Education IT News For VARs — January 2, 2014
In the news is a description of a secure school front entrance, ways 3D printing can be used in education, and how two Alabama school districts are funding technology.
What Every School’s Front Entrance Should Have
Campus Safety magazine provides a list of 11 components of a secure school front entrance. The components follow CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) principles and combine both physical and technological means to deter unauthorized individuals from gaining access to a school. Included on the list are perimeter fencing, a single point of entry, use of a vestibule/double entry system, minimal glass, staff monitoring during arrival and dismissal, a visitor management program, electronic access control, video intercoms for visitor screening, door hardware, a panic button in the office, and situational awareness.
Tech Trends For Schools Include 3D Printing
U.S. News suggests technology trends for teachers to try in 2014, including 3D printing. Students can test solutions with models with the printers that enable them to “build complex gear mechanisms, conduits for water, and even water filtration systems,” says Rich Lamb, assistant professor of the College of Education at Washington State University.
Two Plans For Funding Technology: BYOD And Lease-To-Own
Two Alabama school districts tell AL.com how they funded technology in their schools. Mobile County students may share school-owned devices or bring their own devices to class. Baldwin County students will be assigned a device through a lease-to-own agreement with Apple. A $64 insurance fee of $64 is also assessed. For details of the two plans, click here.
Education IT Talking Points
Comcast and nonprofit Khan Academy announced a partnership that will combine Khan Academy educational content with Internet Essentials, its low-cost broadband service. Comcast executive VP David L. Cohen says although more than 250,000 low-income families in the U.S. have connected through Internet Essentials, there are still more eligible families that have not yet signed up. “Khan Academy is almost uniquely positioned to help lower that barrier because its content is the ultimate proof point of the value of the Internet," says Cohen. Khan Academy offers more than 5,000 free educational videos and 100,000 practice problems, from basic to college level.
For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Education IT Resource Center.