Aligning values to fix the digital divide

The digital divide is the inequality of those who have access to technology and those who do not. The digital gap exists for a variety of reasons such as location, lack of resources, lack of digital expertise and finance. To prepare students for a digital future, we need to fix the digital gap so that all students have a level playing field

Ultimately, the role of a teacher is to educate, prepare, encourage, and understand students. For them to fulfil this role classrooms need to be stocked with proficient and easy to access technology to help prepare students for their future.

Why should we introduce technology to the classroom?

The freedom that students gain when using technology introduces creative workflows, encouraging engaging experiences. When students are engaged, they are likely to understand and retain more information. Now that students have returned to the classroom after the pandemic it is extremely important to work on their digital literacy skills. The pandemic highlighted how we rely on technology to complete day-to-day tasks.

Digital literacy is the understanding of how to navigate, interpret, and efficiently use technology. As the use of technology in everyday life increases, it is important that we are preparing the next generation today ready for their future. It has been reported that over 75 per cent of jobs will require digital skills by 2030; providing students with technology, introduces them to skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.

Another problem highlighted by the digital divide is inequality. Offering equality in education means that all learners should have equal access to educational opportunities regardless of their background.

LapSafe® have been working with the education sector for over two decades to help bridge the digital gap with their range of storage and charging solutions. LapSafe® understands how important it is to help schools align their tech strategy with their needs to reach their overall goal.

LapSafe®’s range of products helps teachers and IT technicians to easily manage devices such as laptops, Chromebooks, or tablets in volume. Devices can be kept fully charged and updated ready for use. Their self-service solutions allow assets to be loaned to students without staff interaction, when and where required.

Providing a bank of devices in trolleys, cabinets or lockers, allows devices to be shared and gives all students access to a device. This in itself helps to ease the digital gap as no student is at a disadvantage and left without access to technology.

Andy Ross, head of ICT at Dundee & Angus College, commented: “We received positive feedback from all areas of the college, where the laptop loan service was being used by students – it is really helping to level out the digital poverty divide.” Across the world, technology has created new economic and social opportunities. Remote working, self-directed learning and new industries are opening; therefore, we should be preparing students for an ever-evolving digital landscape. Having access to a device doesn’t only provide students with digital skills it also provides key life skills such as responsibility. When a student is borrowing a device, it is their responsibility to take care and use the devices properly, when finished they are expected to return the device ensuring it is placed back on charge. This life skill is transferable into all aspects of life and is important children learn it from a young age.

Keeping sustainability in mind

As education budgets tighten comes the worry of how to afford new technologies. This leads schools to explore sustainable options to save on costs and reduce their carbon footprint.

To assist with this LapSafe® has a range of sustainable storage and charging solutions that can withstand the test of time. Their Mentor™ storage and charging trolley was built with this in mind. Its robust construction ensures that it will last and can be upgraded when the schools change their devices. PETROC College have been using LapSafe® products since 2006, and some of their LapSafe® storage and charging trolleys were purchased almost twenty years ago!

A spokesperson from PETROC College said:

“The robustness of the Mentor™ unit is the reason why they have stood the test of time, they are well constructed with good security. We looked at other makes and models of trolleys and you needed to add the power supplies into the trolleys yourself, whereas the Mentor™ has its own ultra-smart power management system and doesn’t need the devices own AC adaptors. They are the only trolley which have upgradable modules inside.” LapSafe®’s power management system ensures all devices are charged simultaneously in the shortest possible time and incorporates three key areas of protection; soft-start, surge, and residual voltage. These provide the highest level of protection for the user and your equipment. Incorporated into LapSafe®’s power management is PowaSave™. PowaSave™ understands when a group of devices are fully charged, it switches off the power supplies, meaning no electricity is wasted, keeping environmental damage and running costs low. Your carbon footprint is reduced. The clever technology automatically switches the power back on when the devices need it. As a market leader within the education sector LapSafe® feel that it is their role to align their values with their customers to ensure that their products are not only suitable for today’s classroom but also for tomorrows.

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