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Creative Thinking: Why Multi-mode Devices are Finding a Place in K-12 Classrooms

Keeping up with classroom device needs in K-12 is not just a technology decision. Students want consumer functionality. Teachers expect trouble-free integration of devices with minimal need for tech support, and IT hopes for affordable machines that are durable and manageable. A new type of device has come to the forefront that meets these requirements in a rugged and education-friendly form: the multi-mode computer.

Table of ContentsDevice Drawbacks .......................................................2

The Benefits of Multi-mode .........................................2

A Multi-mode Device Built for Education ....................4

Devices Can Personalize Learning .............................5

About Us ......................................................................5

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The benefit of using mobile devices in the classroom has long

been under scrutiny. According to the 2013 Project Tomorrow

survey, taken by 400,000 respondents, three-quarters of

teachers reported that mobile devices led to an increase in

student engagement. More than half said their use allowed

learning to be extended beyond the school day.

However, choosing the appropriate student device for

a school or district’s 1:1, mobile cart or lab initiative has

become complicated. It used to be that the IT team picked

the processor, amount of RAM, local storage, and screen size

and put the request out to bid. The company with the biggest

education discount for their desktops and laptops won the

business. Then tablets emerged as a popular option, and

the discussion got tougher—but none of those form factors

has served the needs of all the stakeholders in a major tech

purchase. Challenges abound.

Device DrawbacksStandard desktops and laptops (and the operating systems

they run) seem antiquated to young people, and the machines

hardly fit on the typical student desk. Today’s digital-native

students want to learn on computers that work like the

consumer devices they use in other parts of their lives, which

are, increasingly, smartphones and tablets. The Pew Research

Internet Project found that 78 percent of teens have cell

phones; 47 percent have smartphones; and 23 percent have

tablet computers.

While bring your own device (BYOD) has gained steam

as the answer to squeezed school budgets, student-owned

devices aren’t necessarily suitable for the activities they need

to do in class. The most recent Project Tomorrow survey found

that high school students used technology for writing for an

average of 14 hours per week. For those keyboard-heavy

activities, the touchscreen keyboards of today’s tablets and

smartphones just don’t cut it.

Compounding those concerns are the new online

assessments built for Common Core and other state learning

standards, which stipulate rigorous device specifications to

ensure that the testing platforms work reliably and securely.

Many districts that have invested in tablets now have to go

back to their school boards to get additional funding to cover

the cost of external accessories—such as keyboards.

The lack of a keyboard isn’t the only issue with tablets:

IT leaders have found that tablet management can be time-

consuming and complicated. These devices have also been

expensive enough to give districts pause at the prospect of

refreshing them on any practical cycle.

Of course, parents are less concerned with refresh cycles

than they are with having seamless communication with their

children, including straightforward file sharing between school

and home computers. That isn’t always possible when the

operating system on students’ devices is incompatible with the

operating system installed at home.

In short, none of the older technologies—whether PC or

tablet—are entirely suited to the needs of schools with limited

budgets, small tech support staffs, and continuous upgrade

requirements.

Fortunately, a new type of computing device has come

to the forefront. Multi-mode devices—also called “2-in-1s”,

“convertibles” or “hybrids”—accommodate student, teacher,

and IT requirements. This perspective explores a creative

option for student devices that “colors outside the lines” of

traditional computing solutions.

The benefiTs of mulTi-moDeThe multi-mode device provides the advantages of both

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a tablet and a laptop. When the user opens up the multi-

mode device, it looks and acts like a standard touchscreen

notebook computer. It can be operated in Laptop Mode via the

keyboard, touchpad or multi-touch display for activities such as

writing reports or taking online tests.

However, the display on a well-designed multi-mode

device can also be tilted back up to 360 degrees to offer three

additional computing modes:

stand Mode for displaying content or doing

collaborative work;

tent Mode for watching hands-free instructional

videos; and

tablet Mode for reading, using apps, creating text-

minimal content, and interacting with lessons through

gestures and manipulations.

This flexibility provides a level of engagement that doesn’t

exist with single-mode devices. Multi-mode devices allow

every student to personalize his or her learning experience by

choosing the computing mode that best suits the particular

educational activity at hand.

The needs of a math or science class may not always align

with those of the literature class, explains Sam Morris, a former

math teacher and current Worldwide Education Segment

Executive for Lenovo, who frequently works with educators to

assess technology’s impact on K-12 education. “The device

must be flexible, especially for students in K-12,” he says.

“For 45 minutes, they might be in an English Lit class where

they’re writing an essay, and then in the next class they might

be making mathematical notations on the screen where the

keyboard is essentially useless.”

Let’s look at four functionalities that education tech

stakeholders should consider as they evaluate their multi-mode

options.

