As many primary schools look forward to the end of the current school year, and develop priorities for what needs to be addressed during the summer lull, many districts are finding that it’s time to take a new look at computer or IT security. The impact of new mobile technologies, the cloud, and a new generation of threats has changed the landscape.

Yet, it’s a very broad topic and there are potentially far more issues to deal with than there is time to resolve them. And not all EdTech security activities have the same value to the district. So choosing the best activities to spend time on is a clearly critical. In this blog I’ll list some of what I think the most important things that might be put in place this summer, so that they’re ready to roll out come August/September. Continue reading “IT Security in K12 – Looking at the 2013-14 School Year” »

ThinkPad X131e: Tough Enough for Any K-12 Classroom

Classrooms have gone digital, and teachers need devices to keep up. The Lenovo ThinkPad® X131e was designed specifically with education in mind. This tough, customizable, and easy-to-use computer helps teachers, and empowers students. See the top 7 reasons why you should choose the X131e for your K-12 classroom.

View the hi-res version of the infographic here:  www.lenovo.com/x131e

Teachers need the right device to keep up with today’s digital classrooms. That’s where the ThinkPad® X131e Chromebook comes in. It was designed to make teachers more effective, IT managers less stressed, and students further empowered.

For the always budget conscious educators and school administrators, Chromebooks cost less than most high end tablets and according to the IDC, require 69 percent less labor to deploy and 92 percent less labor to support than desktops, laptops or netbooks.*

View the hi-res version of the infogaphic at: www.lenovo.com/chromebook

*Based on research performed by IDC, August 2012, “Quantifying the Economic Value of Chromebooks for K-12 Education”

With the recent launch last year of Chromebooks, and the delivery of new models designed primarily for the K12 market, there’s been a lot of attention and discussion on this topic. There is also new news about Chromebooks in K12, and as we move into another school year in August/September, it’s worth reviewing the new information that has become available.

Many districts are looking at Chromebooks as an alternative to laptops or the expensive tablets offered by some vendors. Given that the majority of work is now done via the internet, the Chromebooks are definitely exploiting a need. Continue reading “Chromebooks in K12 – An Update” »

During the week of April 29th, the popular TV Show, LIVE with Kelly and Michael, celebrated the efforts of some of the “Top Teachers” from across America. Lenovo and Intel were excited to be part of this event by highlighting the educational excellence of Rick Zano of Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia as a “Top Teacher”. Mr. Zano was selected based on his creative, innovative and entertaining approach to teaching.

To reward his dedication, Mr. Zano and his school were awarded 30 Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 tablets. These innovative devices will help drive the EdTech initiatives at Princess Anne High School, and provide the platform for more creativity in education. Continue reading “Intel & Lenovo Award “Top Teacher” on LIVE with Kelly & Michael” »