CHICAGO — A decade ago, the notion of a specialized mobile-device charging station for a generation students often derided as “special snowflakes” would surely have exploded some faculty heads. But that was then, and digital devices on campuses are decidedly now.

Schools across the nation have embraced mobile technology in the classroom and beyond in “bring your own device” scenarios and in what are known as “1:1 programs.”

Yes, it sounds like a ping pong score, but 1:1 programs, also known as, “one-to-one computing” are part of a global educational initiative in which academic institutions, including middle schools, high schools or colleges, provide students with a digital device to facilitate their access to the Internet and online course materials. Think of it as “screens for teens” and you’re most of the way there.

In a school district not far from the School Construction News offices in nearby Petaluma, Calif., this reporter witnessed the implementation of classroom devices firsthand. Instructor Glenn Berry at McKinley Elementary School was teaching his sixth graders the fundamentals of storytelling as the students whipped up storyboards on their devices in real time. This only confirmed Petaluma City Schools’ supposition on its website that “We believe having their own iPads will help our students learn in the ways they learn best. At the same time, students will be sharpening the technology skills that are now essential in nearly every aspect of life.” And every student, district-wide, was provided an iPad for free.

Besides being a contemporary teaching modality sure to inform how these present-day learners function as future workers, providing the devices has a variety of environmental benefits — it essentially erases the need for paper from every part of the pedagogical equation. Need to write a term paper? There’s an app for that. Need to read a chapter in a 400-page science book? Swipe away. The move to digital not only saves trees, but also alleviates the need to lug around a spine-curving backpack loaded with heavy books. Whether or not devices indirectly end childhood scoliosis has yet to be seen, but their presence in the scholastic lives of the present generation of learners is very real and very now. Paper may someday be a thing of the past — at least that could be one of Google’s secret agendas, as the company continues to put its products in the hands of students.

Last spring, Futuresource Consulting, a specialist research and consulting service, reported that Google Chromebooks enjoyed 58 percent market-share in the U.S. education market. The news was echoed by The New York Times in May 2017, which attributed the success to Google’s marketing prowess. Ergo, more teachers feel compelled to bring devices into their classrooms.

This is all well and good for Google, its competitors and theoretically students and educators, but it’s moot if the devices aren’t charged. Claiming to have a dead device battery is the “my dog ate my homework” of the digital era.

Fortunately, a number of providers have stepped in to address the issue. Among them is Chicago-based CDI Computer Dealers, which recently released a statement that said it’s deployed more than 17,000 mobile charging carts to schools throughout North America as part of its “comprehensive work to support schools as they add mobile technology to classrooms and move to 1:1 programs.” Among its offerings is the mobiLAB charging cart by eduGear, which is exclusively designed for education.

“Any school or district seeking to add technology or move to a 1:1 initiative also needs to think about how they can easily transport charge and securely store their new devices,” said Glenn Collins, vice president of mobile computing at CDI, in a statement. “CDI has deployed more than 1 million devices to schools, so we understand their needs when it comes to mobile charging solutions. Our versatile, affordable charging carts from eduGear help schools get the most out of their technology program while keeping their assets safe.”

CDI’s mission is to help schools securely store, charge and transport multiple classroom devices at once. There’s an array of solutions at a variety of price points including, for example, the mobiLAB Charging Cabinet CC14, which starts at around $399 and can charge 14 Chromebooks and tablets. It can be locked for security purposes, and truly nomadic types will appreciate that it has optional wheels.

To read the entire article, check out the January/February issue of School Construction News.

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ClassLink OneClick

ClassLink OneClick technology is one of the most inclusive single sign-on platforms in education today. It allows access to web, Windows and Google applications, giving users instant access to files at school and in the cloud. It consolidates the sites that teachers, students and administrators need to access into one login available on any device.

IXL

IXL serves as a tool for both students and teachers looking for a more immersive learning experience. The educational technology product offers math and English language arts activities for grades preK-12 as well as science and social studies for grades 2-8. With more than 6,000 skills, IXL complements school curriculums and is aligned with all state standards. It’s become so popular that one in nine students use IXL in the U.S.

Schoology

Schoology’s Learning Management System (LMS) makes it easier for teachers and administration to manage the people, content and systems put in place at their schools. It features data and analytics that help inform decisions. Plus, it is designed to work seamlessly with third-party tools so that users can even use outside programs within the Schoology system.

uCertify LEARN

uCertify LEARN is an interactive, cloud-based and device-enabled, teaching and learning management platform that can be used on mobile devices and online. It is specifically designed for higher education, with an emphasis on workforce development and corporate training programs. It is even designed to deliver hands-on labs and virtual environments that engage students through interactivity. It provides course navigation driven by a dashboard so students can track their progress and educators can deliver credit courses.

For more information on SIIA CODiE Awards 2017 nominees, visit the SIIA website here.

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• Laird Elementary School: The school added two grade levels in 2009, prompting the construction of a new building to accommodate a larger student body. It was rebuilt thanks to area voters who authorized a 2009 bond to pay for construction, and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on July 28 following the building’s completion. The new Laird Elementary Schools features 28 classrooms as well as two labs for art and science. DLR Group, with offices in Phoenix, served as the architect on the project, while Mesa, Ariz.-based Concord General Contracting served as the construction manager at-risk, according to the project website.

• Westwood High School: Construction on a new $9.6 million classroom building for Westwood High began last fall. The 86,000-square-foot building, which was completed July 1, features 25 classrooms, a media center and a culinary classroom. The design incorporates four massive W shapes that blend into the project and provide structural support, according to East Valley Tribune.

• Empower Collegiate Academy: The charter high school welcomed students back to a new facility earlier this month after construction was completed earlier this summer. Beginning with a 130-student freshman class, the school will add a grade level each year until reaching its 500-student capacity. Empower Collegiate Academy was established in 2012 for third through eighth grades, so the construction of the high school was a logical next step in seeing students through to graduation.

• Arizona Autism Charter Schools: The school system renovated an existing building, which opened Aug. 8, to serve as a school for older students with autism. In its first year, 55 students in fifth through seventh grades will occupy the new building, adding one grade level each academic year until reaching grade 12.

• Esperanza Elementary School: Currently two-thirds completed, a massive revamp of the elementary school will address safety and security issues as well as energy conservation when it is finished this winter. It will also feature additional square footage for classroom expansions.

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