1) Holding up to student use: Education is a tough

endeavor. The best multi-mode device for K-12 will withstand

high levels of student use both in and out of the classroom.

“We know that kids are moving their laptops far more often

than even the busiest road warriors move their computers,”

notes Morris. “Even if stored in a mobile cart, the device

is opened and closed every 45 minutes on average and

frequently moved from one location to another.”

That emphasis on sturdiness is echoed by Carlisle Area

School District’s Technology Resource Teacher Darren Kiehl.

In a YouTube video, Kiehl walks members of the school

community through a tour of the multi-mode device his district

has chosen for a 1:1 learning initiative where students will

be given access to Microsoft Office 365. As he explains, the

device “seems quite strong — it’ll last through many flips and

turns.” Kiehl is also impressed by the computer’s “lift and

lock” keyboard. Changing out of the laptop mode to tablet or

tent mode automatically disables the keyboard and allows the

screen to auto-rotate.

Aside from issues of durability, the multi-mode device is

designed to grow with the student. Numerous districts have

deployed different types of devices based on the age of the

child—typically, tablets for the younger learners and laptops

for the older students. The multi-mode device eliminates that

artificial barrier, allowing the student to diversify how he or she

uses the device with each new school year, moving from touch

to typing—and back again, if the educational task calls for it.

2) taking a unified platform approach: Demands on

teachers never seem to shrink. With each new day come

new challenges—new curriculum, new assessments, new

administrative details. New technology is typically very

daunting for teachers and, as a result, it is often pushed

aside. With multimode devices, there’s no need to introduce

user interface complexities based on the “mode.” There

aren’t separate app ecosystems when you use the device

as a tablet vs. a laptop. As a result, the teacher’s burden to

implement is minimized.

“It can be frustrating while working with different groups of

students in class when they have different devices: ‘If you are

on the tablets, use XYZ app. If you are on the laptops, use this

application’ or ‘Go to this site,’” Morris points out. “That chaos

can take a toll on teachers. And it only gets worse when kids

need to switch devices.”

Teachers want student devices to be transparent, meaning

they are present and functional when they’re needed, and

require no additional attention beyond that. Teachers also

want to be able to communicate with their students’ families as

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efficiently as possible. When an educator shares a file with

a parent, he or she needs to know that the recipient can

open the e-mail or document without struggling with file

format conflicts.

3) Helping It stay ahead of the need: The IT department’s

criteria for choosing the optimal student device frequently

comes down to two essentials: manageability and security.

Any multi-mode device worth considering should be

capable of integrating with the IT systems already in place

in the district data center, and should have the capacity to

run the applications that schools use the most. For example,

a device powered by Windows 8.1, the newest standard for

touch-enabled computers capable of running Microsoft Office

applications, allows the IT organization to leverage Active

Directory and group policies for centralized management of

devices on the network. Administrators can group devices

by school or grade level, connect automatically to a secured

wireless network, route Web traffic through proxy servers and

require users to log on with managed credentials. Centralizing

control also gives IT the ability to build and deploy images and

patches proactively, saving time and keeping the infrastructure

protected against security risks.

4) Preparing for multiple use cases: In today’s classroom,

observes Morris, devices are used differently depending on the

task at hand. There’s the “lean-forward mode,” in which the

student is creating. There’s also the “lean-back stance” where

the student is in consumption mode, reading or watching a

video. “The use cases have become very intermixed,” he says.

“You can’t choose a device and expect that use case to stay

constant.” In other words, flexibility is key.

a mulTi-moDe Device builT for eDucaTionPrevious generations of ThinkPad® computing devices

from Lenovo® have found ready acceptance in education,

but Lenovo is constantly seeking new ways to improve the

products it delivers to schools. The new multi-mode ThinkPad

Yoga™ 11e is the latest iteration of those efforts, and it is

well-suited to what is going on in the classroom today. (The

“e” signifies education). The aptly named ThinkPad Yoga 11e

delivers all four usage modes described above: Laptop, Tablet,

Stand, and Tent.

Based on research into the major warranty and accidental

damage failures seen most frequently in schools, Lenovo

built safeguards into the ThinkPad Yoga 11e to make sure it

could stand up to students’ rough usage. For example, to help

preserve the hardware from the knocks and slams of the typical

school day, the case of the ThinkPad Yoga 11e is surrounded

by a rubber bumper to absorb side bumps. The bezel around

the display is thicker to protect the LCD panel. The hinges and

brackets are machined to hold up during rigorous use, and

the ports are reinforced. The keyboard is spill-resistant and the

Dragontrail glass display is scratch-resistant.

