4 Ways Smart Lockers Make Life Easier for Tech Managers, Teachers and Students in K-12 Schools
As most educators, technology teams or administrators know first-hand, when a student’s device goes missing or breaks, that student can quickly fall behind in classwork. What’s worse, learning for an entire class can come to a screeching halt if a teacher’s device isn’t functioning properly.
So, getting a working device in the hands of students and teachers faster means everyone can get back to learning with minimal disruption.
We also know that tech teams are already stressed with more work than they’re able to handle. So, here are the top ways Smart Lockers will make life easier for tech teams, librarians, teachers and even students.
1. It is one less thing that IT staff and managers have to spend time on.
Smart Lockers allow students to access a device on their own whenever a replacement or a loaner is needed.
By automating this, IT staff, librarians or teachers are able to do the jobs that they actually want to be doing because they're no longer solving problems caused by lost, stolen, broken, forgotten, or uncharged devices.
2. Smart Lockers allow students and teachers who are experiencing IT problems to get back to teaching and learning faster.
By populating Smart Lockers in strategic locations around your campus, students are empowered to check out or exchange a device if they need a loaner for the day. Because students can access the loaners without assistance, they can get straight back to learning as quick as possible.
The goal of many schools is get as close to zero downtime as possible, but considerable time is lost through this process when it's not automated.
Utilising a Smart Locker is one way schools are working toward achieving that goal.
3. Smart Lockers allow you to scale your mobile device programs more efficiently and effectively.
We've heard stories of schools that purchased hotel safes and mounted them to carts as a way to enable individual access to individual devices.
As ingenious as this is – Smart Lockers allow that to happen at a far more scalable rate.
Once your Smart Locker is connected to the Cloud, you're able to see who is accessing devices on any campus, who is putting them back, or who is not putting them back.
This transparency allows tech managers to hold students accountable for devices being check out of the Locker. It also ensures multiple loaners are not being checked out by a student.
4. You can save time and create efficiencies by integrating a Smart Locker with the existing IT systems.
By utilising API and web hooks, Smart Lockers can be integrated into help desk platforms that you're using to manage your mobile devices today.
For example, the School District of Mondovi used Zapier to fire a webhook every time the Smart Locker was accessed.
Moore Public Schools integrated their Smart Locker with Incident IQ via a pre-built integration. This enabled end-to-end automation for hardware asset management.
So, there you have it. The top four reasons that Tech Teams are utilising Smart Lockers in their schools to create efficiencies, save time and money and get students back to learning faster.
If you like this content, please check out more on YouTube or on our blog. PC Locs is here to make life easier for you in the classroom.
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Discover how a FUYL Tower Smart Locker can transform device management for your school.
Tech Team at Brasher Falls Spends 80% Less Time Managing Student Device Issues by Utilising a Smart Locker by PC Locs
08.02.24 in Blog, Testimonials
Introduction: Brasher Falls Central School District
The Technology Department at Brasher Falls Central School District faced an all-too-common challenge in managing student Chromebooks. Students frequently forgot to bring or to charge their devices. This led to a substantial time investment from the school's technology team, which quickly prompted the need for a more efficient solution.
Customer Challenge: Uncharged, Missing, Forgotten Student Chromebooks
The Director of Data and Technology, Kevin Welsh, highlighted the daily struggle of managing uncharged, missing, or forgotten Chromebooks in the middle school and high school. The two technicians in his office were spending 2 to 2.5 hours daily addressing these issues, requiring constant attention to loan out and to track the return of student Chromebooks.
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Tech team challenges included:
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- Constant interruptions to tech team.
- No way to know who is taking what device.
- Significant time of IT staff wasted dealing with student device issues.
Solution: FUYL Tower Smart Locker System by PC Locs
To alleviate the stress on the technology team and enhance device student accountability, Brasher Falls Central School District adopted FUYL Tower Smart Lockers by PC Locs.
Kevin expressed his motivation for investing in these Smart Lockers, emphasising the need for a solution that would reduce the time spent managing student device issues and provide a better inventory and tracking system for loaner devices.
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Tech team benefits included:
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- Reduction of daily interruptions to tech staff.
- Ability to quickly see which students have not returned their loaner devices.
- Decreased the number of lost and stolen Chromebooks.
Results and Impact: 80% reduction in time spent managing student device issues
Implementing LocknCharge Smart Lockers proved to be a game-changer for Brasher Falls Central School District. The technology department reported a significant reduction in the number of instances where students required assistance due to uncharged or forgotten Chromebooks; therefor, decreasing the number of daily interruptions to the IT technicians and other staff. The technology team's daily commitment to handling these issues decreased from 2 to 2.5 hours to about 30 minutes per day.
