The Best Technology Solutions for the Classroom

by Natalie Schlueter

About 63% of K-12 teachers use technology in the classroom daily. This is up from the 55% of K-12 classrooms utilizing technology in 2016. On top of this, 45% of teachers say they are using social media to interact with other teachers on a regular basis. This sounds like teachers and students alike are embracing technology solutions in the classroom, right? It is known that 95% of schools in the US are using technology now, but 25% of teachers still feel intimidated by technology in the classroom.

It is clear that technology is increasing in classrooms, but the intimidation of managing, controlling, and charging this technology is still present. Upon returning to school this year, you may be one with these worries for how to use tech tools in your modern classroom of students.

There are some simple solutions to ease the use of classroom technology. Consider using these solutions when you return to your regular school teaching environment to help the increasing student use of devices.

Mobile Charging Carts

Accidents happen when transporting a tech device in the hands of students. Mobile charging carts can prevent these accidents. With this charging solution you can easily store and secure all mobile devices that students use throughout the day to be maneuvered throughout the school, wherever the students go, while giving the devices some extra fuel to get through the day. Some of these solutions have secure features to store tech overnight as well, limiting the device transportation by elementary students and ensuring less device breakage.

When considering mobile charging solutions for your classroom, consider the following questions:

How often will my students need to have access to their devices?
Will the devices be charged overnight with student’s expected to leave them in the classroom?
Am I worried that students will break their expensive devices?
Am I concerned about the security of my students’ devices?
Will my student’s look for a place to charge their device while at school?

If you answered yes to any of these, take a look at the solutions below:

The Bretford Solution

Our CUBE® Pre-Wired Cart is a secure and mobile solution for storing and charging student devices. This cart comes with 5 inch, heavy-duty wheels that can securely transport student devices anywhere they need to go. The pre-wired solution offers you an added value of saved time and, therefore money from not having to manually wire the cart. And the cart utilizes a smart cycle timer to ensure a safe and fast charge for student technology. With this cart, your student’s chromebooks, laptops, and other devices can be secured and charged overnight, or during the day while being transported from room to room.

Need something with more accessibility and ease of use? Our CUBE® Transport Cart is the ultimate open air charging solution with easy accessibility to your student’s devices. It has the same trusted safety of the CUBE® family, but with an open, mobile design. Do your students utilize their devices often and need a quick charge? This cart will give them easy access, and a full rate charge.

Stationary Charging Solutions

Students are spending a lot more time in their classrooms recently, and it seems to be working out for schools. If this becomes a normal occurrence, there are solutions to manage, store, and secure devices while leaving room in the classroom to move and learn. This requires tabletop or wall hanging solutions to maximize classroom space.

Students are also spending a considerable amount of time alone either studying or giving themselves a social break from the day, perhaps at lunch they do this. This requires public space solutions for students to secure, manage, and charge their devices on their own. Having a place to charge their device while studying for a class is an important part of the 21st century student’s life. This may not be much of an issue is grammar schools, but if you are part of a high school staff, pay attention to this.

When considering stationary charging solutions, consider the following questions:

Will my students be spending an ample amount of time in the classroom on a daily basis?
Will my students be relying on a stationary place to put their device when they need charging?
Will my students be using a laptop all day to support their studies?
Will they need a place to secure their device while they go and do something else for a while?

If you answered yes to any of these, take a look at the solutions below:

The Bretford Solution

Our CUBE® Micro Station has the smallest footprint, and is the most cost effective of all of our solutions. With a sleek design, secure locking system, front loading configuration, and built-in side handles, this cube can be your go-to for your students, and you. These cubes can be daisy chained together and mounted to a wall to provide added charging loads and leave no footprint. Students and teachers can feel good about using a small system that will have a large impact on their classroom experience.

Do you need something to help your high school students succeed? Our TechGuard Connect® Lockers provide solutions for easy check-in/check-out management or single use for students in the school. The lockers offer solutions for IT departments to manage devices when they need to be repaired with no-contact delivery and takeout, as well as solutions for individual student use with passcode or RFID scanners to load and unload up to three devices to be charged.

Wondering Where to Start?

Consider the specific purpose of the technology that is being used in your school’s setting and what it’s purpose is for you to do your job. Then determine which charging solution is right for your specific case. Make sure that you feel confident going into the new school year with added security, management abilities, and charging solutions to tackle 21st century technology head-on.

At Bretford, we are dedicated to providing you with the best solutions for teachers and students alike. Contact us today if you would like more information about the products listed above to begin your journey of maximizing your technology use in the classroom

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