To address classroom requirements, the ThinkPad Yoga 11e

comes with a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port to provide fast data

transfer, efficient power management, and the ability to attach

newer peripherals such as HD webcams (as well as older USB

2.0 devices). Other features include an HDMI connector, a high-

definition camera, Dolby Advanced Audio, headphone jack and

microphone. Plus, the device’s battery delivers a full school

day of usage.

The ThinkPad Yoga 11e’s Intel® Celeron® quad-core

processor and 11.6-inch display are calibrated to mesh with

and exceed recommended technology guidelines set by online

testing consortia Smarter Balanced and PARCC.

LEDs on the top cover of the ThinkPad Yoga 11e signal to

the teacher that the device is connected wirelessly, that it’s

powered up or that it’s in sleep mode.

Because the ThinkPad Yoga 11e runs Windows 8.1, the

IT organization can take advantage of the district’s existing

Windows-oriented mobile and computing device management

assets for manageability and security. (A Chrome edition is also

available where that’s the preferred platform.)

When putting together the school purchase, IT can specify

what applications or system images should be pre-loaded

onto the devices before they ever reach the district loading

dock, cutting down on preparation time at the data center and

streamlining the distribution process.

The ThinkPad Yoga 11e can be laser-etched with

the school’s name and logo and can be given unique

district asset tagging to provide extra deterrence against

opportunistic theft.

Finally, Lenovo has designed an accidental damage

protection plan especially for education that goes beyond

the warranty to cover accidents and unforeseen events. A

single, upfront investment allows for predictable budgeting

related to repair and replacement, performed by Lenovo-

trained technicians.

Devices can personalize learningProject Tomorrow’s 2013 survey discovered that 57 percent

of teachers believe using mobile devices provides a way to

personalize instruction for each student; 55 percent say usage

of those devices facilitates greater student ownership of the

learning process. Those are both aspects of 21st century

learning that every school in the country is pursuing.

Just as personalized instruction is helping students learn

in the mode that best suits their individual needs, multi-mode

computing devices let the student adapt the device to his or her

computing style. Being able to set the device up just the way

they want it lets students personalize and “own” their learning.

Personalization of education is what drove the

1,650-student Brandywine Heights Area School District to

choose a multi-mode device for its 1:1 learning initiative. In

a district backgrounder on the program, Thomas Voelker,

director of Brandywine’s department of curriculum, instruction,

and technology, says, “By transitioning our district into a 1:1

environment, we will enable every student to be connected

to the most state-of-the-art equipment, have the most up-

to-date curriculum at their fingertips, and most importantly,

provide enhanced instructional opportunities through more

individualized instruction.”

Lenovo’s Morris concludes, “That’s the hallmark of multi-

mode. The device doesn’t dictate to you your style. It gives

you the opportunity to let your style dictate the use.”

lenovoAs the world’s #1 PC Maker, Lenovo’s transformational IT

solutions help leading schools and universities around the

globe build stronger learners, better services, and modernized

internal processes and infrastructure. Our commitment to

education-built value and reliability helps institutions stretch

precious technology dollars while designing future-ready

digital districts that drive more successful student outcomes.

Whether you need dependable hardware or trusted

expertise from an industry leader, Lenovo knows one size

never fits all - we leverage our experience and insight to

design customized solutions that blend instruction and

technology, empowering students and stakeholders to do

more. Whether you want to deploy our ruggedized ThinkPad

11e that stands-up to daily classroom wear and tear or need

the latest ThinkPad mobility support from an extensive service

portfolio – our education experts are ready.

From powerhouse servers to Windows-optimized tablets,

Lenovo products feature military-grade durability and security

that lower TCO and deliver stronger authentication, encryption,

and device security. All our products are backed with world

class service support, and our education teams have years

of experience meeting the unique IT needs of educational

environments, including the ever evolving challenges of

managing a busy digital classroom.

While technology has radically transformed the business of

education, Lenovo knows your priorities remain the same: better

ideas that drive better results for students and communities. Your

digital district is waiting – let us show you how to get there.

To learn more about Lenovo’s educational solutions visit:

http://www.lenovo.com/education

The Journal THE Journal is dedicated to informing and educating K-12

senior-level district and school administrators, technologists,

and tech-savvy educators within districts, schools, and

classrooms to improve and advance the learning process

through the use of technology. Launched in 1972, THE Journal

was the first magazine to cover education technology.

THE Journal’s franchise consists of the monthly digital

magazine, the web site thejournal.com, six newsletters (THE News

Update, THE Journal Insider, IT Trends, THE SmartClassroom,

and School Security), and targeted list rental opportunities.

With a distribution of 100,000 circulation, THE Journal is the

leading resource for administrative, technical, and academic

technology leaders in K-12 education. To learn more, visit

www.thejournal.com

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