Recommendation and Overall Satisfaction
Brasher Falls Central School District's Tech Department enthusiastically recommended LocknCharge Smart Lockers to other school districts.
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Key reasons for the District's recommendation:
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- Time-saving benefits.
- Improved inventory management.
- Enhanced accountability.
- Overall ease of use of the system.
Conclusion: Improved Efficiency and Accountability
The PC Locs Smart Locker Solution at Brasher Falls Central School District emerged as a success story, showcasing a remarkable 80% reduction in time spent managing student device issues. The implementation of Smart Lockers not only addressed the immediate challenges faced by the technology team but also provided a foundation for improved efficiency and accountability in the school's technology management process.
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Goodpasture Christian School Efficiently Loans Devices to Students by Utilising a Smart Locker
25.01.24 in Blog, Testimonials
Background
Goodpasture Christian School strives to develop the skills necessary for students to achieve academic excellence while preparing them for a life of service. Their high school students consistently achieve at the top 10% of ACT scores with 100% of students being accepted into college. Like many schools, they've adopted mobile device technology as an avenue to enhance teaching and learning.
The Challenge: Device Loans for Students
The technology department at Goodpasture consists of one Technology Director, Tammy Applegate. Tammy has been tasked with managing technology for the entire school, which is made up of 1,000 students. It’s no surprise that efficiently managing and distributing these devices to students was a big challenge.
Traditionally, students had to interrupt Tammy or library staff to check out a loan device, causing delays and disruptions to students’ class schedules and staffs’ primary duties.
Additionally, tracking and managing broken devices proved to be a cumbersome task, with limited visibility into the whereabouts of loaner devices.
To meet their academic goals, Goodpasture needed to ensure students had immediate access to working devices anytime they were needed.
The Solution: Smart Lockers
To enhance efficiency and to empower students, Goodpasture Christian School implemented a FUYL Tower Smart Locker. The Tower, together with PC Locs Cloud not only facilitated independent device loans for students experiencing issues with missing or forgotten devices, but it also offered a streamlined solution for exchanging broken devices.
Results and Key Outcomes: Significant Time Savings for Staff, Less Device Downtime for Students
The FUYL Tower Smart Charging Locker had an immediate and positive impact on the school's device management process.
- Self-Sufficiency and Time Savings: With the FUYL Tower in place, students could independently check out devices, reducing the need for involvement from the tech director or the library staff. This resulted in quicker turnaround times and less disruption to classroom activities.
- Loaner Device System for Broken Devices: The Tower served as a hub for loaner devices in case of broken laptops. Students could easily swap their malfunctioning device for a loaner without assistance.
- Enhanced Visibility and Accountability: The FUYL Tower provided insights into loaner checkouts and returns, allowing the tech director to track who checked out a device and for how long. This feature proved invaluable in ensuring timely returns and minimising the risk of prolonged device loans at a time.
- Convenient Monitoring: The strategic placement of the FUYL Tower allowed the tech department to monitor device checkouts more efficiently. With visibility of the Tower from her office, Tammy could provide in-person help if needed, creating a seamless support experience. As the students became familiar with the device loaning process, there has been less involvement from staff, saving significant time every morning.
- Time Savings for Staff: The implementation of the FUYL Tower significantly reduced the workload for the tech director, especially during peak times like mornings. The automated system allowed for a more hands-off approach, freeing up staff to focus on more critical tasks.
Recommendation: FUYL Tower Saves Time for Students and Staff
The success of the FUYL Tower at Goodpasture Christian School, particularly for a school with a small tech department run by a single person, highlights its suitability for similar settings. The time and resource savings, combined with the improved device management capabilities, make the FUYL Tower a valuable asset for educational institutions looking to streamline their technology lending processes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the FUYL Tower Smart Locker not only addressed the immediate challenges faced by Goodpasture Christian School but also emerged as a solution that contributed to a more efficient and self-sufficient learning environment where students can thrive.
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Enhancing Device Management at Methodist Ladies College
15.12.23 in Blog, Testimonials
Background
Methodist Ladies College (MLC) is a distinguished educational institution renowned for its commitment to technology-driven learning. Despite this, the school faced a significant challenge in the inefficient management of students' electronic devices, particularly laptops and phones. The existing process, where boarding house mums were responsible for collecting and charging devices, proved labour-intensive and raised security concerns. Recognising the need for improvement, Dave Belson, the Information Learning Technologies Manager at MLC, sought a more efficient and secure solution.
