After Purchasing Technology for Your School, the Next Step Is Critical

Districts and schools that want to modernize their classrooms must overcome some hurdles to get there. First, they must do research and decide what technology to invest in; then, they need the budget and staff time to implement their vision. For schools with small IT teams, this is no small feat.

But there is another way to complete the process: Bring in a partner like CDW to do the heavy lifting. We can assess the upgrades needed in your classrooms, make technology recommendations and craft a comprehensive solution that you can either implement immediately or in a phased approach to reflect budget constraints. We can also manage the project and even configure and install the equipment.

When districts involve a partner like CDW, they not only gain subject matter expertise on classroom technology but are also partnering with a team of specialists, many of whom have worked in education as technology directors and instructional technologists.

We are knowledgeable about the latest classroom technologies and provide guidance on audiovisual equipment, such as interactive whiteboards and digital projectors; audio solutions, such as wireless microphones and speakers; casting tools to wirelessly share computer screens; and flexible, movable furniture. We can also assist with equipping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classrooms with 3D printers, drones, robotics and virtual reality headsets.

Because of our strong relationships with vendors, we know their product roadmaps and what’s coming next. So, based on your timetable, you can buy the newest technology and be assured that your purchase will be future-proof for many years to come.

Some of us on the CDW Education team have rolled out technology in K-12 schools earlier in our careers, so we also know the nuances that go along with classroom modernization projects. We know the little gotchas that can make an installation go haywire, and we can make sure your implementation goes as quickly and smoothly as possible.

For example, in previous jobs, some of us have deployed interactive whiteboards across school districts. It’s a time-consuming juggling act that requires finding storage space to house the new displays and making sure you have trucks with liftgates for easy delivery.

There’s also the removal of old displays in classrooms and the coordination with each school site to schedule installations without disrupting classes. CDW also makes sure you have the right cabling and that your classrooms can support wall mounts.

We learned that managing a project like this is a full-time job, can take many months and cause huge interruptions to your district IT staff’s regular work.

So, when Don Soyinthisane, executive director of IT at Fresno Unified School District, recently planned to manage the installation of 4,000 interactive displays in 100 schools by himself, we recommended that he outsource project management to CDW.

Soyinthisane initially thought managing the project would be simple. But he quickly realized it would be better to not worry about the thousands of decisions a project of this scale would bring so he could focus on other, more pressing duties. With our help, Fresno Unified successfully implemented its interactive whiteboards on budget and on schedule, proving the value of having the right partner by your side.

As we mentioned, many of us have extensive backgrounds on K–12 technology teams, and we know that the main imperative for school IT is to facilitate education. A lack of workforce capacity can cause delays or improper installation and configuration. The right partner can set your team on the path to worry-free success. Don’t miss the critical step of partnering with our experts to remove barriers to learning.