What Tech Directors Should Consider in 2021

Does your tech environment run like a McDonald’s ice cream machine? We’ve got a few tips.

Deploying one-to-one devices is a large task. As the tech environment continually changes year after year, it may seem impossible to find a system that works. And no one school is the same as another, so likely you will have to create your own.

Create a Student Tech Team That Works

As you do this, keep in mind that your students can be a part of the solution.

We’ve found that schools who implement student tech teams to help deploy and maintain their devices have found ways to create a mutually beneficial, super efficient tech environment. If your school does not already have a tech team in place or has not integrated your tech team into your school’s one-to-one maintenance, this may seem like just one more daunting task on your to-do list.

If this is the case, consider a partnership. For example, our team here at K12 Tech offers a “Repair Class Support” option to care for your school’s devices. Under this option, our company partners with your school to help train your student tech team. Any repairs that cannot be accomplished by this team come to our technicians for repair.

There are many ways that students can help in the deployment and maintenance of school issued devices to keep your tech environment running smoothly. With trained student technicians on hand and in class, teachers may not even need to call the help desk with questions!

ALWAYS Have a Case

The added cost of purchasing cases is next to nothing compared with the cost of the rise in breakage rate if you decide to forego cases.

Not to mention, most repair companies will charge more or not cover devices that are broken outside of a case.

Be sure to check out repair warranty options that include a case with their coverage.

Utilize Your Staff

Do you have teachers or other staff members who seem to have a passion for edtech? Who are always striving to learn more and get additional certifications? Consider giving these passionate educators opportunities to learn and to teach other staff before hiring a consultant for tech trainings. Staff may be more readily interested in learning more from one of their own.

Keep on Learning

This probably goes without saying to all of you lifelong learners. As edtech continues to grow and shift and schools go fully one-to-one for the first time, there will doubtless be a lot to learn. Strive to pioneer those best practices and share your discoveries with others. After all, we are all in the field of learning.

Zachary Marvel

Zachary Marvel joined the team in 2017 with the goal of growing K-12 Tech on a national level. While studying economics at Ball State University, Zach observed the increasing demand for local electronics repair services. In 2012, Zach started his first electronics repair company, expanding to three walk-in repair locations and working with a handful of the surrounding school districts to repair their student devices. Upon graduating, Zach commissioned as a finance officer in the Army National Guard. Zach continued to grow both his walk-in repair businesses as well as his school focused operations, and within three years time, the business was servicing over 30 school districts. His vision for K-12 Tech is to create the first full-service electronics repair company in the K-12 industry.