Working in an industry that provides goods or services to education can be a bit tricky. Obviously companies must operate in a manner which ultimately supports the financial well-being of the organizations, its shareholders and its employees. However, when working with schools we must also remember that it is important to keep in mind the significance and magnitude of the work being done by educators. As the #1 PC manufacturer in education, Lenovo has a responsibility to build hardware appropriate for education that enhances the learning environment and enables educators to improve learning outcomes. Recently we announced two new product lines that do just that. In January at BETT Lenovo showcased, its second offering of Classmate Plus. Based on the Intel Learning Series, we are offering a clamshell version as well as a Lenovo-enhanced convertible Tablet PC. Both systems are built on Intel's Atom Processor technology and both are ruggedized to meet the demanding needs of classrooms. In addition, the classmates have a full suite of education optimized applications, including classroom management tools, creativity applications, and e-reader. Also for those schools looking for more computing power, Lenovo has released an 11.6” notebook, the x130e. With configurations including Intel i3 and AMD 450 processors and up to 8gb RAM, the Xl30e has enough power to drive real productivity, creativity, and collaboration. However...
Continue reading “Rugged for Education”
Evernote and Lenovo
I recently came across a video of a partner of ours, Evernote. Prior to seeing the video, I was unaware of our relationship, so when I saw it I was very pleased, not just because it is nice to hear compliments from a satisfied Lenovo user, but because the feeling is mutual. Without knowing of our relationship, I have been trumpeting my love of Evernote (and Stitch) during every presentation I do that involves our ThinkPad Tbablet. I first became aware of Evernote in my previous life as a teacher and Instructional Technology Director. During that time, I was an avid Tablet PC user and a diehard Microsoft OneNote enthusiast. I was often asked for alternatives for those without access to Microsoft Office applications. Evernote was the closest I could find, and its multi-platform approach made it a wonderful solution for many. Now that I am a multi-device user, I have come to rely more heavily on Evernote. For example I am using Notes Mobile on my ThinkPad Tablet to handwrite this blog post (my typing skills are so bad). Once it is completed, I’ll send the text, which Notes Mobile has already recognized, to my Evernote notebook, and I will do my final edits and posting from my workhorse X220 Tablet PC. Also throughout this trip, I will use my phone to "scan" receipts and store them in Evernote until it is time a take care of that expense report. So to the Evernote Team I say thanks for your support of our products, but more...
Continue reading “The Feeling is Mutual”
A tweet I saw this morning and a news article I read last night got me thinking about YouTube and schools. With our recent SpaceLab collaboration with YouTube I have been wrestling with the challenge that faces many schools and districts: To Block YouTube or Not To Block YouTube? In previous years, when there was some focus on getting educational content from TV programming, due to the regulation of cable companies and the availability of Public Television, it was relatively simple to manage the content such that inappropriate content did not find its way in to classrooms. However, when we look at modern media, the gateways to content are largely unregulated and not easy to manage. As a result, many schools simply block them (or attempt to block them). The most prominent example is YouTube. While there is certainly a lot of content on YouTube that has no place in a classroom, there are also incredible resources and it allows access to wonderful content there. Obviously, the devil is in the detail, but it will be interesting to see to what extent schools currently blocking YouTube content are willing to use this feature to allow more access to the content on YouTube. If you are your schools are exploring this new feature, be sure to give us updates as you roll it out. In an effort to help schools and districts deal with these challenges, YouTube has launched YouTube for Schools so students and...
Continue reading “YouTube in the Classroom”
Quite recently there has been a surge in articles about schools keeping computers and technology out of their classrooms. A recent New York Times article, “A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute,” focuses on the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, an independent school in the American technology heartland, which does not use computers. In fact, “the school’s chief teaching tools are anything but high-tech: pens and paper, knitting needles and, occasionally, mud.” In particular the article emphasized the apparent disconnect between the day-to-day work of the parents, many in technology fields, and their children’s school experience. In a spin-off article on the Huffington Post, Meryl Ain, Ed.D. asks “Are Schools Getting Too Carried Away With Technology?” While the article is mostly a shotgun blast, casting pellets at many hot-button topics around technology in schools, there is at least one worthy conversation starter. Referencing the NYTimes article, the author summarizes the perspective of the Waldorf parents: They [the parents] think it’s easy enough to pick up computer skills, and that what’s really important is great teaching that actively engages kids in learning. Engagement is really the issue. Does technology foster engagement or inhibit it? Because I have no desire to go through each of these articles (and the many others) point by point, I will take this summary...
Continue reading “Sanity Check: Does Technology Have a Role in Our Classrooms?”
When I remember back to my days as a student, and I think of the lasting “academic” memories, one of the few specifics that remains as a strong visual is a science fair project I did. It is curious to me that of all the memories that could be this permanent, the one I remember has nothing to do with math or even more so the teacher. As a student I was very passionate about math and beyond math there were many teachers of whom I have great memories, but this particular science project was neither. So I often wonder why I can remember it so clearly. The project I had created was a computer program that would display the night sky based on the date. (I wonder if I should talk to some IP lawyers about Google’s SkyMap, wink.) Sure it was computer-related, but I have had many other computer “hobbies” that are not so fresh in my mind. So what was it about that project that has etched itself into my mind? One plausible answer is the lure of space. There is something special about that deep darkness that creates a passion for exploration and investigation. In our history there have been many amazing accomplishments, but very few create as much wonder and excitement as those beyond our atmosphere. Hopefully the Space Lab competition will foster similar experiences to mine, and that today’s generation of students will embrace the opportunity to reach for the stars. If you have any lasting academic memories of a project, please...
