimedia content — encourages more creative use of mobile devices and allows teachers to gain insights into student thinking and understanding. When students make their thinking visible through multimedia creation, they practice critical thinking and communication skills and demonstrate understanding of curriculum content.

Evergreen Apps are non-subject specific apps that can be used in a wide range of classrooms across varied grade levels and disciplines. An Evergreen App enables communication and expression in multiple ways, such as through handwriting, typing, audio, video, and animation.  An effective Evergreen App is not only flexible, it’s also intuitive. It’s the type of app that students can use quickly and easily.…Read More

Wisconsin launches online CTE school

Online CTE model will provide hands on training and dual credit opportunities for middle and high school students

Online learning provider K12 Inc. announced the opening of Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin, an online career and technical education (CTE) high school in Wisconsin using the curriculum and academic programs by K12 Inc. It also offers a construction apprenticeship program in partnership with industry leaders.

“Studies have shown that by 2020 two out of three jobs will require some postsecondary education or training and that job-related skills can dramatically increase employment options for new graduates,” said Stuart J. Udell, CEO of K12. “We have a unique expertise in delivering online course content to young students and the addition of career and technical courses like the ones we are offering through our Destinations model will allow them to explore potential careers and get a jump on the certification process.”

K12’s career readiness offering uses an end-to-end approach, designed to prepare students to enter the workforce or pursue other post-secondary options. Students can access multiple versions of core online high school courses and opt to take CTE courses in one of four Career Clusters: Architecture and Construction; Business, Management, and Administration; Health Science; or Information Technology. These Clusters are designed to give students a head start on their career goals by earning technical and specialty trade credentials, college credits, and workplace experiences.…Read More