Challenge
The existing device management process, relying on manual collection every evening and distribution each morning by boarding house mums, was time-consuming and posed security risks.
Solution
Dave identified an innovative approach to streamline device management using the PC Locs FUYL Tower Pro 15 Smart Charging Locker. The introduction of the FUYL Towers eliminated the need for staff to manually handle students’ devices. Along with a place to securely store, lock and charge their phones, iPads and laptops, the Tower prevents access to devices during a designated curfew time. Using a unique PIN to access their bay, students are empowered with the responsibility of managing their own devices – and not using them overnight!
Conveniently located in the boarding house, these towers serve as secure hubs for students to store and charge their devices safely – as well as any other personal belongings they want to keep safe.
Outcomes
The implementation of the new device management workflow yielded multiple positive outcomes for Methodist Ladies College:
- Time and Resource Savings: The elimination of manual device collection and distribution resulted in significant time and resource savings for the boarding house mums.
- Security: The shift to PIN-based access enhanced the security of students' devices, ensuring only authorised individuals could retrieve them.
- Convenience and Autonomy: Students now have the freedom to access their devices at their convenience, fostering a sense of autonomy and responsibility.
- Efficiency: The dedicated tower section near within the boarding house facilitates quick access for both students and IT teams.
Conclusion
By adopting the PC Locs FUYL Tower Pro Smart Charging Lockers with PIN-based access, Dave successfully transformed the device management process at Methodist Ladies College. This innovative solution not only saved time and resources but also addressed security concerns. The introduction of individual lockers empowered students to take responsibility for their devices, marking a significant advancement in the school's commitment to efficient and secure technology management.
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Schedule a live video demo with a PC Locs team member to see how you can enhance your device management program at your school and make your life easier.
The Ultimate Compact iPad and Tablet Charging Solution: Putnam 8 Charging Station
13.12.23 in Blog
In our rapidly advancing digital age, the demand for efficient and secure charging solutions for our electronic devices is higher than ever. The Putnam 8 Charging Station is an innovative product designed to charge, store and secure up to 8 iPad or Tablet devices simultaneously, making it a must-have for any environment device management. It is also currently on sale at 30% off RRP. Secure yours now!
Pre-Wired with Cables for Ultimate Convenience
Say goodbye to the hassle of tangled cords and complicated setups. The Putnam 8 Charging Station comes pre-wired with cables, ready to use right out of the box. This simple yet thoughtful feature ensures a hassle-free experience, allowing you to get up and running as quickly as possible. Just take the charging station out of the box, plug in your devices, plug the charging station to a power outlet and your set!
External LED Charging Status Indicator
Know your device's charging status with the external LED indicators. These external light indicators provide real-time charge information, letting you know whether your devices are charging, fully charged, or not connected at all. This feature adds a layer of convenience, ensuring you are always aware of your device's power status.
Compact and Space-Saving Design
The small and compact size makes the Putnam 8 Charging Station ideal for environments with limited space. It provides a neat and organised solution for storing and charging multiple devices efficiently.
Ultra-Secure with Integrated Combination Lock
Security is a top priority, especially when it comes to valuable devices. The Putnam 8 Charging Station is built from steel and is secured with an integrated combination lock, eliminating the need for keys. Rest easy knowing that your device investment is safe and secure inside the charging station.
Efficient and Effortless Charging
The Putnam 8 Charging Station makes charging simple, yet efficient. With just a simple GPO power connection, this charging station is capable of charging all connected devices simultaneously without the need for multiple power outlets. No more cables scattered around the room, or looking for available power outlets – just one neat and secure charging solution.
Lifetime Warranty for Peace of Mind
Investing in the Putnam 8 Charging Station is not just a practical decision, it's a long-term commitment. With a lifetime warranty, users can enjoy peace of mind, knowing that their charging solution is durable and built to last.
Never Be Left With Uncharged Devices Again
The Putnam 8 Charging Station is an innovative product that brings together convenience, security, and efficiency. With its compact design, pre-wired cables, LED charging status indicators, simple power requirements, integrated combination lock, and lifetime warranty, it stands out as the ultimate compact charging solution for those who value both functionality, efficiency, quality and peace of mind. The Putnam 8 Charging Station provides a better way to manage your devices.
The Putnam 8 Charging Station is currently on sale at 30% off RRP. This sale is only for a limited time so be quick to secure yours now!