How to Deploy Devices in the Classroom for K12 School Districts

February 20, 2023

The integration of technology in the classroom has become crucial, particularly due to tech-savvy students, the Covid-19 pandemic and the shift towards remote learning. Providing students with laptops or tablets enhances their learning experience and offers teachers new ways to engage and motivate students. Access to mobile devices outside the traditional classroom is critical to the education landscape today.

What is Education Deployment?

Education Deployment is distributing educational technology, such as laptops or tablets, to students and teachers in a school district. Education deployment aims to provide students and teachers with the tools they need to enhance their learning experience and support their academic success. Education deployment typically involves various activities, including planning and budgeting, infrastructure and network requirements, device procurement, and training and support.

Tips for Successful Device Deployment

Involve all stakeholders

Ensure all stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, and IT staff, are involved in the deployment process. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the deployment meets the needs of all stakeholders.

Plan and budget carefully

Make sure to plan and budget carefully for the deployment of new technology, taking into account the number of devices needed, any software or accessories required, and any infrastructure upgrades that may be necessary.

Ensure adequate infrastructure 

Ensure that your school district’s infrastructure and network are equipped to handle device deployment, including adequate bandwidth and security measures.

Consider using a managed services provider

Consider a managed services provider, such as Lexicon K12 Tech Solutions, to help with the deployment process. A managed services provider can streamline all aspects of deployment, like shipping and receiving, unboxing, kitting, device imaging, laser etching, asset tagging and performance testing. 

Develop a classroom device policy

Guidelines and classroom device use rules are important regardless of grade level. Setting expectations will help teachers manage their classrooms and devices easier.

Choose a simple charging solution

Look into different charging options to maintain ready-to-go devices in the classroom. Wireless USB-C carts can be an effective charging solution.

Deploy your devices

Lexicon device deployment services prepare your school district devices for immediate use, saving you time, money and hassle.

Optimize classroom setup

Classroom arrangement has a significant effect on student engagement and behavior. Positioning desks so that device screens are visible during lessons helps keep students focused during instructional times and prevents misuse of internet access.

Provide training and support

Provide teachers and students with the training and support they need to effectively use the devices in the classroom, including training on specific software or applications and ongoing support. Professional development helps teachers integrate tech into lesson plans in creative ways to enhance the student learning process.

Continuously evaluate and adjust

Regularly evaluate the deployment process and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of your school district.

Protect your shared devices with a repair and accidental damage protection plan

A crucial component of a mobile device management strategy is a repair plan. A protective case is a start, but isn’t enough to protect your devices from the wear and tear and accidents of a K12 school district.

Lexicon bulk orders parts for all your devices from the day your contract is signed. Bulk ordering allows us to bypass repair delays and ensure the fastest turnaround time possible–typically 5-7 business days. We perform a full diagnostic on every device to identify both reported and unreported issues. We provide Acer Chromebook, Dell, Lenovo, Surface, and Apple device repair.

For almost 25 years, Lexicon has been a leader in Accidental Damage Protection (ADP). Lexicon’s single-source warranty covers all repairs and processing with unlimited ADP per device. All that’s required is to enter the damaged device into our repair tracking platform, RepairEngine®. We’ll take it from there.

Follow tagging best practices

In education deployments, device tagging is utilized by system managers to associate devices with the appropriate applications and profiles. This process is typically based on roles such as IT, teacher, and student and is further categorized by grade level or class/subject for students. Manual device or owner tags can also be used to provide more specificity for specific individuals, such as executive board members or special education students with particular app and profile requirements.

Why Planning, Tracking Serial Numbers and Deployment Locations is Important for Student Device Deployment 

Student device deployment has the potential to greatly enhance learning, but without proper planning, it can quickly become chaotic. Careful planning and tracking of serial numbers and device deployment locations are essential to ensure a successful deployment. By tracking these details districts can: 

1. Monitor the whereabouts of their fleet of devices, making it easier to manage and maintain technology assets.
2. Ensure devices are properly distributed and allocated, reducing the risk of misplacement or loss.
3. Troubleshoot and resolve any issues that may arise, as the serial number and deployment location of a device can provide valuable information to IT staff.
4. Improve the accuracy of inventory and asset management systems, ensuring that all devices are accounted for and that resources are used effectively.
5. Support their repair and maintenance strategy, as the information gathered through tracking can help inform decisions about device replacement, repair, and maintenance.

By taking the time to plan and track your device deployment, schools can ensure that devices are deployed effectively and efficiently, and that they are ready for use in the classroom as soon as possible.

Other Deployment Considerations

Mobile deployments should also consider the following:

• What devices will you use ( macOS devices, iOS devices, Android, Windows, Chrome OS)?
• Who owns the devices? (personal devices, school owned)
• What deployment model will you use?
• What functionality do students need? Teachers?
• What is your device provisioning strategy? Do you use Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP) and/or Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP) as part of Apple School Manager? Do you need to distribute apps and/or app licenses?
• Do you need to restrict behaviors?
• Do you have a Device Use Policy in place? 

How Lexicon K12 Tech Solutions Can Help with Student Device Deployment 

Lexicon customizes your deployment package to your needs. An MDM solution makes it easier to manage your devices and saves IT teams time, and protects students. Some of the services we provide include:

• Shipping & receiving
• Unboxing & kitting
• Friendly packaging & recycling
• Device imaging
• Performance testing
• Asset data capture & tagging
• Laser etching
• Customized distribution

Contact Lexicon K12 Tech Solutions for an MDM Solution

If you are looking to deploy new devices in your school district, Lexicon K12 can help. Our team of experts has years of experience in helping schools implement technology solutions to meet their needs. Contact us today to learn how we can help your school district successfully deploy classroom devices.